A-1 Driving Specialist offers a wide range of driver training programs specifically designed for EMS personnel. Driving an ambulance requires above average driving abilities. Paramedics have to be effective at controlling their driving environment in all situations and conditions without compromising the safety of their patient, their partner or other road users. Our teaching methods and strategies take into account the unique challenges that paramedics face.


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We offer the most relevant and up-to-date advanced in-class, 'on- road', and pylon courses available. Our courses are tailored to meet the needs of this specialized group of professional drivers. The call for driver training is real, and we are very confident in our ability to provide beneficial, rewarding and cost-effective paramedic driver training.

The caliber of our paramedic program instructors is evident in our qualifications, our expertise and our passion. We have over 60 years of combined driver training experience. For more information on our instructors, click here.

In-Vehicle Services

EMS Beyond Basics is an advanced in-vehicle session specifically designed for paramedics. During the 90 minute drive, the driver trainer will evaluate the driver's ability to gather and process information as well as the their application of defensive and co-operative driving techniques.

Moving "beyond" basic defensive driving principals, this session deals with the reality of driving with inattention due to distractions and multitasking. The drive provides an opportunity to apply advanced driver training techniques in the only place it counts. on the road. EMS personnel seriously seeking to improve their driving abilities should consider 'EMS Beyond Basics' as part of their overall safety strategy. More...


DCA2 Driver Competency Assessment - The DCA2 Driver Competency Assessment is an in-vehicle evaluated drive. It is an assessment tool that scientifically measures a driver's crash potential. The DCA2 gives managers and supervisors a competency/risk measurement profile that identifies a paramedic's strengths and weaknesses as a driver.

This profile measures areas that current research suggest are most directly related to crash involvement such as decision making, risk management, distractions and multi-tasking. The DCA2 documents and measures a paramedic's ability to manage risk by assessing how they match their cognitive, attentional and psychomotor skills with choice behaviors. DCA2 methodologies meet the stringent requirements of the RSEA, and can be used to ensure 'due diligence'. The DCA2 is the only measure known at this time which provides this type of information. More.


This advanced in-vehicle program provides an excellent opportunity for the paramedic to hone their vehicle handling skills, and to recognize and verify the vehicle's limitations due to it's dimensions. The result is an increased awareness of the vehicle's blind areas and maneuvering capabilities.

Over 200 pylons are used to recreate, in a controlled environment, the most common situations where driver errors are likely to occur. The need to implement safe driving manouvers and practices for ambulance operators will be reinforced with practical hands-on training. The late-apex turn, vehicle handling skills, safe backing and cornering techniques are all key elements of our program. The issue of speed vs. efficiency is addressed. More.


In the 'accident per mile driven' category, nothing even comes close to reversing a trailer. A disproportionately high number of "incidents" occur while driver's are reversing trailers. In most cases, these sometimes costly crashes are avoidable and preventable. Our trailer towing course effectively teaches driver's trailering safety. The course includes reversing manouvers, an advanced on-road driving segment, as well as vehicle and trailer inspection and coupling procedures. More...


Our one-on-one coaching sessions blend all the elements of our many theoretical courses, and apply them in the vehicle on an individual needs basis. As weaknesses are identified, instruction is tailored to meet each individual's specific driving concerns.


In-Class Courses

Best suited as a New Hire Program, this four hour EMS classroom session was designed to complement, supplement and reinforce new paramedic's knowledge of emergency driving principles. Emergency Response Driving and "Red Mist", identifying the 'Primary Task' and recognizing the 'Secondary Tasks' and the necessity of managing the driving environment in dynamic situations are the focus of this course. Emphasis is placed on distracted and cooperative driving principles. More...


Nearly 8 out of 10 crashes are caused by driver inattention and distractedness. The Road Safety Educator's Association newest course 'Cell Phones, Conversation and Coffee' (CCC) is the first course ever to offer paramedics concrete strategies to deal with distracted driving issues. Paramedics must be able to divide attention as part of their ability to safely operate an ambulance including using navigation systems, way finding and fatigue.

CCC addresses the realities that paramedics face on the roads today and will give your drivers an advantage when it comes to safety. This classroom course is run in an interactive format with formal and informal instruction, discussion and workgroups. A-1 Driving Specialistsl has three instructor's available to offer this course anywhere in Ontario. This is a credentialed program for drivers and successful candidates receive a .5 credit from RSEA. More...


An RSEA course, Cooperative driving is the new Gold Standard in road safety education. This one day workshop will facilitate the paramedic's ability to control their driving environment, making themselves, their patients and all road users safer as a result. The course emphasizes the move away from defending the paramedic's position and looking for the mistakes of others, to finding ways to cooperate and make the system more fluid and safe. It puts the paramedic in a position of analyzing how they are affecting others rather than just how others affect them.

In a very fundamental way it changes the focus of the venture of driving and brings a level of humility and accountability to driving that is lacking in other approaches to the task. This is a credentialed program for drivers and successful candidates receive a .5 credit from RSEA. More...


Our Paramedic Driver Training Team

A-1 Driving Specialists has been providing professional EMS driver training since 2002. The caliber of our paramedic program instructors is evident in our qualifications, our expertise and our passion. Our team has over 72 years of combined driver training experience.


Cindy Auger Cindy Auger
Company president Cindy Auger has almost 20 years of driver training experience teaching driving at novice and advanced levels, and has logged over 20,000 hours of driving instruction. As a driver trainer accredited by the Ontario Safety League and a Master Instructor with some of the most up-to-date courses available through the Road Safety Educators Association, Cindy brings a dynamic presence to driver training. The many advanced courses that she has taken allows her to facilitate the learning process in an efficient and cost effective manner.


Shaun Auger Shaun Auger
Shaun has been instrumental in the development of our paramedic driver training services. His vast knowledge and experience, coupled with his dedication and passion for road safety are evident in the instructional services that he provides. Shaun's techniques of instruction take into consideration the individual differences that each client possesses and are tailored to meet the driving needs and concerns of the paramedic.



Wayne Eyne Wayne Eyre
Wayne was a paramedic for 33 years, and in 2005 was awarded the Governor General award for exemplary service during his career. As a professional coach and school bus driver, on a part-time basis over the past 18 years, Wayne accumulated thousands of miles of driving experience. Wayne spent three of those years as a bus trainer and examiner, and in 2004, joined us as an in-vehicle instructor. His experience on the road and in the field as a paramedic has made him an invaluable member of our paramedic driver training team.


Bob Lewis Bob Lewis
Bob has been providing driver training for over 30 years and has a wealth of knowledge. Bob is a former high school teacher, school bus trainer/driver and is presently working towards attaining the credentials of Driving Therapist. Bob has diligently pursued furthering his knowledge with the most up to date courses in the driving field. With his vast experience and education Bob provides personalized professional techniques of instruction.


Give us a call
A-1 Driving Specialist can offer your organization driver training programs specifically for EMS personnel. Our programs will help you save vehicle related expenses and increase the safety record and safety mindedness of your drivers. That's a big return on your investment.

For more information on any of our EMS Driver Training Programs contact us at
1-800-473-0398 or email us at: a1drivingschool@bellnet.ca
A-1 Driving Specialists is a registered trademark of A-1 Driving School Ltd., and used under license