Sample Sidebar Module

This is a sample module published to the sidebar_top position, using the -sidebar module class suffix. There is also a sidebar_bottom position below the menu.

Sample Sidebar Module

This is a sample module published to the sidebar_bottom position, using the -sidebar module class suffix. There is also a sidebar_top position below the search.

Unqualified Truck Drivers on Canadian Roads: Bribes, Forgery, and Flawed Testing Exposed

Details
Category: Issue 5

A hidden camera investigation and a leaked internal memo have exposed significant corruption and misconduct in Ontario’s truck driver testing system. According to an insider, bribery, forged documents, and rigged testing procedures are rampant at Ontario’s DriveTest centres, posing serious threats to public safety. Serco, the company that manages these centres, is accused of prioritizing performance metrics over the safety and competence of drivers.

A memo obtained by CBC’s Marketplace reveals that several examiners have been dismissed or resigned following investigations into illegal practices. These include accepting bribes to pass unqualified drivers, falsifying driver records, and issuing improper certifications. The whistleblower, a DriveTest examiner, warned that these actions enable unsafe drivers to operate massive vehicles that can be as deadly as ‘murder weapons’ in accidents.

Despite the severity of these allegations, both Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation and Serco have been slow to address the systemic problems. The Ministry acknowledges that its Mandatory Entry-Level Training (MELT) program, which is required for aspiring truck drivers, is ineffective and lacks proper oversight. Moreover, private truck driving schools are often underregulated, cut corners, and inadequately prepare students for the road test, compromising the integrity of the entire system.

Through undercover footage, Marketplace documented schools offering shortcuts and bending rules, such as allowing students to bypass required training hours. Many students reported subpar instruction and lax safety protocols, leading to unsafe conditions on the road.

While Serco and the government claim to be investigating these issues, critics fear that the ongoing corruption and negligence will continue putting lives at risk. As this scandal unfolds, public pressure mounts on Ontario’s government to overhaul the truck driver training and testing process to ensure only qualified drivers are allowed on the road.

For now, the insider remains skeptical of meaningful change, warning that more lives may be endangered if the system is not properly reformed.

Matt Richardson, Vice-President of KRTS Transportation Specialists Inc., was featured in the Marketplace video. “CBC’s Marketplace did a great job in pointing out some of the issues the industry faces when it comes to driver training and testing,” Richardson says. “Unfortunately, for most working in the transportation industry, the epidemic is well known, especially when it comes to ‘so-called training schools’ finding ways to circumvent the MELT requirements. For the training providers who are doing things right and providing a quality educational experience to their students that meets or exceeds the MELT standards to produce entry-level graduates who are safe, prepared, and have a real shot at a long-term sustainable career in the industry, it is a bit disheartening to look across the playing field and see so many bad actors skirting the system with such a blatant disregard for overall road safety, standards, and professionalism,” he continues.

For the full story, please visit www.cbc.ca/news/marketplace/bribes-trucking-industry-hidden-camera-1.7348425, and for thefull video, “Truckload of Trouble” on YouTube, please visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVSs8dSbS-Y.