Regardless of the massive road test backlog, Ontario drivers can still secure their date with some persistence.
After the announcement of the reopening of in-vehicle driving tests on June 14, drivers across Ontario have struggled to find a test date. Due to the cancellations due to COVID-19 back in April, a massive backlog of cancelled tests has accumulated. Although it may seem hopeless to schedule your test anytime soon, with some persistence, you may get a road test sooner than you expect.
For 22-year-old student Christian Romualdo, scheduling a driving test was harder than he expected.
“Registration was online, I had to pick which date I wanted, which centre I wanted. It’s annoying because, picking a date doesn’t really matter. You’re gonna end up with a random day in November or whatever,”
This is a shared experience with many drivers who are trying to get their license right now. However, with a little patience and dedication, you may be able to book your test sooner than you think.
Police Constable Sean Shapiro shared some insights on how things are changing at the Ministry of Transportation. Shapiro focuses on social media content, and has amassed a large following from his educational and amusing content.
“It’s all second hand information in terms of how we came to know this. They’re adding new instructors all the time, they are having people move, cancel, and otherwise change times. More and more times are opening up for tests.”
As a result of the many new hires and cancellations, time slots for tests are opening up on the DriveTest website. Shapiro continues by explaining some of the techniques to take advantage of these new availabilities.
“If you’re paying attention, you’re gonna get an opportunity to take one of those vacated spots … If you check their website throughout the day, starting at five in the morning, you’re gonna have a good chance to get a reservation,”
Shapiro also recommends checking for road tests in regions outside your own to maximize the likelihood of obtaining a test.
Persistence is key
In theory, these new techniques can help drivers secure their road test at earlier dates. It may be somewhat luck-based, but as stated by Shapiro, if your efforts are consistent, you will end up getting a road test eventually.
For 22-year-old university student Alfonso Dela Cruz, he was able put this technique into practice.
“I’ve just been checking every morning for a few weeks, and I ended up getting a test in August,”
Dela Cruz acknowledges that in cases such as these, the best way to proceed is to be consistent, and keep trying.
“If you keep checking, you’ll notice that they add random dates all the time. You just have to be lucky enough to find a time that works for you,”
For students like Dela Cruz, obtaining a license is essential. Whether it be for driving to lectures and tutorials, or to a summer job, getting a road test as soon as possible is always beneficial. For those looking to book a road test in Ontario as early as this summer, this technique is worth trying out.
