Temporary drive test centres open to address massive backlog

East Gwillimbury, Ont. -

Wayne Paragh passed his driver's test at a temporary testing centre set up by the Ontario government in a GO train station parking lot in East Gwillimbury.

The Ministry of Transportation estimates more than 420,000 road tests were cancelled throughout the pandemic, causing a massive backlog.

The province opened nine temporary road test centres, including the one in East Gwillimbury.

Metrolinx offered the GO Train parking lot as a meeting spot for drive tests since ridership is down 25 per cent.

The driving tests are then taken off the property and onto provincial roads.

Many driving schools applaud the move to help address the backlog but fear it won't be enough.

Ahmed Nawaz said people were arriving from as far as Mississauga and Brampton to take their road test.

"They are coming from the other locations if they can't find any booking. They are coming here to do the road tests," the All Star Driving School instructor said.

The temporary locations are by appointment only, and walk-ins are not accepted.

The province did not give a timeline for how long the temporary road test sites would remain.

The province plans to invest more than $16 million in DriveTest centres across Ontario to address hiring driver examiners and extend operating hours for road tests.

With files from The Canadian Press