Language proficiency plays a critical role in road safety for commercial truck drivers. From reading traffic signs to communicating with law enforcement and shippers, ensuring that drivers can effectively understand and use English or French is essential for maintaining safety on Canada’s highways.
Current Language Standards for Truck Drivers
Canada does not have a national language proficiency requirement for commercial drivers, but licensing exams and work permit requirements vary by province. Some key benchmarks include:
Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB): Many immigration programs require commercial drivers to meet a minimum CLB 4 or 5, ensuring basic communication skills.
Multilingual Licensing Exams: Some provinces offer knowledge tests in multiple languages, allowing non-English/French speakers to obtain a commercial license.
Provincial Differences: Quebec mandates French proficiency, while provinces like Ontario and British Columbia allow exams in several languages but still emphasize English road signs and communication.
The Argument for Standardizing Language Requirements
Advocates for stricter language rules argue that all commercial driver knowledge tests should be in English or French to verify proficiency before drivers operate on public roads. Benefits of this approach include:
Improved Road Safety: Drivers must read signs, understand warnings, and follow complex regulations.
Clear Communication: In case of breakdowns, accidents, or law enforcement interactions, language barriers can slow response times and create risks.
Industry Standards Alignment: Many Canadian trucking employers already require English proficiency for hiring, so enforcing this nationally would create consistency.
Ensuring Secure Language Testing
To implement standardized CLB 6 proficiency testing and prevent cheating, Canada could adopt security measures used in other industries:
Biometric Verification: Require facial recognition or fingerprint scanning to confirm the test-taker’s identity.
AI-Powered Proctoring: Use automated monitoring systems to detect suspicious behavior during online testing.
Randomized Question Banks: Rotate large pools of test questions to prevent memorization and answer sharing.
Secure Testing Centers: Conduct exams at designated locations with trained proctors overseeing candidates.
Multi-Step Authentication: Ensure test-takers verify their identity using government-issued IDs before accessing exams.
A Call to Action: Strengthening Language Standards for Truck Drivers
As Canada continues to refine road safety and commercial driver training, it’s time to prioritize standardized language proficiency. A minimum CLB 6 benchmark and secure testing methods could enhance safety, ensuring all commercial drivers can effectively communicate, read road signs, and follow industry regulations.
Would you support a national CLB 6 language requirement for truck drivers? Let’s start the conversation and advocate for safer roadways.
The Canadian trucking industry currently shows over 20,000 vacant driver positions, according to a recent report from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). And 34,300 truck drivers were expected to leave the industry in 2024, according to Trucking HR Canada’s Labour Market Snapshot: November 2022. As the trucking industry struggles with how to solve the increasing driver shortage, many companies are taking a different approach to recruiting.
The demographic pool is widening as organizations focus efforts on hiring veterans and recruiting young talent out of school, but there is one key demographic the industry is ignoring. According to data from Omnitracs, women account for only nine percent of drivers. The opportunities are endless when it comes to recruiting women truck drivers, but it doesn’t stop at just filling the driver’s seat. When you do the analysis, women are a proven asset to organizations, as female drivers have lower turnover rates, fewer accidents and more miles logged.
Reasons why Trucking Companies Should Focus on Women Drivers
Women are a huge part of the economy
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women now represent 46.6% of the total workforce, yet they are still underrepresented in trucking jobs.
Women have shown they make safer truckers than men
Hiring women drivers could actually increase your safety record. According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, women are safer drivers. They’re less likely to be distracted by their phones or other devices and are more attentive to safety.
Many women lost jobs during the pandemic
The pandemic hit everyone hard, but women were hit even harder. That’s because women tend to work in industries that were disproportionately impacted by business closures. Think residential and home nursing care, childcare, food service, and the hospitality industry.
It shatters the stigma
The only way stereotypes can change is by major players in the trucking industry leading the way. Some of the most frequently cited reasons for not having more women in trucking are that driving a big rig for hundreds of miles at a time isn’t family-friendly, and the industry is male-oriented and unwelcoming to women.
The System in place currently has been broken for a long time, and solutions offered by Industry have yet to be acted upon.
(the below is an exert of a communication that was sent by the PMTC to the CCMTA, Transport Canada & The Council of Ministers Responsible for Transportation)
Currently Commercial Motor Carriers who wish to operate a trucking fleet in Canada must apply for a Safety Fitness Certificate to the Provincial Authority in which they plan to licence their vehicles. If the Provincial Authority of the base jurisdiction approves the application, a National Safety Code (NSC) will be issued to the Carrier. The base jurisdiction is then responsible for monitoring the motor carrier for safety and compliance, based on National Safety Code 14, which is a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) all jurisdictions agreed to several years back. https://www.ccmta.ca/en/national-safety-code
While in theory this process comes across as seamless and consistent, the reality of how carriers are monitored from one Canadian provincial jurisdiction to the other vary significantly. For instance, if you were to run a Safety Fitness Certificate from a carrier based in Ontario and then run one from a carrier in Alberta, it would be almost impossible to compare the safety rating of the two fleets and decipher which one is the safest of the two.
