Truck drivers who use CB radios to communicate are able to continue to use those radios for at least another three years, despite the new distracted driving legislation.

The legislation, which came into effect in October, bans talki

ng, texting or using an MP3 player or GPS unit while driving. As of Monday, violators face $155 tickets.

Stephen Conners, a dispatcher with Glenn Windrem Trucking on Whittington Dr. in Lindsay, said the legislation allows professional truck drivers use of CB sets.

After about three years, he said, those sets will be replaced by hands-free CB sets.

Police are advising amateur CB and ham radio users to adhere to the new driver distraction legislation, saying a microphone is no different than a cellphone. The Ministry of Transportation says if those radios are being used to assist in an emergency situation, users are covered under three-year exemption until January 1, 2013.

City of Kawartha Lakes Police Service Acting Staff Sgt. Kirk Robertson told QMI Agency that in non-emergency situations "they should be pulling over to the side of the road."

He said there is a three-year phase out on the use of handheld two-way radios for police, fire, emergency medical services, the public service and commercial vehicles, such as transport trucks -- to allow for the development of hands-free solutions -- but that does not extend to amateur radio users who are simply communicating.

Ernie Roylance, treasurer of the Victoria Haliburton Amateur Radio Association, said that was his understanding as well.

"It's the same as a cellphone. A microphone is a hand-held device," he said.

He said ham radio and CB operators will also have to wait until hands-free solutions are developed for their older radios.