Program Description

Ontario's Driver Certification Program (DCP)—under authority of the Ministry of Transportation (MTO)—allows companies to train, test, and recommend their employees for license upgrades. The current process requires that the person who delivers this training and performs the testing must be approved by the MTO as a signing authority.

To get approval as signing authority, the candidate must meet predetermined qualifications relating to:

• Driving history
• Licence classification
• Completion of an approved driver trainer course.

IHSA’s Fleet Signing Authority – MTO Driver Certification Program has been approved by the MTO. Completion of this course will fulfill the third part of obtaining the required qualifications for becoming a signing authority. The modules have been designed with an emphasis on effective adult learning techniques. We believe this course is leading edge in terms of developing transportation safety professionals. Candidates must attend all 10 scheduled days (60 hours in total) and successfully complete the course evaluation to achieve certification.

Program Content

This program meets the MTO’s Signing Authority Curriculum Design and Content standards and includes the following:

• a) Principles of Learning and Instruction
• b) Coaching Others
• c) Facilitation, Presentation, and Instruction Skills
• d) Assessment and Documentation

The curriculum is designed to engage learners as a signing authority through demonstration of adult learning principles and advanced adult instructional techniques.

The program continually reinforces the following overarching themes:

• a) safety and risk
• b) benefits of social responsibility
• c) benefits of environmental responsibility
• d) self-awareness of personal values, attitudes, and motives.

Program Content and Activities are Structured to:

• foster the understanding and practice of cooperative driving
• continually reinforce how formal rules of the road, common safe practices of road-users, and informed decision-making contribute to safe and responsible driving
• reflect the most recent and contemporary views of traffic safety, education and training, social change, and emerging technologies.

The facilitator will adhere to a learner-centred approach by:

• encouraging the active participation of each learner
• supporting and facilitating self-directed learning where applicable
• allowing for integration of personal experiences
• ensuring knowledge and skills are acquired at a pace appropriate to individual learners
• giving learners autonomy by providing them with the opportunity to reach their own conclusions and guiding them towards achieving the intended learning outcomes
• encouraging learners to learn from their mistakes in a safe learning environment
• emphasizing the importance of lifelong learning.

Who Should Attend?

Those who wish to obtain ongoing recognized signing authority with the MTO and have training responsibilities specific to Ontario’s Class A, B, C, D E & F driving licenses within their organization.

Program Evaluation

The learner will receive feedback that is immediate, relevant, and meaningful throughout the learning process. This will include formative assessments to monitor the learner’s progress towards the intended learning outcomes.

There will be a final evaluation to determine if the learner has met the intended learning outcomes. Learners must achieve 90% in all assessments. Successful participants will receive a certificate of completion.

Under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, modifications to the evaluation process may be acceptable. However, all learning outcomes must be met.

What should I attend next?

For those who already have approved signing authority status, a three-year refresher (recertification) is required.