APTA wants Nova Scotia to commit to official implementation date for MELT
The Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association (APTA) is urging the government of Nova Scotia to commit to an official implementation date for mandatory entry-level training (MELT) under National Safety Code 16, aimed at improving road safety and ensuring a higher standard of training for professional truck drivers.
While most provinces across Canada, including neighboring New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland & Labrador have already implemented MELT, Nova Scotia remains one of the last provinces that has yet to confirm a timeline for the adoption of this critical safety measure, according to an APTA release.
Chris McKee, executive director of APTA, said, “MELT is not just a regulatory step — it’s a necessary evolution for the safety and sustainability of our industry. The trucking sector is the backbone of our economy, and it’s critical that our drivers have the training and skills they need to safely operate in increasingly complex traffic conditions. Nova Scotia has made progress, but without a clear implementation date, we’re falling behind other jurisdictions that have already embraced this vital safety framework.”
Standardized training will improve career opportunities for professional drivers in Nova Scotia by aligning their qualifications with national standards, APTA said.
The association called on the Nova Scotia government to work collaboratively with industry stakeholders to ensure a smooth transition to the new training requirements, and provide support to training institutions and carriers to ensure adequate resources are available for the successful rollout of MELT.
“We urge the government to prioritize this issue and provide the trucking industry, drivers, and the public with a clear timeline for this essential step forward,” added McKee.
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I think its a great idea to ensure drivers (especially new drivers to canada) are given enough time, practice and skills training especially in bad road/weather conditions and to ensure the driving rules are respected and understood. Way too many inexperienced drivers out there, hopefully western provinces follow suit.
If the trucking industry wants this training. Is the trucking industry ( companies) going to pay for the cost of setting 3 nonprofit schools to teach these courses? We do not want a repeat of what of is going on in Ontario. In my opinion this training should not be paid for with taxpayers $. I think the region should setup a training program and tie to further training and a gov or nonprofit insurance with a graduated truck and coach driver program with the industry and the gov helping with first year insurance costs for new drivers for farmers and those that haul food products in the region.