There may be major safety gaps on our roads when it comes to transport trucks.
An investigation by Torstar reveals private, unaccredited truck driving schools use a loophole in provincial law that allows them to churn out poorly trained drivers.
These so-called licence mills are a major concern for the professional trucking industry and the police.
These unregulated schools avoid government oversight by charging just under the $1,000 threshold the province has set for regulated courses.
So with minimal hours behind the wheel, students walk away with an A-Z licence to operate a tractor trailer with air brakes.
Ontario Truck Driving School president Gus Rahim says the problem is getting worse.
“A lot of them come in knocking on our door after they've spent their money somewhere else at these non-registered schools. And a lot of times, the problem is we cannot do too much for them because they have to take the full course here to be able to get that certificate that a lot of the trucking companies are looking for,” he says.
At the Ontario Truck Driving School, student Kurtis Dykins says he did his research before enrolling.
“Accredited - that's the big key. You want an accredited school so that means you can go to another company and they're going to recognize that you've been trained and known throughout Ontario,” he says.
A fully loaded tractor trailer can haul upwards of 36,000 kilograms of freight. That can include anything from livestock to dangerous chemical cargo.
OPP Sgt. Dave Rektor says we should expect a higher standard from those who drive professionally.
“These vehicles are very difficult to stop. They're hard to slow down in various scenarios. So we're hoping that the people behind these large rigs are professionals.”
Rahim says accredited schools have been pushing for the Ministry of Transportation to demand certification of training before a road test at a trucking company.
