The MELT proposal was first introduced back in the fall of 2014 after the Toronto Star revealed in an investigative report that there were nearly two dozen unregulated schools in the GTA that offer to teach prospective truck drivers just enough to earn their truck-driving licence for under $1,000. These licensing mills were largely frowned upon in the industry and now the government is working on MELT to help eliminate these unregulated training schools for good.
“MTO is proposing to, once implemented, require any new applicant for a Class A licence, to successfully complete a mandatory entry-level training course prior to attempting the road test,” the statement reads. “The introduction of mandatory training, in addition to the testing requirements, is designed to ensure that commercial truck drivers are properly trained before they are licensed. As part of this proposal, MTO is also updating the knowledge (written) and road tests for all commercial class licences.”
Training providers will develop the curriculum and that the new training standard are expected to be released this summer. According to the statement,”Training providers will have approximately one year to develop their curriculum and to obtain the necessary approvals.”
The Ontario government released a statement earlier this week encouraging the trucking industry and the public to provide feedback on the proposed mandatory entry-level training (MELT) program for commercial truck drivers.
Comments on the proposal are due by April 7, 2016. You can write in your comments to: 87 William Hearst Avenue, Rm B-051 Downsview, Ontario, M3M 0B4, fax them at 416-235-4646 or e-mail susie.consiglio@ontario.ca or kim.MacCarl@ontario.ca.
