BCTA clears hurdle towards provincial driver training standard

VANCOUVER — The B.C. Trucking Association says it is one step closer to achieving a minimum, non-mandatory professional driver-training standard after it received approval in principle by the Industry Training Authority (ITA).

BCTA wants ITA approved driver trainees
distinguished from regular class 1 licence holders.

The ITA is a provincial government agency that oversees the B.C. industry training and apprenticeship system. A minimum professional driver training standard is one of the main objectives of the BC Trucking Human Resources strategic plan. It allow access to student funding for trainees. Graduates would also be more likely to have the necessary skills to enter the trucking industry and be successful, says BCTA.

Even when a minimum training standard is achieved, individuals would still be able to obtain a class 1 without training by challenging the licence test. ITA certification will simply provide greater consumer protection and assurance to students that they are receiving industry-supported training through a wider training network, adds BCTA.

As a related initiative, BCTA will be asking ICBC to support a “professional driver” endorsement on the class 1 licence so that graduates of ITA-approved training would be distinguishable from other class 1 licence holders. In addition, BCTA will be advocating that training school and instructor standards, as well as the driver licensing test be strengthened and improved.

Over the next 12 months, work will be completed on the components of the training standard, as well as the development of a curriculum. A pilot project to test the training standard is scheduled for September 2008, reports the trucking association.