To drive a semi in BC you need a Class 1 licence, and the 140-hour Mandatory Entry-Level Training (MELT) course is required first.
Next sessions: Valley Driving School (Coquitlam): MELT Theory 1/14 Air Brakes – Coquitlam November 7 @ 8:00 am - 11:45 am (Nov 7, 2026) (source)
| Detail | Source | |
|---|---|---|
| Regulator · Url | Official page | source |
| Noc | 73300 Transport truck drivers | source |
| Licence required | Class 1 licence; B.C.'s Class 1 MELT course is mandatory to become a Class 1 driver | source |
| Course | Class 1 MELT: 140 hours, including air brake training and 6 hours of mandatory flexible practical training; finish within 12 months; no sector exemptions | source |
| Prerequisite | Pass the combined Class 1 and air brake knowledge test and hold a Class 1 learner licence before enrolling (needed for on-road training) | source |
| Air brakes | Air brake endorsement: age 16+, valid B.C. licence, air brake course (certification course 7 h theory + 4 h pre-trip, which exempts the ICBC pre-trip test; standard course 7 h theory), knowledge test | source |
| Training cost | Okanagan Valley Driving School $15,250 (140 h); Taylor Pro College CAD 17,000 (140 h) | source |
| Pay | Transport truck drivers (NOC 73300), B.C.: low $22.00/h, median $30.77/h, high $40.38/h; annual earnings $68,079 (B.C. LMI Office, 2025 Job Bank wage data) | source |
| Funding 1 | Funding programs named by ICBC: Community Workforce Response Grant, Skill Enhancement Training Grant, Indigenous Skills Training Development Fund, B.C. Employer Training Grant | source |
| Funding 2 | WorkBC Centres: free employment services; may fund training if needed to get a job | source |
| Regulator fees · Knowledge test | $15 per attempt (seniors 65+ free) | source |
| Regulator fees · Class1 road test | $60 (road test only; licence fee may apply) | source |
| Regulator fees · Pre trip | Free when taken with commercial road test; $20 including air brake when taken separately | source |
| Regulator fees · Medical processing | $28 for Class 1-4, at upgrade and every 5 years at renewal | source |
| Regulator fees · Licence | 5-year licence renewal $75; replacement or upgraded licence $17 Which licence fee applies to a Class 1 upgrade is not stated per class | source |
| Regulator fees · Road test cancellation | $25 if less than 48 hours notice | source |
| Road test fees | ICBC commercial road tests: Class 1 $60; Class 2 or 3 $50; Class 4 (restricted & unrestricted) $40; pre-trip inspections including air brake taken separately $20 (no extra listed when taken with the road test); cancellation with <48 h notice $25; road tests free for seniors 65+; licence fee may apply | source |
| Medical | Driver's Medical Examination Report (DMER) required on applying for Class 1, 2, 3 or 4 (ICBC provides the form); then at ages 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 (every 5 years), 48-63 every 3 years (48, 51, 54, 57, 60, 63), and every year from 66. RoadSafetyBC mails the report about 2 months before the birthday | source |
| Medical exam fee | MSP does not cover the routine commercial DMER; the doctor or nurse practitioner sets and may charge a fee; RoadSafetyBC does not reimburse | source |
| Official school list | The driver training schools list here are approved by ICBC to deliver MELT. | source |
| Step 1 | Pass the combined Class 1 and air brake knowledge test and hold a Class 1 learner licence before enrolling (needed for on-road training) | source |
| Step 2 | Choose an ICBC-approved MELT school (official list by city) | source |
| Step 3 | Class 1 MELT: 140 hours, including air brake training and 6 hours of mandatory flexible practical training; finish within 12 months; no sector exemptions | source |
| Step 4 | ICBC commercial road tests: Class 1 $60; Class 2 or 3 $50; Class 4 (restricted & unrestricted) $40; pre-trip inspections including air brake taken separately $20 (no extra listed when taken with the road test); cancellation with <48 h notice $25; road tests free for seniors 65+; licence fee may apply | source |
| Step 5 | Driver's Medical Examination Report (DMER) required on applying for Class 1, 2, 3 or 4 (ICBC provides the form); then at ages 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 (every 5 years), 48-63 every 3 years (48, 51, 54, 57, 60, 63), and every year from 66. RoadSafetyBC mails the report about 2 months before the birthday | source |
From the official list (ICBC), checked November 1, 2026. Click a name to search for it; confirm details with the school.
ICBC doesn’t publish school prices, so ask the school. ICBC fees are $15 for the knowledge test, $60 for the road test, $28 for medical processing and $17 for the upgraded licence.
140 hours, including air brake training, completed within 12 months.
WorkBC lists transport truck drivers at a $30.77 hourly median.
This page relies on the official pages below. Rules, fees and processes change, so check the authority before you apply or spend money.
Links checked November 1, 2026. Found an error or a broken link? Report it.