AMTA working on enhanced commercial driver training standard
CALGARY, Alta. — The Alberta Motor Transport Association (AMTA) wants to develop a minimum commercial driver training standard, and recognize drivers who’ve met the new standard with a special designation on their licence.
The association says it will soon start developing the standard and will present it to the province later this year.
“AMTA would like to see the province recognize commercial truck drivers with a special designation on their licence,” said AMTA executive director Don Wilson. “Professional drivers should meet a training standard to attain a professional designation and maintain that designation through continuing education.”
AMTA president Dan Duckering, added “Professional drivers undergo extensive training that goes well beyond what is required for a provincial licence. Yet at this time there is no recognition for that advanced training or the high-level of skill that professional drivers attain.”
AMTA has put together a stakeholder committee it says spans many sectors of the province’s economy, to collaborate on what the new standard should entail. The committee wont re-establish qualifications for a Class 1 licence, but instead will develop a professional designation for those who transport goods for-hire, the association announced.
“Albertans will benefit from minimum commercial training standards for commercial drivers too,” said Wilson. “Setting a minimum standard will enhance road safety across the board and make driving a more attractive occupation for career seekers. We have targeted the fall to deliver a proposal to the minister. The committee has set out to determine what a minimum standard should consist of, to find a standard acceptable to all stakeholders and to outline what continuing education of commercial drivers will include.”
There are 132,000 Class 1 licence-holders in Alberta, but the province estimates about 20% don’t currently drive professionally.
“As an industry, we know that possessing a Class 1 licence does not make an individual a professional driver ready for employment,” said Wilson.
The idea to develop a new standard came about through discussions with Transport Minister Ric McIver.
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It is nice to see that the government is trying to upgrade and standardize the minimum requirements to be a Class 1 license “holder”.
There is a long way to go from a “holder” to a “Professional” driver, this is due to the lack of experience that drivers do not get because of the costs for the time it would require to train with a journeyman driver to get the knowledge.
In order to bridge this gap industry will have to buck up an cover the costs of implementing “Driver Coaches” that will spend time with all their drivers to help them get to the “Professional” level that we need.
Trade designation will go a long way to bring the “respect” back to the industry along with the proper “apprenticeship” program.
Too long our industry has been meeting our customers service demands with a “warm body” in the driver’s seat mentality.
I work in transportation safety and do not drive at this time but could resume at any time. Does 30 years of class one driving including 13 years of class one instructing (including Air Brakes, PDIC and LCV) count or do I have to take a course to prove I’m a professional driver now?