The Saskatchewan government is making changes to what will be needed for those looking to obtain a Class 1 commercial licence. The changes, announced Monday morning, will take effect on March 15th, 2019.

The Class 1 licence will require drivers to undergo a minimum of 121.5 hours of training. The training will include instruction in the classroom, in the yard and behind the wheel.

The changes are being introduced to address gaps and inconsistencies with commercial drivers cross provincial borders, explained the Minister Responsible for SGI Joe Hargrave.

“Stronger training requirements in Saskatchewan and across Canada will help make out province’s and our nation’s roads safer,” Hargrave said in a press release.

The training will focus on areas such as basic driving techniques, professional driving habits, inspections, and air brakes.

The testing, once the new regulations take effect, will be conducted by SGI examiners only.

The changes are being welcomed by the Saskatchewan Truckin Association.

Those with an existing Class 1 license will be grandfathered in after the implementation date.

For those who drive a semi used in farming operations, drivers will need to get an “F” endorsement on their existing license. They will also be restricted to operating within the provincial borders.

A new 12-month safety monitoring program will also be introduced for new semi drivers. This will allow for SGI to monitor drivers for a year post-testing so remedial action can be taken if necessary.