Driver testing actually conducted by the MTO is on a list of short-, mid- and long-term ideas to make Highways 11 and 17 in the North safer released by Timiskaming-Cochrane New Democratic MPP John Vanthof (VANT-hoff).
He says more than 100 truck companies recruit, train and test their own drivers. Even Drive Test, where you get your Class G licence, is a third party contractor.
“If you’re going to drive a commercial vehicle in Ontario, people should be sure that the people that hold that license actually can drive that vehicle,” Vanthof insists, “and one way to ensure that is make sure that they go through an MTO test.”
As for more lanes, he says full four-laning of the highways will take at least 15 years. In the shorter term, he’s encouraging the Ford government to adopt the 2+1 system of more passing lanes.
“If we have more passing lanes, we’ll make it much safer and then as we get more traffic, maybe more passing lanes can turn into a divided four-lane.”
Vanthof also wants more freight moved by rail to take commercial traffic off the highways.
A NORTHERN PLAN FOR SAFER HIGHWAYS
Short Term
- Have all new drivers tested through the MTO, not their employers or third-party private companies. If their student drivers can’t pass a legitimate road test, then these driving schools will be forced to change how they conduct business.
Mid Term
- Have the MTO take over management of maintenance operations in the province by working with the contractors and providers throughout the north.
- More emphasis needs to be put on to using rail to move goods so that not so many loads need to travel on the highway.
- Snow tires could be made mandatory for all passenger vehicles.
- More MTO enforcement officers need to be on the road to enforce the rules and the scales need to be open daily.
- Promised highway upgrades need to be expedited so that we aren’t waiting years for rest areas and items like the 2 + 1 pilot project to be installed and make impacts.
Long Term
- Finally, Highways 11 and 17 need to be updated to divided four-lane where it is possible. This is something that would take years and successive governments to achieve. The TransCanada Highway is the road system that is supposed to move goods and people across the country, but it is no longer equipped to do that safely here in northern Ontario.
- I invite comments and suggestions so that we can develop a plan to force the government to act, for all our families.
-Source: John Vanthof, Timiskaming-Cochrane MPP (NDP)
