Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) is giving more young drivers the chance to hit the road safely this summer by offering condensed versions of its Driver Z high school program in several communities.
The new five-week course format—available in select locations across Manitoba in July and August—will allow students to complete training in less than half the time of the regular 12-week program. The condensed offering is in response to high demand and is expected to expand access to the popular driver education initiative.
“We are able to offer this alternative in the summer months as students are off school and able to participate during the day,” said Maria Campos, MPI’s vice-president and chief customer and product officer. “This makes it possible to cover all the course content and ensure they have the necessary training to be safe drivers on our roadways.”
Driver Z combines online learning, virtual and in-person classroom instruction, and in-car driving lessons to equip students with the knowledge and skills to reduce risk and avoid collisions.
The summer version will include two weeks of virtual classes followed by three weeks of in-car instruction. Students must attend all sessions with no exceptions, MPI said.
“Students will need to diligently complete the lessons, study for the Knowledge Test, and practice driving with their co-pilots to be successful,” Campos added.
Courses will be offered in the following locations:
July: Arborg, Beausejour, Brandon, Portage la Prairie, Steinbach, Winkler, Winnipeg
August: Brandon, Steinbach, The Pas, Winkler, Winnipeg
Registration opens May 28 at 8 a.m., with a full listing of courses to be published on MPI’s website May 23. Students are advised to visit an Autopac agent or MPI Service Centre ahead of time to become set up as a customer and purchase the Driver Z service, which will make phone or in-person registration faster.
“We have doubled our student capacity from last year and look forward to continuing to expand how many students we can accommodate,” said Campos. “We are hiring new driving instructors and introducing innovative ways to offer Driver Z to Manitobans, like this condensed summer program.”
