The provincial government is eliminating a training requirement to reduce bus driver shortages (Photo: Mshake | Dreamstime.com)

By Christian Oldale/LethbridgeNewsNOW

Province removing training program to tackle school bus driver shortage

Apr 16, 2023 | 11:25 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The Government of Alberta is taking steps to get more school bus drivers on the road.

School boards in the province have reported difficulty hiring and retaining new school bus drivers. As a result, the provincial government is removing the Mandatory Entry-Level Training (MELT) program.

Class 2 drivers will no longer require MELT certification, beginning on April 23.

Devin Dreeshen, minister of transportation and economic corridors, said, “Alberta is an outlier on requiring MELT for Class 2 licences, as no other province or territory in Canada requires it for their bus drivers.”

Dreeshen added, “Removing this requirement will make it easier for Albertans to obtain their Class 2 licence if they are able to demonstrate the required knowledge and skills during the knowledge and road test.”

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Drivers will still be required to obtain the “S” endorsement on their licence if they are driving a bus, which they can get by completing the school bus driver improvement program.

David Shaw, President of the Student Transportation Association of Alberta, said this has been a goal of theirs since 2019.

Shaw said, “This change will allow school divisions and contractors to provide individualized training based on competency instead of a time-based format that did not take existing skills into consideration.”

In addition, the provincial government has set up a new on-the-job training program for Class 2 and Class 4 school bus drivers.

The program will be available at the end of April to support drivers, ensuring they have the skills required to operate a school bus safely.