The province announced Tuesday that beginning on Sept. 1 it will be implementing mandatory entry-level training for commercial truck drivers.
“Our government is focused on public safety on our roads and highways in this province, and mandatory training for new truck drivers will make Manitoba safer,” Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler said in a news release.
“Commercial truck drivers play an important role in moving our economy forward, and we are focused on ensuring they have the necessary skills and qualifications to do their job in a way that ensures everyone is safe on the road.”
As of now, someone can get a Class 1 truck driving licence by completing a written and a practical road test, with no mandatory training. Under the new requirements, drivers will have to complete 121.5 hours of training.
There will be a one-year deferral of new training requirements for the agriculture sector in order to allow for further consultations and to devise a strategy to lessen the impact on the 2019 farming season.
Manitoba Public Insurance has been working on an implementation plan to address policy and operational requirements, as well as licensing policy issues and Class 1 driver testing considerations.
“With these new requirements coming into effect, we are working with Manitoba Public Insurance to ensure that Class 1 testing is implemented in a timely manner and that disruptions are managed for the industry,” Crown Services Minister Colleen Mayer said in the release.
