CBC news story, Anyone can pass: Semi-trailer driving test

[stuphoto]

As a professional driver I am not surprised to read this story.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon ... -1.4633210
This is nothing new, and I honestly don't feel I was ready when I passed my class 1 test in Kelowna 7 years ago.

I will point out that In some cases the driver gets additional training through their first employeer ( like I did ) however most companies still just push them out in their own truck. Or often into a truck with another rookie driver.

[rustled]

As a professional driver I am not surprised to read this story.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon ... -1.4633210
This is nothing new, and I honestly don't feel I was ready when I passed my class 1 test in Kelowna 7 years ago.

I will point out that In some cases the driver gets additional training through their first employeer ( like I did ) however most companies still just push them out in their own truck. Or often into a truck with another rookie driver.

Most people are shocked to learn the test doesn't involve leaving city limits. The person doing the testing doesn't know if the driver being tested can handle the truck at highway speeds, uphill, downhill, heavily loaded.

I don't know if it's still the same, but the person doing the testing doesn't even have a class 1.

[Hurtlander]

More and more people are learning to drive, and get road tested, in big rigs with automatic transmissions. Then when they are giving a truck with an 18 speed to haul a load over the mountains bad things can happen, blowing a shift climbing or descending a steep grade because of improper or no training, is never a good thing.

[stuphoto]

More and more people are learning to drive, and get road tested, in big rigs with automatic transmissions. Then when they are giving a truck with an 18 speed to haul a load over the mountains bad things can happen, blowing a shift climbing or descending a steep grade because of improper or no training, is never a good thing.

At least in BC you are allowed to take your test in an automatic tractor, however you then have a restriction limiting you to driving automatics.
The only automatics I have driven in the field are buses, so my guess is that restricton really limits those drivers.

[Hurtlander]

Ah...I didn’t realize that rule was now fully implemented. Not so long ago you could pass a class 1 road test in Alberta with an automatic and legally be allowed to drive a standard afterwards. I believe a few other provinces also used to allow that..
Regardless, as far as I’m concerned a road test should involve hauling a heavy load through the mountains, and having to demonstrate the ability to put on tire chains. In the interest of public safety it shouldn’t matter if the road test takes 8-10 hours.

Mind you, at best all we can do is set tougher standards for BC based truckers obtaining a commercial drivers license.

[Hurtlander]

20 years ago, I got my class 1 out of Calgary. I had never driven a semi before or a 18 speed. Rented the truck for 5 or 6 hours and took a 1 day airbrake course. $700 bucks .Sink,...or swim. Anyone thinking of getting a class1....don't-the industry is a complete unregulated joke. It is exempt from normal employment laws-they can work you to death or until you kill someone else. They can get away with paying by the trip or by the mile, so your better off with a little hat on your head serving coffee. The industry hasn't had a raise in 15 years and it is a minimum wage 'immigrant' job now. Don't pay for a multi thousand dollar course either cuz you won't learn much of anything in it. On the job and hands on is where you will learn. Also, there needs to be some kind of mentorship program and it needs to be treated as a trade. People need to boycott trucking companies that don't pay by the hour and pay overtime, as well as the ones that run their employees to the maximum hours.

Depends what type of trucking your doing. There’s still good money to be made hauling logs, low bedding, heavy haul, off highway trucking, or even hauling goods into remote areas of rural or northern Canada.....however to get those jobs you need to be very experienced and you must have good mechanical skills because you’re on your own much of the time...All my next door neighbours with logging trucks do very well for themselves, but they also do most of their own maintenance and welding etc..

[seewood]

On the job and hands on is where you will learn. Also, there needs to be some kind of mentorship program and it needs to be treated as a trade. People need to boycott trucking companies that don't pay by the hour and pay overtime, as well as the ones that run their employees to the maximum hours.

nailed it.
Treat it as a trade I believe would go a long way to have a "professional driver" really be a professional driver.

13 years ago there were many fatal falling incidents in BC. Took a few years to implement but now I believe there are courses and must be mentored before you can go falling on your own.
Us that had been falling for a number of years already, still had an evaluation done and were then "authorized" to fall certain diameter tress on a certain slope angle. Think the pass was 80% or else you got a fail. Fewer incidents now looking at the stats in the trade magazines.

Also want to see more chain up mandatory enforcement on the Coq. What a gong show when lazy buggers won't get out and chain up BEFORE they are needed!

[stuphoto]

sorry not really related, but I was following a chip truck on hwy 3 West of Rock Creek earlier today.
The driver spent most of his time driving way over the fog line and almost hitting the ditch several times.
I captured it on dash cam and called his employeer ( one of the big 3 chip hauling companies )

They actually hung up on me the moment that I said I caught it on camera.

So I went and showed the video to the RCMP.
I have to say they were very professional about it and that trucking outfit may be in a little trouble.

[Catsumi]

Good job Stuphoto. Thank you.