Dear Editor,

Two years ago, I obtained my tractor-trailer AZ Class 1 licence from one of the two popular driving schools in my home province of New Brunswick.

However, I am confused when I hear Canada has a driver shortage to fulfill the 20,000-to-30,000 jobs in Canada.

I disagree on the fleet companies’ hiring policies. I spent $4,000 to study maintenance, air brake-adjustment, dangerous goods, transmissions and driving procedures. I passed all exams and road tests, including the provincial government road test.

If the government licensing bureau and the driving school instructors felt confident enough to provide me with the credentials to operate a $150,000 rig, then why won’t these fleet companies I contacted not hire me? I think transport companies may need drivers, but they expect everybody to have five, 10, 15 or 20 years experience.

Hell, show me or tell me what to do and I’ll do it and give it my best shot to succeed! But don’t say I can’t drive good enough to work for you!

I feel strongly that drivers from professionally run schools should be given the chance to do what they trained so hard to do. After all, we have the licence in our back pocket!

Ken Day

Belledune, N.B.