Training for truckers should be mandatory in N.L., driver says
Cliff Rowe says some drivers have no real training driving tractor trailers
In the wake of the Humboldt Broncos crash in Saskatchewan in April that killed 16 people and resulted in multiple charges against the trucking company involved, one trucker in Newfoundland and Labrador says there should be mandatory training for tractor trailer drivers.
Cliff Rowe, owner of Fogo Island Freight, says some drivers in the province do not have any formalized training beyond the basic requirements set by the province's Motor Vehicle Registration division.
"If you've got a friend with a truck, he can show you how to drive and everything — you still end up at motor registration, of course, for the final test — but that's the way it is here in Newfoundland," Rowe said.
He said most people likely aren't aware that formalized training isn't required for truck drivers in the province, but given the size of a transport truck, it's important that drivers have more training regarding safety and proper operation of the vehicle.
"It's a professional business. You have to know what you're doing with those big rigs," Rowe said.
"[When] you go to school, you learn more than basics."
All the drivers in his company have completed formal training at schools in the province, Rowe said, including his three sons.
He said he doesn't know why training requirements haven't been implemented, and that many in the trucking industry would also like to see more training.
Driver training review ongoing
In a statement to CBC News, the provincial government said tractor trailer drivers can take a training course specific to commercial vehicles through a school that is registered and has a curriculum overseen by the Department of Advanced Education Skills and Labour, but the training isn't required.
Drivers can also follow a non-formal stream to apply for a commercial driver's licence that requires a medical exam, a knowledge test and a practical driving exam, the statement said. A driver must also have a minimum of 32 months of driving experience.
The province said its Motor Registration Division is currently consulting with other provinces to conduct a review of training standards for all commercial classes of licences, including large truck operators.
The review is expected to be completed this fall, with the outcome informing any future changes to driver training.
Ontario is currently the only province in Canada that requires specific training for transport truck drivers.
With files from Central Morning
Corrections
- An earlier version of this story had an image of a truck that implied it was off the road due to driver error. In fact, the truck had been blown over by high winds.Oct 17, 2018 11:36 AM NT