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The Manitoba government will hold meetings in January to discuss whether truck drivers in the province should be required to undertake mandatory entry-level training before hitting the roads. The idea has been on the cards for at least a decade but it came to the forefront in April 2018 – the same month as the fatal Humboldt Broncos bus crash in Saskatchewan.
“Our government is focused on safety above all else,” said infrastructure minister Ron Schuler. “Mandatory entry-level training is something the trucking industry has asked for and we want to work in a collaborative way to ensure that Manitoba roadways are as safe as possible.”
The government has been consulting with Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) and Manitoba Education and Training since April to establish a harmonized foundation on driver training for class one vehicles. Industry-wide consultation meetings are set to take place on January 07 in Winnipeg and January 10 in Brandon.
“Mandatory entry-level training is something that would have broad impacts across sectors including transportation, infrastructure and agriculture,” Schuler added. “We want to hear from Manitobans and ensure this proposed change focuses on safety in collaboration with industry.”
As a public auto insurer and crown corporation, MPI is not taking a stance on whether mandatory entry-level training should be introduced in the province, explained Brian Smiley, media relations coordinator at MPI.
“We believe road safety is absolutely critical, whether it be in respect to large trucks, commercial vehicles or passenger vehicles. Road safety can be accomplished in a number of ways, including encouraging good driving behaviours and safety foundations for drivers,” he told Insurance Business. “At MPI, our role in terms of road safety is that of education and awareness. We’re absolutely in favour of road safety, but any decisions about compulsory training will ultimately be made by the government.”
As part of its efforts to improve road safety in the province, MPI administers a High School Driver Education Program. The courses are taught by approximately 300 instructors at 170 high schools across Manitoba and are heavily subsidized by the insurer (students pay $50 and MPI covers the rest of the $800 course). The insurer also works with police and government agencies to assist with road safety education.
The Manitoba government’s proposal to introduce mandatory entry-level training is being supported by the trucking industry. It follows a similar announcement by Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI), who told CBC News in April that it will “have a plan in place by early 2019, with full implementation shortly after,” for mandatory class one driver training.
Manitoba Trucking Association general manager Terry Shaw said the concept of mandatory entry-level driver training “is not novel, it’s not radical, it’s just long overdue for transport truck drivers”. While the idea has been widely discussed since the Humboldt crash incident, it has actually been in the works for more than 10 years.
Smiley added: “When it comes to businesses running commercial transportation operations, we would advise them to offer safety training and have fleet safety officers in place. Not only is proper training important, but it’s also important to follow up with and evaluate drivers if they do happen to get into a collision. Continuous education is important.”
