Manitoba Public Insurance announced today that it will invest $5 million in a training partnership aimed at sustaining Manitoba as a national leader in the commercial trucking business.

Over the next three years, annual injections of $1.65 million will help up to 750 Manitobans become Class 1 drivers – a skill in serious demand as the trucking industry deals with higher standards and impending retirements. Working in partnership with Manitoba’s trucking industry, the training initiative will offset tuition costs and train up to 250 professional drivers annually to National Occupational Standards.

The program would be available to trucking companies that insure their fleets with Special Risk Extension – a separate line of business run by the commercial trucking arm of Manitoba Public Insurance that competes for commercial trucking business with other insurance companies throughout Canada. None of the funding will come from Basic Autopac customers.

 “We are dedicated to supporting Manitoba’s trucking industry, which that has supported our SRE line of business in the past,’’ said President and Chief Executive Officer Marilyn McLaren. “This initiative helps our customers meet the increasingly competitive demands for employees, enabling them to continue to be successful and grow.

“When our SRE customers are strong and healthy, it’s good for our business too.”

SRE specializes in small and medium-sized trucking firms that are headquartered in Manitoba although it also insures many of the larger international carriers based out of Manitoba. Insuring commercial carriers represents about 80 per cent of the SRE book of business.

Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation Ron Lemieux said the initiative demonstrates how Manitoba Public Insurance continues to play a positive role in the competitiveness of Manitoba. About 430 companies – including about a dozen with more than 150 vehicles in their fleet – make up Manitoba’s $1.2 billion a year trucking industry. The industry accounts for about 33,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Lemieux said the program will help address the serious shortage of truck drivers in Manitoba. Hampered in recent years by a shortage of drivers, the industry believes it needs to attract about 15,000 new drivers to Manitoba companies over the next 15 years simply to sustain the current workforce.

“The government is committed to helping our industries meet the challenges of change,’’ he said. “This program was developed in collaboration with the industry to respond for the increasing demand for qualified drivers.

“What has emerged is a program that combines the needed classroom theory along with experience behind the wheel. It will help the industry stay healthy and expand into the future.”

McLaren said the new training initiative was built with the support of Manitoba Competitiveness, Training and Trade. It will work in concert with, not in competition with, current provincial training initiatives. Drivers certified through this program will be over and above those being training through other provincial programs.

The National Occupational Standards were created with the Canadian Trucking Human Resource Council. In addition to formalized educational and practical curriculum, the NOS standard will introduce a quality assurance component to monitor training schools and an on-the-job training component.

“This program raises the bar on professional driver training by establishing a curriculum for entry level drivers that meets national standards and is supported by on-the-job training,” McLaren said. “Better trained drivers increase the safety on Manitoba roads.”

The three year agreement with the Manitoba Trucking Association (MTA) calls for:

• MTA will co-ordinate the program and screen candidates
• SRE customer commits to completing on-the-job training, practicum and provide the candidate with a job upon completion of the program
• Manitoba Public Insurance provides all training costs. The candidate commits to refunding these costs if they are unsuccessful or do not stay employed by an SRE customer for two years.

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Contact:
Media Relations, Manitoba Public Insurance
(204) 985-7300 or 1-888-554-9549 (toll-free in Manitoba)