Gov’t shuts down five trucking schools and thirteen trucking companies to improve safety on Canadian roads

Canadian transportation authorities took sweeping action against several truck driver training schools and trucking companies in an effort to improve safety by cracking down on bad actors within the trucking industry.

On October 3, 2025, authorities announced that five trucking schools have been ordered to close by the government of Alberta, Canada, as part of increase in oversight of driver training schools and carriers through inspections, audits, and targeted investigations.

In addition to ordering the closure of the trucking schools, Alberta’s government also issued 39 disciplinary letters, more than $100,000 in administrative penalties, six corrective action plans, revoked 12 instructor licenses, and sent four warning letters to driver examiners.

Government officials also took action to remove thirteen Alberta-area trucking companies from the road for poor on-road performance, unsafe equipment, or failure to meet mandatory safety standards.

Of the thirteen trucking companies taken off the road, officials say that seven were identified as “chameleon” carriers – companies change names to avoid regulatory oversight, creating new entities or relocating operations across jurisdictions.

Officials did not provide information on which trucking schools or trucking companies faced disciplinary action.

“Alberta is also targeting the misclassified driver scheme known as Drivers Inc., where companies hire drivers as independent contractors to avoid payroll taxes and benefits. These drivers often lack proper training and oversight and are vulnerable to exploitation. In July 2025, a week-long commercial driver status and classification check stop revealed that 20 per cent of the 195 drivers stopped were suspected of being misclassified, including several temporary foreign workers,” government officials said.

“Our families’ safety won’t be put at risk by reckless operators who ignore the rules. Anyone cutting corners or operating unsafe trucks will be removed from our roads. Alberta truckers have earned a reputation as some of the most trusted drivers in the country, and we will not allow a few bad actors to undermine that trust,” said Devin Dreeshen, Alberta’s Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors.