Truck drivers in Manitoba will have to complete more extensive training before hitting the road.
New regulations, called Mandatory Entry Level Training (MELT) were enacted Sept. 1 by the provincial government, Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) and the Manitoba Trucking Association (MTA). The new rules require all drivers to complete over 120 hours of training before passing a road test.
Before Sept. 1, Manitoba had no mandatory training requirement for semi truck drivers, although according to Manitoba Public Insurance, the industry standard at driving schools is a more stringent 240 hours. The existing courses fill MELT requirements.
Drivers will need to complete 40.5 hours in a classroom, 40 hours in a yard and 41 hours behind the wheel.
Anyone who already held a Class 1 driver’s license will not need to complete the training.
Manitoba is the fourth province to make training mandatory after the Humboldt Broncos bus crash in 2018. While the crash in Humboldt spurred political action, the MTA say they have been calling for mandatory training for years.
The changes came into effect during National Trucking Week, from Sept. 1-7.
Ontario requires drivers to complete 103.5 hours of training. Alberta drivers need 113 and Saskatchewan drivers require 121.5, the same as Manitoba. Saskatchewan enacted their changes in March.
A driver who has completed a MELT course in another province doesn’t need to complete one to get a semi license in Manitoba, but drivers coming from other jurisdictions without MELT certification need to complete the course.