The substantial differences in how one jurisdiction scores a carriers’ provincial safety rating compared to another, also leads to chameleon carriers simply closing shop in one jurisdiction and opening in another, exploiting the lack of communication between jurisdictions and simply open again in a different location. In addition, there are many carriers in Canada, who exploit the lack of a central reporting system, and the lack of checks and balances in place between jurisdictions. They start several fleets, register each of them in different jurisdictions with different National Safety Code Numbers. When they face challenges in one jurisdiction, they simply continue to operate in the others by transferring vehicles over to the fleet in different jurisdictions so they can continue to operate across the country despite an undesirable safety profile.
The recent case with Chohan Freight Forwarders in British Columbia illustrates the current problem. The fleet had its operating authority suspended in British Columbia but had another federally regulated fleet operating out of Alberta. The absence of a coordinated and centralized system has basically allowed this fleet, deemed unsafe by one jurisdiction, to continue to operate across the country, including into the province that just suspended their operating authority. A fleet should only be allowed to have one National Safety Code Number. A central reporting system would alleviate this type of unsafe practice and ensure a proper tracking system across the country. https://www.trucknews.com/health-safety/b-c-asks-feds-to-reduce-safety-gaps-following-overpass-crashes/1003181013/
To further showcase how the lack of a centralized and uniformed regulated system may cause alarming road safety issues, a simple internet search by one of our insurance company members demonstrates the seriousness of the problem. Back in 2022, it was found that 34 Trucking Companies were listed as operating at the same address in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, while another 54 companies were found to be listed as operating at one address in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Most of the emails associated with these companies were the same, from a consultant in Brampton, Ontario. A quick check at the time showed no trucks were located in either of these locations, despite records showing 88 trucking companies being registered at these locations. This is just one example of “jurisdiction shopping” when trucking companies set up their business in a location to save on operating costs, insurance, oversight, or can easily “relocate” as a result of being shut down in another jurisdiction.
To rectify this issue, we need a national recognized MOU that is more descriptive than what is currently in place and has some teeth, to create a standardized Carrier Provincial Safety Rating. We must ensure that all the regions across the country monitor and audit carriers following the same consistent criteria with results easily accessible from a central reporting system/one stop shop. Hence, everyone will be able to see and compare a carriers’ safety rating score regardless of the region from which it has been completed and submitted. A seamless access to results about the carrier’s compliance/non-compliance must be easily accessible to all, including the shippers who could then verify the safety of the fleet they are hiring.
To achieve this goal, coordinated and harmonized jurisdictional regulations are needed. The current inconsistencies in regulations and enforcement from one jurisdiction to another reduces efficiency and increase burdens and cost to the industry. Sadly, it also leads to some carriers who do not have safety and compliance at the top of their priorities to go jurisdiction shopping to find the one with the least stringent regulations to register their fleet in.
The Private Motor Truck Council of Canada has been raising this issue at meetings with governments since 2015, and the most recent case in British Columbia highlights the seriousness of this issue. It needs to be addressed promptly by regulators, & the PMTC is ready and willing to work together with regulators on this process.
Employment Opportunity Long Haul Truck Driver Needed!!
Watt & Stewart Commodities Inc. located at 4134 3rd Streat East, Claresholm, AB T0L 0T0 is looking for ten (10) Long Haul Truck Drivers (NOC: 73300)
Employer: Watt & Stewart Commodities Inc.
Work location: 4134 3rd Streat East, Claresholm, AB T0L 0T0 & Various routes in Canada and USA
Vacancies: 10 Vacancies
Salary: $34.25 – $35.00/ Hour for 40 -70 Hours / Week (calculated based on mileage and type of rig)
Benefits: Health Benefits: Health Care Plan and Dental Plan; Financial Benefits: Mileage paid, Safety Bonus, High Mileage Bonus, Retention Bonus and Referral Bonus; Subject to wage increase and incentives
Terms of employment: Permanent, Full time, On Call
Start date: As soon as possible
Employment conditions: Day, evening, night, weekend, on call.
Languages: English
Education: No degree, certificate or diploma.
