TTSAO calls for better instructor standards
TORONTO, Ont. – The Truck Training Schools Association of Ontario has called for better driver education standards, especially for instructors.
A delegation from the TTSAO recently met Ontario Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney to discuss the issues negatively affecting the transportation education industry.
On top of the list was instructor qualification criteria, which the group said were “less than adequate.”
It said there are very limited requirements for a person to become a commercial driving instructor, and no formal education is needed.
“Solid educational certification for instructors, and a supply of qualified instructional staff is vital to the success of the transportation industry and a key ingredient to road safety,” said Charlie Charalabous, director of communication at the TTSAO.
“Improving the qualification criteria is something all members of the TTSAO carrier group support.”
TTSAO officials will soon meet senior staff at the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities for further discussions on the issue.
Have your say
This is a moderated forum. Comments will no longer be published unless they are accompanied by a first and last name and a verifiable email address. (Today's Trucking will not publish or share the email address.) Profane language and content deemed to be libelous, racist, or threatening in nature will not be published under any circumstances.
The bigger issue is why does the TTSAO support Advance Standing. This allows the TTSAO schools a loop hole to provide far less than the required 103.5 hr MELT curriculum to anyone for any reason. That’s a far more bigger issue than making truck trainers get certified. They aren’t teaching physics, they’re teaching entry level drivers. Drivers will be a lot safer if the TTSAO stopped shortening their courses.
The problem is TTSAO schools teaching on automatic trucks – not instructor certification. It doesn’t matter what kind of educational background your trainer has – if you train on an automatic truck the student isn’t going to learn anything anyway. There must be a hidden agenda for the TTSAO to want trainer certification while training on fake trucks.
This is my personal opinion about what the TTSAO is doing and their support of higher standards. It seems like the group and membership will continue to strive for excellence in training which includes proper qualifications for instructors. Raising the bar for the instructors and the industry will gravitate to a better entry level drivers. For those schools that don’t support ongoing education and higher standards one might ask what there motive is? Most would come to the same conclusion. $$$
Striving for higher instructor standards is an initiative that would significantly benefit the trucking industry. Currently, instructors are only required to have a certain number of years experience coupled with a fairly clean abstract and cvor. There are great programs for trainers offered through NATMI, OSL, IHSA, Avatar Fleet, and others that any trainer would benefit from. I think the previous posts regarding the TTSAO just trying to make money are not factual as the article does not state the TTSAO would be offering the program(s) required.
I have to ask why anyone would be opposed to wanting a higher caliber trainer? Currently, it is all but left to the school’s insurer to qualify the trainer from an insurance eligibility standpoint. That is ridiculous to me! Just because I have a clean driving record and spent a couple years behind the wheel, I am good at teaching others to drive? I don’t think so. Private passenger vehicle instructors must be accredited and certified but Commercial Vehicle Instructors don’t? How does that make sense? I applaud the TTSAO for their commitment to raising bars throughout the trucking industry, keep at it!
Instructor certification is a step in the right direction.
As an instructor being certified it shows you’re qualified and you take your career seriously.
To the industry looking in, it shows the commitment the facility providing the training has to setting a higher standard.
There’s no issues with the current quality of truck trainers. The problem is bad schools not bad trainers. The TTSAO just wants to make money by selling “train the trainer” courses. Forcing trainers to take these kind of courses will reduce the number of trainers. It’s disgusting that the TTSAO will destroy a whole industry just to make a buck. Shame on you TTSAO. You need to fix your schools – not your trainers.