TTSAO to pilot truck instructor certification program July 1, full rollout planned by Sept. 1
The Truck Training Schools Association of Ontario (TTSAO) plans to begin beta testing a new commercial driving instructor certification program July 1 at two schools, with a broader rollout to member schools expected no later than Sept. 1.
The association said that the program, approved through Ontario’s Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security (MCURES), is aimed at raising instructional standards across truck driving schools and improving consistency in training.
“We are going to go with a beta test at two TTSAO locations to ensure that it is the robust program that we want to have,” TTSAO chairman Ken Adams told trucknews.com. “Then once we’ve done that, we will be rolling it out to all TTSAO member schools.”
The beta phase will launch at Crossroads Truck and Career Academy in Ottawa and Transport Driver Training in Kitchener. TTSAO plans to train instructors at member schools before expanding access more broadly.
The program will consist of 56 hours of training focused on teaching instructors how to effectively train commercial drivers. Adams said the curriculum includes adult learning, program development, effective communication, and working with multicultural students.
“Basically, this is teaching the teacher how to teach,” Adams said. “Effective communication, adult learning, those kinds of things.”
Classroom and practical training
TTSAO announced the program earlier this month, describing it as a structured approach to instructor development aligned with national occupational standards for college and vocational instructors. The association said the initiative is designed to strengthen professionalism and consistency in commercial driver instruction across Ontario.
According to Adams, the program will include both classroom and practical training.
‘Master trainer’ model
TTSAO plans to use a “master trainer” model, where one instructor at a school completes certification and is then authorized to train other instructors within that organization. Those certified trainers could also train instructors from outside schools seeking certification.
Only instructors with five years of verifiable truck driving experience will be allowed to gain this certification, Adams noted.
The certification will not be mandatory under provincial rules, but Adams said TTSAO intends to require it for instructors at member schools. “It is not mandatory as per the MTO,” Adams said. “We are looking to make it mandatory for TTSAO schools.”
Adams said the association is moving ahead independently rather than waiting for government requirements around instructor certification.
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Lots of questions by our team and others who are members of TTSAO who have asked;
How long will course be? We’ were told 56 hours in person.
How much? TTSAO leadership has not priced it out yet.
We were also told that the Master Instructors Course would also be 56 hours.
No price set for it either:
Pre-requisite’s? none have been decided on.
Final question we asked – will there be a TTSAO Conference this year? Maybe in the fall.
Lots of questions, not many answers to date.
NATMI and Triple LLLC is already industry approved. With the National Instructors Accreditation Program around the corner sounds like the industry will have some affordable and legitimate choices around the corner.
Hi Leo-I have been a truck instructor since 1971 and retained class 1 license, and don,t understand todays trucking in such a critical mess.
This ‘Train the Trainer’ program is 56 hrs? In that time frame you are lucky to cover the basic course in adult ED, curriculum development, teaching skills, rules and regulation and the like.
The next 56 hrs should be on ‘In vehicle instruction – to get all the trainers training the same methods and procedures.
The idea that each school have a ‘Master Trainer’ becomes a joke! When was the last time you saw a shop teacher show a student how to change oil on a truck, then have that tech go out and train all the staff where he works??
Set up an Education style course where ALL instructors take the required training at an approved college to obtain their credentials. No well maybe, yeh but… – real training for trainers that become proven to be able to deliver an instruction course to potential drivers, that will succeed.
“ TTSAO plans to use a “master trainer” model, where one instructor at a school completes certification and is then authorized to train other instructors within that organization. Those certified trainers could also train instructors from outside schools seeking certification.“
That right there is the loophole that substandard driving instruction schools will use to make this “Master plan” useless and thereby putting us right back to where we are right now at a tremendous taxpayer cost. When is the province going to learn that you cannot allow any type of self governance in these schools? Just my two cents.