Manitoba Looks to Unemployed for Drivers

The Manitoba Trucking Association is making a dent in the province’s driver shortage and groups of unemployed Manitobans will benefit from its efforts in Canada.

MTA has provincial money in hand to train the first group of 50 people to be long-haul truck drivers. The first award of $260,992 was received recently from Education and Training Minister Drew Caldwell. Bob Dolyniuk, general manager at the association, notes that the provincial awards of about $1 million over the next 11 months will enable MTA to train 200 candidates — all people on unemployment insurance and income assistance — as truckers. It continues an 11-year relationship with the government in training people for a possible career in trucking.

The current funding is part of a $2.2 million provincial kitty awarded to a number of employment and training projects for women, the unemployed and people with disabilities.

Since 1989, MTA has used the funds to train 1,400 people on unemployment insurance or income assistance as truck drivers, Dolyniuk said.

For the full story, see the May 8 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.