--- title: "Canadian Commercial Drivers Group Opens Safety Training Facility" id: "46004" type: "post" slug: "canadian-commercial-drivers-group-opens-safety-training-facility" published_at: "2019-03-21T21:12:05+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-17T00:54:51+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2019/03/21/canadian-commercial-drivers-group-opens-safety-training-facility/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2019/03/21/canadian-commercial-drivers-group-opens-safety-training-facility.md" excerpt: "The Alberta Motor Transport Association built a new training state-of-the-art track and complex to help increase safety among its drivers." taxonomy_category: - "Learning" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AI" - "AssociationsNow" - "Business" - "Safety" - "Technology" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "Director" taxonomy_persona: - "Industry Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Canadian Commercial Drivers Group Opens Safety Training Facility To help ensure its members have access to the driver and safety training they need, the Alberta Motor Transport Association has opened a new 20,000-square-foot safety training facility, which includes a five-acre training track. “For the AMTA, road safety is paramount,” said AMTA President Chris Nash in a [press release (opens in a new tab)](https://amta.ca/alberta-motor-transport-association-opens-state-of-the-art-safety-training-facility-to-improve-commercial-driver-training/) . “We are confident that this facility will help to improve commercial driver’s skills and enhance road safety for all.” The opening of the training facility also coincides with the [rollout of new regulations for truck drivers (opens in a new tab)](https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/mandatory-training-for-truck-drivers-now-in-effect-1.4319399) . As of March 1, drivers in Alberta must have 121.5 hours of training prior to getting the Class 1 license needed for trucking. Legislators passed these new rules following an [April 2018 crash (opens in a new tab)](https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/06/americas/canada-hockey-bus-crash-charges/index.html) where a truck driver struck the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team bus, killing 16 people and injuring 13 more. The driver, who has since [pleaded guilty to 29 charges (opens in a new tab)](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/01/08/truck-driver-deadly-humboldt-broncos-crash-pleads-guilty-i-dont-want-trial/?utm_term=.3f139c472cc7) , had received only one week of training. “One of our goals is that we want training to be consistent,” Nash told [Truck News (opens in a new tab)](https://www.trucknews.com/infrastructure/three-new-rest-stops-to-open-in-alberta/1003090178/) . “That’s probably the biggest message we want to put out.” At the facility, drivers will be able to practice and learn about new truck technology. “Drivers who have been driving an older truck that doesn’t have it, it’s a transition,” Nash told *Truck News*. “Being able to bring that to the forefront and educate in a controlled environment or to build training for people to be safer and competent on the road, that’s was this facility is all about.” In addition to the training track, the new complex includes a truck bay, two simulators, classrooms, and office space. The facility was constructed to meet LEED Silver environmental standards, which require buildings to be energy efficient, save water, and generate less waste. AMTA isn’t the only association opening training facilities for members. Last year, the RV Industry Association announced its plans for a [new technical](https://associationsnow.com/2018/07/rv-industry-seeing-growth-launching-training-institute/) institute in Indiana. That facility, which is being funded by a $10 million investment, will be used to educate and train new technicians, who are in short supply. Driver shortage is also an issue in the trucking industry. “We’re essentially at a critical driver shortage in the industry,” Nash told [CTV News Edmonton (opens in a new tab)](https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/mandatory-training-for-truck-drivers-now-in-effect-1.4319399) . “The average age of a driver right now is 46 years old in Canada for a commercial vehicle driver.” (Handout photo) [Rasheeda Childress](https://associationsnow.com/author/rasheeda-childress/) Rasheeda Childress is a former senior editor at Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/rasheeda-childress/) Tags: [#AI](https://associationsnow.com/tag/ai/) [#Business](https://associationsnow.com/tag/business/) [#Safety](https://associationsnow.com/tag/safety/) [#Technology](https://associationsnow.com/tag/technology/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond the Tech Stack: How AI Is Changing the Association PlaybookOctober 29, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/10/29/associations-now-presents-beyond-the-tech-stack-how-ai-is-changing-the-association-playbook/) - [VideoAmerican College of Emergency Physicians: ACEP Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation ProgramSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/american-college-of-emergency-physicians-acep-geriatric-emergency-department-accreditation-program/) - [VideoUrban Land Institute- Project Recovery: Rebuilding Los Angeles After the January 2025 WildfiresSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/urban-land-institute-project-recovery-rebuilding-los-angeles-after-the-january-2025-wildfires/) - [PodcastAssociations NOW Presents: All for the Love of Chicago: Rethinking the Destination ExperienceSeptember 10, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/10/associations-now-presents-all-for-the-love-of-chicago-rethinking-the-destination-experience/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2019%2F03%2F21%2Fcanadian-commercial-drivers-group-opens-safety-training-facility%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !