Alberta farmers won’t need MELT to drive a truck

As of April 1, Alberta’s Class 1 licensing and training changes will exempt the province’s farmers and their immediate family from mandatory entry-level training (MELT), providing them with a farm-restricted Class 1 driver’s license.

This will allow them operate Class 1 vehicles within Alberta alone, and for authorized farm purposes only.

Farmers eligible for the new licence must still complete a knowledge test, road test and vision screening. They also have to undergo a driver medical assessment.

The exemption is a first step to alleviate the trucking shortages that impact farms and ranches, Brodie Haugan, the chairman of Alberta Beef Producers, said in a news release.

“This exemption aids farmers in overcoming time and financial hurdles and prevents the migration of agricultural drivers to commercial trucking,” added Roger Chevraux, Alberta Canola’s chairman.

There are currently more than 149,000 licensed Class 1 drivers in the province. Only thirty-one per cent of them are employed as truck drivers. The province hinted at other changes that will be coming to the commercial driver training in the province.

“Getting the right people with the right training behind the wheel is critical to the province’s commercial transportation industry and economy. This new made-in-Alberta learning pathway will help train more drivers while securing safety on the province’s highways,” said Doug Paisley, chairman of the Alberta Motor Transport Association.