Prince Edward Island to introduce new commercial driver training program
Prince Edward Island will introduce new mandatory training for Class 1 commercial drivers on Aug. 5.
Class 1 applicants in the province will need to pass the new mandatory entry-level training (MELT) program as a prerequisite for licensing. In a press release, the province said the program will include in-depth training to safely operate commercial trucks under various road and weather conditions.
Prince Edward Island’s minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, Ernie Hudson, said the new entry-level training will take road safety to the next level.
“PEI’s commercial truck drivers do a tremendous job keeping our economy rolling, delivering essential goods to Islanders, and doing their part keeping our roads safe for everyone,” Hudson said.
The province will deliver the MELT program through provincially licensed commercial driver training schools. The government said it could cover up to 70 per cent of training fees for eligible participants to help remove potential barriers to employment and support participant training.
Prince Edward Island joins eight other provinces and territories with mandatory, entry-level, driver training. Their program aligns with the standards in other Canadian jurisdictions.
The National Safety Code introduced mandatory training standards for Class 1 drivers in 2020. The code requires applicants to complete 112 hours of training. The MELT program in P.E.I. will require 240 hours and will focus of safe operating practices in the province’s unique conditions.
The president and CEO of SFX Transport said the mandatory training is welcome.
“Increasing our road safety is important for our employees and everyone else on the road,” Keith said.
Participants in P.E.I.’s MELT program will also be trained to detect and report human trafficking incidents.
PEI’s MELT program includes:
- in-classroom learning
- in-yard practical learning
- in-cab/behind the wheel and highway driving
- air-brake training
Available training funds
- The driving schools set their own fees.
- The province may fund up to 70 per cent of training fees for eligible participants.
- Contact SkillsPEI to discuss eligibility for funding supports with a case manager.
For more Prince Edward Island news visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.7011657.1724417685!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
DEVELOPING Body of last missing person, tech billionaire's daughter, retrieved from yacht wreck
Italian divers have retrieved the body of British tech magnate Mike Lynch's 18-year-old daughter, Hannah, who was the last person still unaccounted for after the family's luxury yacht sank this week off Sicily.
Loblaw piloting ultra-discount No Name grocery stores in Ontario
Loblaw is piloting a new ultra-discount grocery store in Ontario that promises to deliver even lower prices by stripping away even more frills.
Ontario woman thought she spent $39 on theatre tickets. She didn't. Here's what happened
An Ontario woman paid seven times more for her theatre tickets than she thought she did. 'I was shocked. I had no idea the tickets were going to cost that much.'
German warship blasts Darth Vader anthem in heart of London. 'No deeper message,' navy says
Germany's navy says there was 'no deeper message' in the choice to blast the famed Imperial March, Darth Vader's theme song in the 'Star Wars' films, from one of its warships as it cruised down the River Thames through London this week.
DEVELOPING Canadians await details on railway reopening after feds intervene in labour dispute
Businesses and industry leaders are anxiously awaiting updates on when Canada's freight trains could start moving again now that the federal government has intervened in a work stoppage that halted all shipments for a full day.
Windsor Spitfires welcome Keanu Reeves to its roster
An infamously wholesome Canadian star is in Windsor, and is living up to his reputation.
Death toll from bandit attack on police in Pakistan rises to 12
The death toll from Pakistan's deadliest bandit attack on police rose to 12 after one of the wounded officers died at a hospital in the eastern province of Punjab as police pursued the bandits believed to be behind the attack, officials said Friday.
RFK Jr. withdraws from Arizona ballot as questions swirl around a possible alliance with Trump
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. withdrew from the ballot in Arizona late Thursday, a day before he and Donald Trump were set to appear miles apart in the Phoenix area as speculation grows that Kennedy could drop his independent presidential bid and endorse the Republican nominee.
A quick surgical procedure can permanently change your eye colour, but experts warn it’s not without risk
Coloured contacts, which cover the coloured part of the eye with a tinted lens, have been used for cosmetic reasons since the 1940, but cosmetic surgery to make a colour change permanent is a more recent phenomenon.