Ontario

FedEx Canada joins the Amber Alert program

TORONTO, ON - FedEx Express Canada will add nearly 3,000 pairs of eyes looking for missing children. The Canadian courier announced this week that it is partnering with the Ontario Amber Alert program, and will rebroadcast amber alerts to its 6,500 Canadian employees, including nearly 3,000 couriers, so they can aid in finding missing children. President Lisa Lisson says with the increase in e-commerce, the courier company is in more places around the country, making them good candidates for helping to locate missing children when needed. "As loving parents and proud Canadians, our employees want to be of service to the community and help keep our children safe from harm," says Lisson.

SPECIAL REPORT: The early days of mandatory training

TORONTO, ON -- Darryl Robitaille belongs to a rare graduating class, one of the first future truck drivers to study under Ontario's new Mandatory Entry-Level Training (MELT) regime. That means he had to complete at least 103.5 hours of approved training before the Ontario Ministry of Transportation would allow him to take the road test for an AZ licence to drive tractor-trailers. He failed on the first attempt. "The road test I did fine on," says the resident of Caledonia, Ontario, referring to actions like steering and backing. His challenge was with new questions linked to pre-trip inspections. "I was extremely nervous," Robitaille adds. This despite the fact that he personally completed a 200-hour training program, well above the mandated minimum introduced on July 1. But with a little extra studying he passed the test on his second attempt. Now he is looking to secure his first job behind the wheel. Robitaille can take comfort in knowing he wasn't alone.

Driver exam crush ahead of mandatory training

TORONTO, ON -- An increasing number of would-be truck drivers are lining up for licensing tests at Ontario DriveTest centers as the province approaches a July 1 deadline to introduce Mandatory Entry-Level Training (MELT). The number of appointments has increased since the beginning of 2017 and was up 20% last March when compared to the same month in 2016, an Ontario Ministry of Transportation spokesman confirms. The surge was not unexpected, either. Extra examiners were trained, and more classified test slots had been allocated to respond to an increase in demand.

Ontario reviewing Class D requirements

TORONTO, ON - The Ontario Ministry of Transportation is revisiting the medical, vision and knowledge requirements for Class D licence holders -- and the potential of aligning them with other commercial vehicle classes, the Ontario Trucking Association reports. A Class D is needed to operate straight trucks with gross weights above 24,000 pounds, and combinations above that weight which include towed vehicles with gross weights below 10,000 pounds. The proposed alignment would subject Class D drivers up to the age of 64 to complete knowledge and vision tests every five years, those under 46 to submit a medical every five years, those 46-64 to submit a medical report every three years, and those 65 and over to submit an annual medical, the association says.

Tomorrow, Ontario Changes Rules of The Road

TORONTO - Tougher penalties for certain driving violations plus increased driver and vehicle license fees in Ontario all take effect on Tuesday, Sept. 1, and the Toronto Trucking Association wants all truckers to know about it. The organization has issued a bulletin outlining tougher penalties for distracted driving, new rules protecting bicyclists and measures to ensure the safety of tow truck drivers. The province has also changed rules surrounding children riding school buses. Penalties for distracted driving will include an increased set fine of $490 and three demerit points upon conviction. Novice drivers will receive a minimum 30-day suspension for the first conviction and longer suspensions for subsequent convictions.

MTO Reminds Trucking to Use New Parkway

TORONTO -- The Ontario Minister of Transportation is reminding trucking company dispatchers and others the new Herb Gray Parkway in Windsor which connects from Hwy. 401 has been open for more than two weeks and Hwy. 3 is closed heading to the bridge crossing, according to the Ontario Trucking Association. MTO says many truck drivers still appear unaware the new expressway is accessible and instead they continue to head down Hwy. 3, then they try to find their way around the closure by winding around residential streets, much to the annoyance of residents. It also urges travelers and carriers to be patient with some growing pains as the entire project moves toward full completion. The partial opening of Hwy. 401 allows for traffic to be shifted from Hwy. 3 to Hwy 401 so that construction works can be completed on Hwy. 3. During this stage of construction, travelers will experience short-term ramp and road closures along with other construction works.

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