TIMMINS - The provincial transportation minister is always looking at ways to strengthen commercial vehicle safety, he said at a recent stop in Timmins.
Days after Mushkegowuk-James Bay MPP Guy Bourgouin called for mandatory winter driving simulation training for new truck drivers, Ontario Minister of Transportation Prabmeet Sarkaria was in town.
Sarkaria's visit was to reveal the new design of the Ontario Northland Railway passenger cars and announce new contracts for the project. He also fielded a question on highway safety.
On Dec. 3, Bourgouin introduced a private member’s bill that would require all new Class A and D license holders to complete an additional 20 hours of truck simulation training under winter conditions.
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Sarkaria has reviewed the bill and said he has been talking to colleagues about how to continue building the training for truck drivers on Northern roads.
He pointed to a motion passed in November by Brampton West MPP Amarjot Sandhu. It asks the Minister of Transportation to look at having a one-year waiting period before someone with a Class G license can apply for a Class A or D license. One of the purposes, said Sarkaria, would be to be better able to adapt to Canadian weather.
"I'm always ... looking at ways to strengthen commercial vehicle safety," said Sarkaria, adding there is consultation currently happening on it.
"So I find all of that feedback very helpful, and any idea, irrespective of where it comes from, something that we're going to be considering as we move forward to help and support safer roads and safer driving on our highways," he said.