Entry-level training is now required for anyone looking to earn their a Class 1 licence—which allows the person to operate semi-trailers and tractor trailers—for the first time.
The GNWT announced the change on Jan. 21 and said the call was made, in part, in response to the Humboldt Broncos bus tragedy in Saskatchean in 2018.
This update aligns the NWT with other jurisdictions in Canada who have also implemented entry-level training for Class 1 truck drivers.
The territorial government says both the public and those in the trucking industry are on board for the initiative, after
“Trucking is an important service industry in the NWT, bringing essential supplies to NWT communities in every region of the territory,” said Diane Archie, minister of infrastructure. in a statement. “The GNWT wants to enhance the skills of the truck drivers delivering those supplies and make our roads safer for all who use them.”
GNWT is working with NWT driving schools seeking approval to become entry level training providers.
Entry level training is currently offered by Aurora College in Inuvik this month and in Fort Smith sometime later in 2022.