Ask a few experienced drivers what lesson they’d like to share with a novice driver, and you’ll likely hear something that mirrors the following credo:
“The day you wake up and believe you have nothing left to learn about truck driving is the day you need to hang up the keys.”
Continued education is fundamental in many professions – from medicine and technology to marketing and teaching. In a fast paced and constantly evolving world, there is much to learn and new advancements to be familiarized with. Commercial truck driving is no exception.
Those drivers who find positions with respected “big name” truck companies that offer attractive benefits and compensation packages share two things in common: a respected training background and a commitment to staying “in the know” when it comes to the rules of the road and the best techniques to stay safe behind the wheel.
If you’re at the stage where you’re searching for an entry level driver training program, beware of courses that seem too good to be true. Unfortunately, they most likely are. Seemingly inexpensive, short-length unregulated driver training programs lack the substance and credibility necessary to provide you with the proper skills and knowledge you need to stay safe on the road. These programs can be completed in just a few days with as little as 10 hours of behind-the-wheel truck experience. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a position with a respected carrier without the seal of a registered Ontario-approved training program on your resume.
A lack of province-wide mandatory training standards has unfortunately left the bar lower than it ought to be, opening the roads to less than adequately prepared drivers and increasing the number of road accidents. On February 25, 2015, at the Marriott Airport Hotel in Toronto, the Truck Training Schools Association of Ontario (TTSAO) hosted a joint industry and ministry panel discussion to address this pressing need for standardization. There were upwards of 100 decision makers in attendance. Major carriers, insurance companies, and government officials came together to share concerns and ideas. While we wait to see what outcomes emerge as a result of the roundtable discussion, new drivers are left to decide: What is the best move for my future?
As industry leaders and government officials increasingly recognize the need for a golden training standard, new drivers should seek out TTASO-certified schools like CHET. A subsidiary of Musket Transport Ltd., CHET Truck Training School offers comprehensive AZ-Driver Training that provides students with 50 hours of tractor-trailer theory in the classroom and 50 hours of in-truck hands-on experience, both of which are necessary to be “road ready” and find steady employment.
CHET also teaches students independent industry “best practices”, such as how to navigate border crossings and customs; defensive driving; terminal procedures; and more. The school has over 15 years of experience producing job-ready and confident graduates.
Another benefit of choosing CHET is that once drivers successfully complete the program, they are issued a certificate equivalent to two to three years of driving experience, leading to greater hirability and higher salaries. CHET also often offers employment to its graduates at The Musket Transportation Ltd., Ontario’s largest intermodal carrier.
Contact us to learn more about CHET’s flexible, affordable programs.
We Train, We Employ.
