MPP Amarjot Sandhu, parliamentary assistant to the minister of infrastructure, has introduced a private member’s bill that would enforce a one-year waiting period after obtaining a Class G driver’s licence before being eligible to test for a commercial driver’s licence. Sandhu emphasized on social media that the bill aims to better prepare future commercial drivers, enhancing road safety and reducing collisions.
The Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) praised the proposal in a statement.
“OTA is calling on all trucking and road safety stakeholders to support MPP Sandhu’s private member’s bill,” OTA president Stephen Laskowski said in a release. “This bill needs to become law to improve road safety and help protect new people to Canada.”
In a 2023 OTA survey, 96% of respondents cited ongoing safety and infrastructure challenges on Ontario highways, with nearly 80% calling for better-trained truck drivers. Over 70% of respondents sought increased oversight of unsafe drivers and fleets.
“MPP Sandhu’s bill is not a panacea for all road safety and labor issues affecting new Canadians, but it’s a step in the right direction,” Laskowski said.
Credit: Source link
