NOS Information and Fact Sheet

Benchmarks for Recruiting and Career Development


Every job requires a specific set of skills, and National Occupational Standards (NOS) from the Canadian Trucking Human Resources Council offer insight into those skills.

These standards – detailed descriptions of the tasks linked to specific jobs -- can be used to identify the needs surrounding human resources and training, evaluate and upgrade employee skills, assess and evaluate hiring guidelines, and promote employee retention by identifying career paths.

Each National Occupational Standard includes an in-depth Task Analysis that identifies related actions and competencies. The Chart of Competency that emerges from the analysis can be used to evaluate new job candidates or existing employees alike.

Want to know more about occupational standards? Download the NOS fact sheet.
 

Define Roles through National Occupational Standards


National Occupational Standards have been developed to offer insight into the following roles. Keep watching. Other roles will soon have National Occupational Standards of their own! (Click each to learn more)

Professional Driver

Vehicles driven by Class 1/A professional drivers transport goods over urban, interurban, provincial and international routes. The drivers are employed by transportation companies, manufacturing and distribution companies, moving companies and employment service agencies. These National Occupational Standards also include competency requirements related to business skills for owner-operators (i.e., self-employed professional drivers).

Download Chart of Competency (pdf)
Download Task Analysis (pdf)

Professional Entry-level Driver

Class 1/A professional drivers operate vehicles to transport goods over urban, interurban, provincial and international routes.  They are employed by transportation companies, manufacturing and distribution companies, moving companies and employment services.  These National Occupational Standards describe the expected level of skill of a candidate once the entry-level training at the school and carrier is completed.

Download Chart of Competency (pdf)
Download Task Analysis (pdf)

Professional Driver Trainer

Professional driver trainers promote safety and facilitate in-class and/or in-vehicle learning. Some professional driver trainers are also involved in training administration and program development. Some will also do in-vehicle training with drivers and can also work as professional drivers themselves.

Download Chart of Competency (pdf)
Download Task Analysis (pdf)

Dispatcher

Dispatchers manage the resources for companies that transport commercial goods. They work very closely with the drivers coordinating the routes, and play a key role in retaining drivers. Dispatchers typically assign and monitor shipments.

Download Chart of Competency (pdf)
Download Report (pdf)

Transportation Safety Professional

Transportation safety professionals manage the safety of companies involved in transporting commercial goods. They monitor and promote compliance with company and regulatory policies by managing programs that are linked to safety, loss prevention and control, human resources and inspection.

Download Chart of Competency (pdf)
Download Report  (pdf)

Coach/Mentor/Assessor

A coach is a company driver who is assigned to work with a newly trained driver over a short period of time (several weeks), providing them with additional in-cab training on skills development and on application of company policies and procedures, and provides hands-on instruction and guidance. A mentor is a company driver assigned to work with a newly hired experienced driver over a longer period of time (several months), sharing their knowledge and experience. An assessor is an individual who is responsible for assessing the skills of newly trained and newly hired drivers, and making recommendations on hiring new drivers and providing feedback on the skills that require additional training.

Download Chart of Competency (pdf)
Download Task Analysis (pdf)

Professional Mover/ Van Foreman Driver Specialty

Professional mover/van foreman drivers are engaged in managing the hands-on end of household and corporate moves. The mover/van foreman drivers have a number of other responsibilities: customer relations, inventory and condition appraisal of furniture and effects, hiring, supervision and training of pack and load crews. Movers/van foremen include company drivers and owner-operators, and also include individuals involved in local, long-distance and international moves.

Download Chart of Competency (pdf)
Download Task Analysis (pdf)

Professional Bulk Liquid Driver Specialty

Professional bulk liquid drivers are engaged in hauling liquid cargo. The variety of liquids hauled is vast and can include: potable water, industrial chemicals, petroleum products and gasses that are transported under pressure in a liquid state, or in heated vessels. Many of the tasks performed by bulk liquid drivers are very similar if not identical to the tasks performed in other segments of the industry. The different working conditions, operating environment, are among the factors that distinguish this specialty.

Download Chart of Competency (pdf)
Download Task Analysis (pdf)

Professional Over-dimensional/Supersize Driver Specialty

Professional over-dimensional/supersize drivers are engaged in hauling items that are beyond the height, width and/or length that are normally legally allowed on the road. This can range from relatively simple equipment hauls where the item may be wider than the standard width of the trailer, to international moves of items so large that utility company crews must accompany the truck to lift wires out of the way so the truck may pass. The over-dimensional/supersize drivers may have a number of other responsibilities: route planning, obtaining appropriate permits, and coordinating with external agencies while en route (police, utility companies, specialty load/unload crews, etc). Over-dimensional translates to higher than 4.15 m (13’6”) or wider than 2.6 m (8’6”), and longer than a standard single or double tractor trailer combination. “Supersize” is greater than 4.25 m (14’) wide, 4.9 m (16’) tall, 25 m (82’) long or weighing more than 59,000 kg (130,000 lbs).

Download Chart of Competency (pdf)
Download Task Analysis (pdf)

 

 Government of Canada / Gouvernement du Canada