THE AGE PAGE

GREY MATTERS

Like many other countries, Canada faces an alarming shortage of workers in almost every sector of the economy as the industrialized world grows older. According to our federal department of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSDC), an increased presence of older Canadians in the workforce is key to the country's future prosperity.

Has the trucking industry heard about this yet? We're so focused on developing strategies to get younger workers into the industry that we overlook the golden resource of seasoned veterans. When will trucking recognize the value older workers bring to the labour force? Read Grey Matters for more information.

ONTARIO TO END AGE-BASED TESTING OF SENIOR CLASS A DRIVERS!

Our many years of lobbying for an end to discrimination against older truck drivers in Ontario has finally paid off. The Ontario Ministry of Transportation has changed its policy on road testing senior commercial drivers, and the changes are certainly an improvement. But there is still work to be done.

The requirement for an annual road test triggered arbitrarily by age has been scrapped, but a new trigger, three demerit points in the previous 12 months, with absolutely no consideration for a senior driver’s past record, is ridiculous. Truly an MTO ‘senior moment’ as outlined here in Joanne Ritchie’s April 2012 Truck News column.

And considering that the Ministry recognized as far back as February 2012 that the current practice was discriminatory, an implementation date of April 2013 for the new policy is truly a slap in the face for senior drivers. We will continue to lobby for an immediate moratorium on the road test for drivers who have met all the other requirements.

We are also urging MTO to consider some sort of amnesty for Class A drivers who let their licence lapse rather than take the road test, or failed the test on some technicality. Jim Park's column about the Almost Perfect Driver is a telling commentary on how little it takes to "fail" the test.

For those of you have been relentlessly lobbying your MPPs, please contact them one more time to let them know there are some ‘loose ends’ that need to be taken care. You might want to send them a link to our comments in Our Two Cents.

Click here for a list of current Ontario MPPs and their contact information.

Not sure who your MPP is? Click here to find out using your postal code.

Are you an Old SOD (Safe Ontario Driver)? We are building a database of drivers who are affected (or soon will be) by Regulation 340/94. To add your name to the list, please send an e-mail to info@obac.ca with "Old SOD" in the subject line. Include your full contact information, along with your age and the number of years (and miles) you've been a Class A license holder. NOTE: This list is subject to OBAC's strict privacy policy regarding release of information to outside parties.