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Less Burdensome License Renewal Process for Senior Truck Drivers
Posted: Dec 23, 2011 07:55 AM | Last Updated: Mar 27, 2012 08:28 AM

OTTAWA — In a letter to both the Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) and the Owner-Operator's Business Association of Canada (OBAC), Ontario's Minister of Transportation Bob Chiarelli said that the government agrees "that commercial driver licence renewal can be made less onerous for senior drivers (drivers 65 years of age and older) without compromising safety."

Chiarelli has asked his parliamentary assitant, Vic Dhillion, to lead a review to determine what amendments to the renewal requirement are needed and how to implement them.


Some changes that Chirelli mentioned in the letter were:

  • Regulated fees such that senior commercial drivers pay a reduced road test fee of only $14 instead of the normal $75.
  • Senior commercial drivers may use automatic transmissions for their annual road tests.
  • The air brake portion of the practical test has been amended so that senior commercial drivers can use diagrams to describe the process and demonstrate their comprehension of the air brake test.

Both the OTA and OBAC feel that the government is taking a step in the right direction, and are eager to work with the province going forward.
 

 
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va3dvr

2012/01/03

at 11:41 PM

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Dear Editor, staff and fellow drivers. My thoughts on this whole issue are fairly simple. 1st at any given time we must have a valid and up to date medical regardless of our age, so it being current, at age 65 with a clean abstract why waste everyones money and time by road testing the driver. By the time I turn 65 I will have had 46 years behind the wheel. I hope by For gods sake I can drive a truck after that many years of practising.... thanks for listening. Martin Girouard, St.Thomas Ontario. PS. another thought, maybe the tester should have more experience than the driver being tested. I doubt that they have more miles going ahead than most 65 yr old driver going backwards. :) I had to get than in there.

#12

2012/01/03

at 10:48 AM

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27
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If the law still reads that it must be a road test then the Govt should pay for the vehicle needed. As well as for the Medical. The Ontario Govt would rather pay millions to train younger foreign drivers then to take care of their own hard working safe drivers. Maybe all drivers over 45 should take a few days off and lets see how much freight gets moved.

#12

2012/01/03

at 10:47 AM

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31
81
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If the law still reads that it must be a road test then the Govt should pay for the vehicle needed. As well as for the Medical. The Ontario Govt would rather pay millions to train younger foreign drivers then to take care of their own hard working safe drivers. Maybe all drivers over 45 should take a few days off and lets see how much freight gets moved.

winchester

2012/01/02

at 8:34 PM

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14
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Like the rest of you, I agree that no test is the only option. I am trying to hang it up now and hope I don't have to lower my self to MTO standards at 65. They have messed up enough of our career already. That's why you and I, I assume, are not encouraging new drivers to get into the trade. Its not what it used to be.

Unhappy

2012/01/02

at 2:52 PM

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Why reduced costs??? Its NO test that we want! Who cares about automatic transmissions? Its No test that we want! I hope that Vic Dhillion really understands what discrimination is taking place only to Ontario drivers. Its not right nor fair. Having an annual medical is fair, but the way the AZ testers are currently treating 65 yr and older drivers is despicable. Changes have to be made.

Anonymous

2012/01/02

at 9:05 AM

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no way will i do the test. i have been trucking for 38 years without an accident! i agree with the other comments. when i turn 65 i am hanging up the keys for good. this industry is no longer an industry i want to be part of.

Anonymous

2012/01/02

at 8:30 AM

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Not good enough. Still not doing it. 65 I'm done. 40 yrs without an accident and when I turn 65 I'm considered a danger. As long as I'm medically fit this is pure crap.

Anonymous

2012/01/02

at 8:28 AM

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-22
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requests not enough!! this is the only jurisdiction in north america that requires commercial drivers to take the test at age 65!!!! a medical yearly should suffice, or in extreme cases where a questionable record appears then a driving test.

Anonymous

2012/01/02

at 7:36 AM

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no driving test

LineByLine

2011/12/31

at 5:02 PM

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I agree with the first two changes, but I think a senior driver should be able to do the Air Brake Practical Test the same as any driver. A senior driver should be able to do the test with little or no problems if the equipment is set up correctly.
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