Changes to the requirements for those persons seeking a Class 1 license after March 15, 2019 have been announced by the Saskatchewan government.

Drivers seeking to obtain a Class 1 license after March 15 will be required to complete a minimum of 121.5 hours of training, which will include instruction in the classroom, in the yard, and behind the wheel.

An exemption to this is currently in place for Saskatchewan farmers.

Nicole Sinclair is the Director of Policy and Communications with the Saskatchewan Trucking Association. She says, "As far as the exemption for the farmers, we believe that that's understandable as for right now. Getting regulations like this in place takes time. Consultation is required for all industries that are going to be affected. We believe that the government is doing the right thing in consulting everyone whose going to be affected."

She adds that for-hire trucking is different than farm industry trucking.

The Government continues to consult with the agricultural industry on the impacts of potential mandatory training requirements for their sector.