AMTA wants volunteers for new driver training program
CALGARY, (May 16, 2005) — The Alberta Motor Transport Association is looking for carriers in the province to take part in the upcoming driver training pilot being introduced by the Alberta governmnet.
Transport Training & Development Association (TT&DA) is working to develop a course of studies that will provide drivers with the competencies, skills and experience necessary for success in entry level, professional driver positions in the trucking and transportation industries.
Under the proposed program model — which will be overseen by Alberta Transport and likely administered by Red Deer College — student drivers will first receive an introductory theory course at an accredited college, followed by behind the wheel driver training and a driving-mentoring practicum with a professional driver.
While such a program has been discussed for years, wheels really got turning when Alberta Transportation Minister Lyle Oberg needed something to respond to a licence scam scandal in March. At that time, police shut down the Delta Driving School on suspicion that untrained truck drivers were being put behind the wheel for fees of up to $2,500. Some of those drivers were later involved in serious collisions, police said.
The AMTA has released a notice seeking interest from the carrier community to identify trucking companies who are willing to take in students for the practicum and/or to provide the work experience. There will be no commitment attached to any participation agreement to hire any students upon his or her graduation, AMTA says.
“The TT&DA and the AMTA feel this program will be very instrumental in raising the entry level driver education and training standards in Alberta, improve safety on the highways, provide better opportunity for the industry to attract professionally trained drivers and be an avenue for young or inexperienced drivers to get an industry standard level of training and experience that will lead to meaningful employment,” the AMTA states on its website.
Contact the AMTA or Cliff Soper of the TT&DA at csoper@telusplanet.net for more info.
— Read more on this story in the upcoming June issue of Today’s Trucking.
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