FAIRNESS, AT LAST, FOR ONTARIO'S SENIOR DRIVERS: The province of Ontario has finally, yes, finally, come to the realization that it's annual road test requirement for commercial drivers over the age of 65 is unfair and worse, completely pointless. Ontario has been the only jurisdiction in North America to require annual road tests for senior commercial drivers and over the years has driven many of the safest drivers in the industry out of the business. Let's be honest, even the safest, most experienced drivers out there don't necessarily fare well in a road test situation, where they're being judged on their every action by an evaluator who is by far their junior, and often failed for the most innocuous of mistakes and subsequently deprived of their livelihood. It's the biggest sham going. Transport Minister after Transport Minister has ignored the issue, even when faced with evidence that the policy did not contribute to greater highway safety and was arguably requiring trucking companies to replace their most seasoned, safest drivers with newbies, often possessing marginal experience and skill.

It is gratifying to see current Transport Minister Bob Chiarelli has finally conceded the rule was in need of an overhaul. Here's what the Ministry is proposing: A/Z licence holders will only require a medical between the ages of 65 and 79, provided they accrue no more than two demerit points and are not involved in any at-fault accidents. I think it's a compromise the vast majority of the province's senior drivers can live with. The Ministry will also retain the recently adjusted price for road tests at $14, will allow automatic transmissions and permit diagrams for the practical air brake test. A piece-of-cake written test will still be required every five years. Let's take this and run with it.

Interestingly, the changes will be extended to D licence-holders as well, meaning in the end, the rules are about to get tougher for senior D licence holders. It used to be that a D licence holder didn't have to take a written test every five years, but now they'll have to do so after the age of 65 and they'll also be subject to a road test if they collect three or more demerit points or are involved in an at-fault accident.