TC actions to support fatigue management in the trucking industry
Federal Hours of Service Regulations and Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs)
Driver fatigue is a serious issue for all road users including for commercial vehicle drivers. Under the Motor Vehicle Transport Act, Transport Canada is responsible for the Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service Regulations (HoS Regulations) for extra-provincial motor carriers. These regulations set the hours of work and rest rules for federally regulated motor carriers and their drivers to mitigate fatigue-related risks.
Transport Canada published amendments on June 12, 2019 in Canada Gazette Part II to the HoS regulations to mandate certified electronic logging devices (ELDs) for federally regulated truck and bus motor carriers and drivers who were required to maintain a paper daily log. Enforcement of the ELD mandate started in January 2023.
An ELD connects to the electronic control module of a vehicle. They make it easier and faster to track, manage, share and improve the accuracy of a driver's hours of service record. This helps drivers stay within legally allowed driving hours and reduce fatigue.
All FPT jurisdictions worked through the CCMTA to establish the Technical Standard for Electronic Logging Devices (the Standard). The CCMTA Technical Standard for ELDs establishes minimum performance and design specifications for ELDs and is closely aligned with the technical specifications set out in the U.S. ELD Final Rule. The CCMTA Technical Standard for ELDs been incorporated by reference, as amended from time to time, into the Regulations (http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2019/2019-06-12/html/sor-dors165-eng.html).
Motor carriers and drivers are permitted to only use ELDs that have been tested and certified as compliant by an accredited certification body that has followed the criteria set in the most recent version of the Standard and the Regulations.
The Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA) updated the Canadian Technical Standard for ELDs (version 1.3) on September 29, 2025 (http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2019/2019-06-12/html/sor-dors165-eng.html). Transport Canada will lead the implementation and coming into force of the revised standard, acknowledging that ELD providers and certification bodies will require a transitional period before full adoption.
North American Fatigue Management Program (NAFMP)
The North American Fatigue Management Program (NAFMP) is a voluntary no-fee program to provide Canadian and U.S. motor carriers, managers, dispatchers, commercial drivers and their families, the necessary information and tools to enhance current fatigue management practices. It is designed to be a comprehensive complement to the TC’s Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service Regulations by providing a framework for driver training and education on fatigue management, work and rest practices, sleep disorder screening and treatment, as well as fatigue detection technologies and bio-mathematical scheduling software.
Transport Canada (TC) along with U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Alberta Transportation (AT), Alberta Employment and Immigration (AEI), the Commission de la santé et de la sécurité au travail (CSST), and the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) conducted four research and development phases to develop the NAFMP from 2003 to 2013.
The NAFMP represents the culmination of a decade of research, development and testing of a comprehensive fatigue management program from multiple Canadian and US government and industry organizations. The total cost of the program was $4.24 million, with TC contributing $1.27 million in R&D funding towards the total. The NAFMP was launched (https://www.nafmp.com/index.php?lang=en) in both French and English (now includes Spanish) in July 2013.
At present, the ongoing operation and maintenance costs for the NAFMP are jointly funded by Transport Canada and the FMCSA. Both TC and FMCSA manage the contents and updates to the website through a joint steering committee.
Driver Distraction Mitigation Program (DDMP)
Transport Canada worked with a team of experts from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute to develop the DDMP. The program is grounded in science and real-world experience and resulted in a comprehensive toolkit tailored for commercial operations in Canada. Motor carriers can now access two core tools, the first being an implementation guide to help carriers launch a distraction mitigation program within their fleets. The guide includes step-by-step guidance to introduce training, strategies for building a distraction-aware safety culture, help with writing and promoting clear company policies on distraction and a distraction risk management framework.
The second tool consists of training material for drivers, which explores: what causes driver distraction (including fatigue); its specific impact on commercial vehicle operations, the science of how attention works while driving; Canadian laws and regulations; common myths about distracted driving and practical techniques to stay focused on the road. The course is available in two different streams along with options for how it is delivered.
The DDMP is available in English and French for free on Transport Canada’s website at https://tc.canada.ca/en/road-transportation/commercial-vehicles/driver-distraction-mitigation-program-commercial-vehicle-drivers.
Entry Level Training (ELT) for Commercial Vehicles
In February 2020, the Council of Ministers responsible for transportation and highway safety approved a national standard for ELT of commercial motor vehicle drivers. This standard, National Safety Code Standard 16 (NSC-16), is specifically for Class 1 (tractor trailer) drivers. ELT now serves as a basis for provincial and territorial ELT rules and requirements.
The purpose of the standard is to ensure that applicants possess the basic knowledge and driving skills to safely operate a commercial vehicle that requires a Class 1 driver's licence to operate on Canadian roads (including fatigue management). It is not intended to address ongoing employment training which may require additional experience with vehicle types, loads, employer hiring practices and job requirements. The elements outlined in the standard are minimum requirements at a national level and individual Canadian jurisdictions may have additional or higher thresholds for some requirements.
All jurisdictions have committed to implementing NSC-16 and this commitment is captured in the negotiated Regulatory Reconciliation and Cooperation Table (RCT).