Experienced and well-trained driving school instructors are key to producing qualified truck drivers.

Representatives from trucking schools in Atlantic Canada emphasized the need for oversight, mentoring and ongoing professional development for instructors during the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association’s recent conference in Halifax.

Discussing the future of commercial driver education, Jeremy Nichols of Commercial Safety College in Masstown, N.S., said the qualifications required to teach in the province leave too much room for inconsistency. Instructors must show five years of experience and register with the Department of Advanced Education, but there’s little to stop a school from putting an unprepared trainer in charge. Nichols said some new instructors elsewhere have been “handed the keys” after only a day of orientation.

At his school, however, instructors shadow others for months before leading a class on their own, learning how to coach maneuvers, manage classrooms and develop communication skills. Not every experienced truck driver is suited to teaching, he said, and it takes time to determine who is the right fit.

Stephan Paillant of Trans Canada College in Moncton said his school measures instructor performance through surveys completed by every student. The feedback is analyzed for common themes, and additional training is offered to help instructors improve. He said trainers are given learning-style and reasonable-suspicion courses to help them adapt to students’ needs and respond appropriately if someone shows up unfit to train. The goal, he added, is to ensure the habits being taught emphasize safety from the first day.

Evaluation and continuing education

In Prince Edward Island, Alvin Smith of ASTA Safety Consulting & Training said new instructors must co-teach full MELT programs and are evaluated both in the truck and in the classroom by provincial highway safety examiners. That process, he said, helps confirm that trainers can teach as well as drive. He believes continued education and communication among instructors are vital to maintaining high standards.

Panelists agreed the quality of instruction directly affects how well graduates perform during their internships. Nichols said the best outcomes happen when schools and carriers maintain close contact once a student begins their on-the-job placement.

He added schools should work with fleets to define the skills that need reinforcement, monitor progress, and address issues early. In some cases, students who struggle during an internship are brought back for additional coaching, especially if they have difficulty handling traffic or making tight turns. Open communication, he said, ensures students finish with confidence and carriers know exactly what level of training their recruits received.

Smoother onboarding

Paillant said sharing detailed instructor notes and performance data with carriers helps them make informed hiring decisions and improves insurance outcomes. When a carrier understands a graduate’s specific strengths and weaknesses, onboarding becomes smoother, and the driver is more likely to succeed.

Smith added that while larger fleets tend to have structured onboarding programs, smaller carriers sometimes assume mandatory entry-level training (MELT) certification automatically guarantees insurability. That misconception, he warned, can lead to problems if the company does not provide finishing programs or supervision for new hires.

The discussion also turned to the balance between traditional 12-week training programs and the shorter MELT courses that have become popular in some provinces.

12 weeks of training

Paillant said Nova Scotia’s long-established 12-week standard has long served as a benchmark for Atlantic Canada, but the introduction of six-week programs under MELT is shifting demand. More students, he said, are choosing the faster, cheaper option, often unaware that the longer format offers significantly more time behind the wheel and in the classroom.

Smith said he has seen the same trend in P.E.I., with more applicants enrolling in the 240-hour course since early this year. He said the shorter timeline appeals to those who already have jobs lined up but cautioned that a compressed program leaves less time to build habits essential for long-term safety.

Nichols said most carriers still prefer graduates of the 12-week model because they come with internship experience and a clearer understanding of real-world expectations. Commercial Safety College partners with 20 to 25 fleets that host students for on-the-job placements, and he said the relationship works best when fleets have structured coaching programs.

Lacking uniformity

A four-week finishing phase after classroom and yard work, he added, remains the ideal formula for developing competent, confident drivers.

Panelists also noted that while Nova Scotia plans to adopt MELT in 2026, the Atlantic region still lacks uniform standards.

Smith said P.E.I. implemented MELT last year, while New Brunswick has lower minimums and Nova Scotia continues to operate under its traditional format. The result, he said, is confusion among both employers and students comparing programs across provincial borders.

Paillant added many New Brunswick carriers operate in several provinces, including Quebec and Ontario, and inconsistent training standards make onboarding and insurance more complicated.

Nichols said regional alignment is needed but warned against lowering standards to achieve it. He called Nova Scotia’s 12-week model a “gold standard” worth preserving even after MELT arrives. Smith agreed, saying the longer format consistently produces safer drivers and stronger partnerships with fleets.