Farm workers given extra time to complete truck driver training

Farm workers in Alberta who are facing mandatory truck driver training are being given extra time to get their certification.

The government had given them until March 1st to complete training, but an agricultural producers coalition says a lot of seasonal work relies on truck drivers and it would be hard to get them tested in time for this year’s growing season.

The province has now extended the deadline to March 1st of next year, saying eligible farm workers must apply to Alberta Transportation to get approval for an extension.

Alberta moved to bring in more extensive training for drivers of semi-trucks and commercial buses after the Humboldt Broncos bus crash last April.