Employers and Fleets: Frequently Asked Questions

Training, pre-hire driver evaluations, funding and documentation for companies running drivers in BC. See also The Integrity Standard, our carrier partner program.

Can you train our drivers?

Yes, across the whole range. We upgrade and add endorsements for drivers you already employ, train unlicensed staff from scratch to a commercial licence, and run ongoing fleet safety training rather than one-off courses. Six campuses across BC means we can do it for a company operating in more than one region.

Is there funding to help us pay for it?

Check the B.C. Employer Training Grant before you budget for training at full price. It reimburses employers for 80 percent of eligible training costs, up to $10,000 per employee and $300,000 per employer in a year, and it covers prospective new hires as well as current staff.

Eligibility is decided by WorkBC, not by us, and you apply directly through them. What we can do is give you the course details, hours and costs you need for the application. Most employers who ask us about training have not looked at this, and it is the difference between training one driver and training four.

Can you assess a driver before we hire them?

Yes. Pre-hire driver evaluation is one of the things we are asked for most. An instructor puts the candidate on the road and assesses what they can actually do, which is a different question from what their licence says they are entitled to do.

Do we get documentation for our safety records?

Yes, full documentation. Every evaluation and every training program comes back with records you can file against your safety program. If you run a fleet you already know how much of compliance is being able to produce the paperwork on demand, and a training provider who hands it over clean is worth more than one who does not.

We have someone with no commercial licence at all. Can you take them?

Yes. We can take a candidate from no commercial licence through to Class 1, which is worth considering if you are struggling to hire experienced drivers. Training someone into the role is often faster than waiting for the right CV.

Do you come to us, or do our drivers come to you?

Either. We can train at your yard or your drivers can come to one of our six campuses, whichever suits your operation. For a company trying to keep trucks working, having us come to the yard is usually the difference between training happening and training being postponed.

Is there a minimum number of drivers?

No. One driver or a whole fleet. We would rather assess one candidate properly than turn you away for not bringing enough people.

Can you train across more than one of our locations?

Yes. Six campuses: Abbotsford, Langley, Chilliwack, Kamloops, Kelowna and Prince George. One program, consistent standards, wherever your people are.

Can you help us find drivers, not just train ours?

Yes, and it costs you nothing to take part. We run a partner and employer mentorship program that connects our graduates with employers in our network. If you are struggling to hire, this is the side of it worth talking about: we know how every one of those drivers was trained, because we trained them. There is no fee and no commitment to hire anyone.

How do we get started?

Call 604-744-1222 or 1-877-744-1231 and ask for a conversation about your fleet rather than a course booking. What you need depends on how many drivers, what classes, and whether you are training, assessing or both.

How many road tests are included?

One. You should only sit the ICBC road test when you are ready for it, not to try it and see. A road test is not a practice run, and treating it as one costs you time and money.

What happens if I fail my road test?

You work on the specific skills you were marked down on, take additional lessons, and we rebook. On commercial programs ICBC enforces a minimum 14-day wait between attempts, so there is time to fix what went wrong rather than repeat it.

What is your pass rate?

98%, across every program we run, from a Class 7 road test through to Class 1 MELT. We would rather hold a student back a week than send them in unready, which is most of the reason that number is where it is.

What does ICBC-approved actually mean?

ICBC approves a course, not a company. We hold ICBC agreements for Class 1 MELT, air brake (Code 15) and the Graduated Licensing Program. Our Class 2, 3 and 4 training is delivered by certified and accredited instructors but is not an ICBC-approved program and we do not call it one.

ICBC’s Code of Conduct for Driver Training Licensees requires schools not to advertise training they are not licensed or qualified for, and not to deal with customers in a misleading or deceptive way. A school describing its whole operation as ICBC-approved is not loose wording, it is the kind of claim that code exists to prevent. Ask any school to tell you exactly which of its courses ICBC has approved.

What standards are driving schools held to?

Every licensed school and instructor in BC is bound by ICBC’s Code of Conduct for Driver Training Licensees (DTC410). It covers legal compliance and reporting, honesty and integrity, equal treatment under the Human Rights Code, prevention of sexual harassment, professional conduct and vehicle standards, road safety, road test booking, and protection of your personal information.

Some of it is worth knowing as a student. Schools cannot teach road test routes, interfere with examinations, record tests or request specific examiners. They cannot sell road test appointments. They cannot advertise training they are not licensed for. They cannot use or share your information without consent.

We publish it in full because you are entitled to know what you can hold us to: ICBC Code of Conduct for Driver Training Licensees. If any school falls short of it, you can complain to ICBC directly rather than only to the school.

Where are you?

Six campuses: Abbotsford (head office), Langley, Chilliwack, Kamloops, Kelowna and Prince George.

What are your hours?

Monday to Friday, 9:30 am to 1:00 pm and 1:30 pm to 5:30 pm. Closed Saturday and Sunday, and closed on BC statutory holidays.

Can I train on weekends?

Our offices are closed Saturday and Sunday. Training schedules are built around the student wherever we can, so ask us what is possible for your situation rather than assuming.

Can I drop in?

No, all locations are by appointment only. Book a consultation, in person or online, and you get the time properly instead of being fitted between two other things.

What number do I call?

604-744-1222, or toll free 1-877-744-1231. Every campus routes to head office by design, so you reach someone who can book you in rather than an empty desk at a satellite office.