TORONTO — The OTA Education Foundation is inviting qualified individuals to apply for a scholarship announced last year by the Ontario Trucking Association to aid one university or college student who is a son or daughter of a professional truck driver who has been killed or seriously injured while driving a commercial vehicle on the job.

An annual scholarship up to $1,600 is available for an applicant as selected by the OTA Education Foundation.

To be considered for the 2008/2009 academic year, applicants must be enrolled in or registered to attend a recognized Canadian university or college on a full-time basis, and be under the age of 25 as of Jan. 1, 2008. The student must also be the child of a professional driver (employee or owner-operator) who has died or been seriously injured as a direct result of his/her driving occupation within the previous four years.

The application process also requires the inclusion of letters from both the student applicant as well as the employer of the applicant’s parent. Further details are provided in the application, which has a deadline of Aug 30.

Following the tragic death of Ontario truck driver David Virgoe in June 2007, OTA announced it was putting up $40,000 to establish a perpetual scholarship for children of Ontario truck drivers who are killed or seriously injured while driving on the job. Mr. Virgoe was called a hero by OPP officers after taking evasive action to avoid oncoming traffic as a result of a street racing incident.