Mandatory Entry Level Training (MELT) was implemented on March 1, 2019 by the Government of Alberta to improve safety for everyone on the road by ensuring Class 1 (tractor-trailer) and Class 2 (bus) drivers receive adequate training before they are tested for a Class 1 or Class 2 driver’s licence.
Drivers who have held a Class 3 driver’s licence with two (2) or more years of experience driving Class 3 commercial vehicles may be eligible to take the Experience and Equivalency Class 1 MELT Program.
How to apply and program application can be found here.
To take the Experience and Equivalency Class 1 MELT program, drivers must:
Have a valid Alberta Class 3 driver’s licence
Have held an Alberta Class 3 driver’s licence or the equivalent driver’s licence from another Canadian jurisdiction for 2 or more years
Have 2 or more years of work experience operating a motor vehicle with 3 or more axles (vehicles that requires at least a Class 3 licence to drive)
As part of the application, you will need to submit documentation that demonstrates you have at least 2 years of experience driving vehicles with 3 or more axles commercially. To demonstrate that they meet these criteria, drivers must provide one of the following:
How Much Training Do You Need?
The Experience and Equivalency Class 1 MELT Program is made up of multiple components; classroom training, in-yard training, and behind-the-wheel training. Each component has a set amount of hours required to be completed in order to be successful with the program.
Total number of hours, including Air Brakes, is 48.5. If you already have the Air Brake endorsement, it will be 40 hrs.
For more information regarding the Experience and Equivalency Class 1 MELT program and to download the curriculum, you can visit this page.
Experience and Equivalency Class 1 MELT without Air Brake Program
(3 – 4 weeks /40 hours) - $4,000.00
22.5 hours – behind-the-wheel in-truck training
6.5 hours – in-yard training
11 hours – in-classroom training
Please note: The MELT program fee does NOT include the road test permit fee or truck rental for the road test (2 hours).
Hourly Instruction (Refreshers/Evaluations) - $120/hr.
Class 1 MELT road test permit fee - $220
Before You Are Eligible to Book a Class 1 Road Test, You Will Also Need to Ensure You Have Completed and Can Present:
Valid government-issued photo ID
Proof of Air Brake Endorsement
Proof of completed Class 1 driver’s medical
Proof of completion of Experience and Equivalency Class 1 MELT program
Proof of completion of the Class 1 knowledge exam
Student resources; study materials:
Have a question about our Class 1 MELT Program? Contact Gennaro Transport Training for details about Class 1 driver training in Edmonton.