An initial investigation by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) led to the arrests of eight people for fraudulent activities linked to commercial driver examinations in Kingston, Ont., and the Greater Toronto Area.

The MTO later referred the matter to the Ontario Provincial Police for a criminal investigation.

Dakota Brasier, the MTO’s director of media relations, told trucknews.com the government has zero tolerance for fraud, particularly when it puts public safety at risk.

“Commercial driver licensing exists to ensure that only qualified, properly trained drivers are on our roads. Anyone who attempts to undermine that system through fraud or criminal activity will be held accountable to the full extent of the law,” Brasier said.

The eight accused face a combined 24 charges under the Criminal Code.

Brasier said the government took decisive action to hold those involved accountable and will continue working with law enforcement to protect Ontario’s driver examination system and keep roads safe.

OTA seeks stronger enforcement

The Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) said the arrests highlight what it described as widespread lawlessness undermining the trucking industry.

The association said it has urged Queen’s Park for months to strengthen enforcement and introduce new measures to address what it calls a truck safety crisis and restore compliance across the sector.

Ontario has seen a series of investigations, arrests and prosecutions in recent years involving fraudulent commercial driver examinations, licensing schemes and truck driving schools that bypass residency rules and mandatory entry-level training requirements, the OTA added.

“This latest case reinforces just how systemic, organized and widespread the lawlessness and corruption in trucking really is,” OTA president Stephen Laskowski said in a news release. “As a result, there is now a significant market for untrained, unprofessional and dangerous drivers sharing the road with the public.

“Carriers that employ these drivers appear to have little fear of government reprisal, knowing that 80% of Ontario-based trucking companies have not been inspected and that poorly trained drivers can avoid detection because inspection stations are not open 24/7. This is just the tip of the iceberg.”

OTA chairman Mark Bylsma said a growing segment of the industry is increasingly unreliable when it comes to compliance.

“Some measures we have championed for years, and that the province has implemented, have not been nearly enough,” Bylsma said. “The government must restore public safety and clearly stand with compliant, responsible and lawful carriers and drivers to end this crisis.”

Driving school groups condemn fraud

Truck driving school associations also voiced support for actions aimed at preventing fraud and improving road safety.

Philip Fletcher, president of the Truck Training Schools Association of Ontario, said cracking down on rogue schools and examiners is necessary to restore confidence in the system.

“This is exactly the type of action required to hold people to account and give the public confidence that the system works for trained commercial drivers,” Fletcher said. “Legal repercussions must match the damage inflicted on our roads, and we hope that, if convictions are secured, sentencing will be strong enough to deter others.”

Narinder Singh Jaswal, president of the Ontario Commercial Truck Training Association, also condemned fraud linked to commercial driver examinations.

“Such actions endanger public safety and undermine trust in the licensing system,” Jaswal said. “We support the ongoing investigation and believe those responsible must be held accountable. We remain committed to ethical conduct, compliance and road safety.”