(A woman takes her driver’s test. Photo: Ontario Ministry of Transport)
On January 10, 2022, Dakota Brasier, spokesperson for Transport Minister Caroline Mulroney, confirmed that Ontario’s Transport Ministry is shortening the final road test required to earn a full Ontario driver’s licence. The suggested changes would allow the creation of more daily bookings for those wanting to take the test. Brasier said, “changes are being made to create more daily spots for those wishing to take the test, while removing duplicative elements from the test”.
Some of the suggested elements to be eliminated are parallel parking, three-point turns and roadside stops that are duplicated throughout the current test. These would cut the 30-minute road test down to 15 minutes. The changes do not apply to the G2 road test that will remain the same.
“DriveTest will continue to ensure applicants’ driving abilities are evaluated in challenging conditions on major roads and expressways, but will use modified and more direct routes to and from road test locations, and will temporarily pause testing on certain duplicative road test elements, such as parallel parking, which are previously tested and evaluated in the G-2 road test,” Brasier said.
“This will allow for more streamlined tests while continuing to evaluate driver skills alongside new skills such as highway driving requirements.” Coming into effect on Monday, January 10, the change will continue until at least March 31. “The ministry will continue to monitor testing and can extend the date if it is necessary,” Brasier added.
The DriveTest backlog is due to reduced capacity COVID-19 restrictions. Last summer, a new temporary DriveTest road test centre opened in Ottawa on McCarthy Road to assist with the backlog.