Experience: Experience an asset
Personal Suitability: Reliability, organized
Credentials: Driver’s license (Class 1 or A); Air brake endorsement (Z)
Transportation/Travel Information: Willing to travel cross-border, Willing to travel for extended periods, Valid driver’s license
Security and Safety: Valid passport, Medical exam, Driving record check (abstract), Drug test, Criminal record check, Basic security clearance
Own Tools/ Equipment: Steel-toed safety boots
Tasks: Hauling general commodities using flatbed trailers throughout Canada and the United States; Hauling Lumber, pipe and wide loads; Operate and drive straight or articulated trucks to transport goods and materials; Tarping and ensuring safety and security of cargo; Receive and relay information to central dispatch; Perform break adjustments; Perform emergency roadside repairs; Record cargo information, hours of service, distance travelled and fuel consumption; Perform pre-trip, en route and post-trip inspection and oversee all aspects of vehicle; Oversee condition of vehicle and inspect tires, lights, brakes, cold storage and other equipment; Load and unload goods; Perform preventive maintenance; Mountain driving expertise; Professionalism in customer service; Communication Systems Experience: Operate GPS (Global Positioning System) and other navigation equipment; Documentation Knowledge: Trans-border documentation, Driver logbook, Bill of lading, Trip reports, Maintenance and repair reports, Accident or incident reports, Inspection report (pre-trip, en-route, post-trip).
Type of Trucking and Equipment: Tractor-trailer, Flatbed
Weight Handling: Up to 13.5 kg (30 lbs)
Transportation/Travel Experience: International, National, Long-Haul
Work Setting: Willing to relocate
Work Conditions and Physical Capabilities: Physically demanding, Attention to detail, Repetitive tasks, Sitting for extended periods of time
Underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply: Persons with disabilities, Indigenous people, Newcomers to Canada.
How to apply:
By email: cplace@wattstewart.com
By fax: 403-625-4185
By mail: 4134 3rd Street East Claresholm, AB T0L 0T0
Employment Opportunity
Long Haul Truck Driver Needed!!
Aguirre Express Ltd. located at 212049 Hwy 519, Picture Butte, AB T0K 1V0 is looking for one (1) Long Haul Truck Driver (NOC: 73300).
Employer: Aguirre Express Ltd.
Work location: 212049 Hwy 519, Picture Butte, AB T0K 1V0 & Various routes in Canada – AB (Banff-Jasper-Rocky Mountain House Region, Calgary Region, Camrose-Drumheller Region, Edmonton Region, Red Deer Region, Lethbridge-Medicine Hat Region), BC, SK, MB and USA.
Vacancies: 1 Vacancy
Salary: $31.00/Hour for 40 -60 Hours / Week
Benefits: Health benefits: health care plan, dental plan, vision care benefits after 3 months of employment; Financial benefits: eligible for year-end safety bonus and productivity bonus after 3 months of employment; Other benefits: travel insurance; Subject to wage increase and incentives
Terms of employment: Permanent, Full time.
Start date: As soon as possible
Employment conditions: Early morning, morning, day, evening, night, weekend, on call.
Languages: English
Education: No degree, certificate or diploma
Experience: Experience an asset
Personal Suitability: reliability, organized, judgement, team player
Credentials: Driver’s license (Class 1 or A); Air brake endorsement (Z)
Transportation/Travel Information: Willing to travel cross-border, Willing to travel for extended periods, Valid driver’s license
Security and Safety: Valid passport, Medical exam, Driving record check (abstract), Drug test, Criminal record check, Driver’s validity licence check
Own Tools/ Equipment: Cellular phone
Tasks: Hauling livestock using Cattle liner trailers throughout Canada and the United States; Wash trailer; Operate and drive straight or articulated trucks to transport livestock; Hauling different commodities using flatbeds, reefers, and super B grain trailers; Tarping and ensuring safety and security of cargo; Receive and relay information to central dispatch; Perform break adjustments; Perform emergency roadside repairs; Record cargo information, hours of service, distance travelled and fuel consumption; Perform pre-trip, en route and post-trip inspection and oversee all aspects of vehicle; Oversee condition of vehicle and inspect tires, lights, brakes, cold storage and other equipment; Load and unload goods; Perform preventive maintenance; Mountain driving expertise.
Documentation knowledge: Driver logbook, Bill of lading, Maintenance and repair reports, Accident or incident reports, Inspection report (pre-trip, en-route, post-trip), Trans-border documentation.
Communication systems experience: Operate GPS (Global Positioning System) and other navigation equipment.
Type of Trucking and Equipment: Tractor-trailer
Weight Handling: Up to 45 kg (100 lbs)
Transportation/travel experience: International, National, Local, Long-Haul
Work Setting: various locations.
Work Conditions and Physical Capabilities: Physically demanding, attention to detail, repetitive tasks, handling heavy loads, sitting for extended periods of time.
Underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply: Persons with disabilities, Indigenous people, Newcomers to Canada.
How to apply
By email: aguirrexpressltd18@gmail.com
