TTSAO certified training is already ahead of the standards called for across the Country and you may be asking yourself why you should care? Training is training isn’t it? The fact is that higher training may be setting you up to be a leader in the industry in the near future.
The trucking industry made the news again this week, this time out West in Saskatchewan. Training standards were the main topic of conversation in the light of another truck crash. Ontario and a couple other Provinces are the only areas requiring Mandatory Entry Level Training ( M.E.L.T.) for truck drivers and the call is for a national standard across the Country. Ontario implemented the program in 2017 calling for a minimum of 103.5 hours of training to be completed before proceeding to the licence test. Provinces are calling for all Provinces to adopt mandatory training so that there is a standard in the industry. Even those same drivers that have normally fought against increased regulations are now calling for it due to recent incidents.
Here is the source story from CTV News that came out this week on the issue. https://saskatoon.ctvnews.ca/professor-interviews-truckers-across-canada-calls-for-standard-truck-driving-training-nation-wide-1.4214217
In a recent meeting with training schools, the Ministry of Ontario, and insurance providers for the industry everyone agrees on one thing, there is a problem in the industry. We have a driver shortage of qualified candidates, insurance providers are struggling with increased incident rates, and the courtesy and driver professionalism of the past is slipping away with each generation. Big issues to deal with and little options available. To date the answer has been to add more regulations onto the industry using technology but in my opinion that seems to be hampering progress instead of helping it.
The Truck Training Schools Association of Ontario (TTSAO) have always provided training with programs over 200 hours in length and featuring all aspects of the job from Hours of Service to driving techniques. The course minimum has been in place for years before M.E.L.T. came along. You may be asking why this should matter to you?
The industry as a whole are now starting to look at driver finishing programs and extended training curriculums to help produce a better driver. Once some data has been received from the pilot M.E.L.T. programs in place I am sure that a national program will be implemented nationwide. One thing for sure is that the Government has to protect everyone’s rights across the Country and with that you can be sure that minimum standards will be implemented over maximum standards. That being said if you want to improve your chances to be at the forefront of a career in transportation and want to be hired by the top carriers in the Country then proper training and operating as a professional driver will be required. Once a national program is introduced then those with more than the minimum will be at the forefront and TTSAO schools offer that maximum advantage. You can find a TTSAO school in your area at www.ttsao.com
About the Author
Bruce Outridge has been in the transportation industry for over 30 years. He is an author of the books Driven to Drive and Running By The Mile, and host of The Lead Pedal Podcast. TTSAO also known as the Truck Training Schools Association of Ontario has certified member schools in the truck training vocation ensuring quality entry level drivers enter the transportation industry. To learn more about the TTSAO or to find a certified school in your area visit www.ttsao.com