An auditor basic report from the Canadian province of Ontario has concluded authorities did not successfully monitor business truck driver coaching, inspections and licensing, uncovering widespread compliance gaps that business teams warn have jeopardized freeway security for years.
The Could 12 audit discovered that some truck driving colleges issued Entry Degree Coaching (ELT) certificates with out offering the province’s required minimal coaching hours, whereas regulators failed to examine dozens of faculties providing business driver instruction.
The report examined Ontario’s Class A business driver licensing system, which governs tractor-trailer operators. Auditors famous that enormous business vans account for less than about 3% of automobiles on Ontario roads however are concerned in 12% of deadly crashes.
Ontario Auditor Common Shelley Spence’s workplace despatched undercover “secret customers” to 6 truck driving colleges between June and December 2025. Investigators discovered two personal profession schools supplied solely 59.5 hours and 81 hours of coaching, effectively beneath the province’s necessary minimal of 103.5 hours.
Based on the report, some college students had been by no means taught crucial maneuvers equivalent to left turns at main intersections, reverse parking and emergency stopping.
Auditors additionally discovered proof of falsified scholar information and colleges failing to take care of documentation proving college students accomplished required instruction.
The report mentioned Ontario’s Ministry of Faculties, Universities, Analysis Excellence and Safety (MCURES) had by no means inspected 54 of the province’s 216 registered personal profession schools providing ELT as of March 2025. Greater than half of faculties that had reached the ministry’s five-year reinspection threshold had nonetheless not been reinspected.
Auditors additionally found that six unregistered colleges beforehand investigated and penalized by regulators had been nonetheless reserving highway assessments as lately as June 2025.
The report additional criticized the shortage of coordination between MCURES and Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation (MTO), saying inspection and investigation outcomes weren’t routinely shared between companies.
Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation additionally did not persistently take a look at business drivers on freeway driving and reversing maneuvers, in response to the audit. Some DriveTest facilities used lower-speed expressways for testing, whereas others solely evaluated one sort of reversing train as an alternative of randomly deciding on maneuvers as required.
The auditor’s workplace additionally questioned Ontario’s licensing necessities, noting that drivers with demerit factors, suspensions or convictions might nonetheless acquire Class A or D business licenses.
The province accepted all 13 suggestions outlined within the audit.
Following the report’s launch, Ontario Minister of Faculties and Universities Nolan Quinn mentioned each profession faculty providing business truck driver coaching could be inspected inside six weeks. The province had already inspected 14 trucking schools as of Could 13.
“We’re going to proceed going after the unhealthy actors,” Quinn informed CBC Information. “Since we’ve got taken workplace we’ve got closed 19 profession schools, 11 of these are trucking schools.”
Mike Millian, president of the Non-public Motor Truck Council of Canada, mentioned the audit validated issues lengthy raised by trucking business stakeholders.
“The PMTC, together with many different stakeholders, sadly should not in the slightest degree shocked by the AG’s report,” Millian wrote in commentary launched Monday.
Millian mentioned business teams warned Ontario officers as early as 2017 that the province wanted stronger compliance and enforcement measures earlier than implementing necessary entry-level coaching requirements.
“For a interval of six years, none of those suggestions had been acted upon,” Millian wrote. “The present mess we’re in didn’t happen in a single day; it was allowed to fester and increase over a interval of years with no significant modifications or enforcement occurring.”
Millian additionally criticized weak enforcement penalties and oversight gaps that allowed suspended or unregistered colleges to proceed working.
“The truth that this may happen is insane, is reckless, & clearly has a detrimental impact on highway security,” Millian wrote relating to suspended coaching organizations persevering with to certify drivers.
The PMTC mentioned it’s now working with Ontario officers on proposed reforms, together with necessary ready durations earlier than drivers can try a Class A highway take a look at, enhanced auditing, more durable penalties and expanded oversight measures.
Ontario officers have already begun implementing some modifications. Based on the audit, the province established a Driver Coaching Compliance Oversight Modernization Workplace in 2025 and has begun coordinated inspections between transportation and training regulators.
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