A N.S. truck driver’s struggle to regain his license following leg amputation

A Nova Scotia truck driver is struggling to regain his livelihood after losing part of his leg to flesh eating disease last year.

Chris Miners has 34 years of experience hauling coast to coast, but his career came to a halt last year when he had his right leg amputated below the knee.

He now uses a prosthetic limb.

But almost a year after passing a driver rehab program for amputees, he is still struggling to obtain his Class 1 licence for driving semi-trailers and tractor-trailer combinations

“I love to drive my truck. It’s what I do, it’s all I know, and it’s the most rewarding job,” he said.

“Getting up, getting in my truck, and knowing my job has purpose.”

Miners said when he went in for his Class 1 road test to prove he was still fit to haul a trailer, his test was cancelled because he didn’t have his original trailer permit.

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He has a photograph of the permit, which he says is accepted at weigh stations run by the province’s Department of Public Works.

“You can’t have double standards. You can’t say it’s good enough for you to cross the scale and drive up the road, but yet it’s not good enough for you to do you road exam that’s going to keep your licence, keep your livelihood,” he said.

On top of being turned away, Miners says Access Nova Scotia revoked his Class 5 licence as well. Class 5 is the most common licence, and is required to drive a car.

“Access Nova Scotia took my license and said to me, because I have a disability, ‘You’re not capable of driving until we test you.’ However, I went through Nova Scotia rehab and done their driving tests, which I passed with flying colors. So it doesn’t make sense to me,” alleged Miners.

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The Department of Public Works told Global News that although they understand how important driver’s licences are for employment, they will not speak about Miners’ situation for privacy reasons.

With no means of transportation and no income, Miners says he’s worried about keeping his apartment until he can book another test to get his licence renewed.

He also says his job is an essential service, and there should be more urgency in getting people like him licenced.

“I take a lot of pride in my job and the ability to to service and be a part of it,” he said.

“Like when COVID was going on, I was hauling heavy oils to make sure that boilers were running so people could stay warm and stuff like that back and forth from Ontario. And that was a pretty good feeling.”

He’s calling on Access Nova Scotia to arrange a second road test for amputees when they are required.

“All they’re looking at is, ‘Oh, you have a prosthetic limb,’ I find that very offensive, not only to myself but to other amputees, because I would almost bet money, I am not the only person they do this to,” he said.