Canada Strengthens New Heavy Truck Driver Training

The Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF) has been contracted by the Canadian Trucking Human Resources Council (CTHRC) to complete an ongoing program of research aimed at strengthening the training and licensing process for new drivers of heavy trucks.

TIRF surveyed four Western Canadian provinces to identify the agencies responsible for commercial driver training and licensing and to explore the availability of collision and violation data in order to examine the relationship between driver training and licensing processes including the extent of violations and collisions involving commercial vehicles. 

As part of this work, TIRF will identify the relationship among commercial truck driver standards, training programs and the safety performance of new drivers in British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba. TIRF wants to determine if drivers who are collision/violation free are more likely to have taken the recommended driver training programs and are more likely to have performed better on the licensing tests.

The information will be used to improve the training and licensing processes for entry-level drivers of heavy trucks. It is expected that this project will be completed by the summer of 2011.

For more information, please contact:

Sara Oglestone
Manager, Marketing & Communications                                                                                                                     
Traffic Injury Research Foundation
171 Nepean Street, Suite 200, Ottawa, ON, K2P 0B4
O: 613-238-5235
F: 613-238-5292
877-238-5235

Edited by Melody Luetkehans,
The National Judicial College
April 7, 2010