The Government of Ontario has announced that DriveTest centres will reopen and begin offering limited services starting on June 22.
The centres will serve customers based on when they were born to reduce crowding and maintain physical distancing requirements and other health measures related to COVID-19. In the first phase of reopening, all full-time DriveTest centres will offer G1 and M1 knowledge tests, driver’s licence exchanges, and commercial driver’s licence applications and upgrades. Commercial road tests will be available by appointment at 28 locations across Ontario. All 56 DriveTest centres and 39 Travel Point locations were closed on March 23 in response to COVID-19, and while full-time DriveTest centres will reopen June 22, part-time Travel Point locations will reopen more gradually. Full services are expected to be restored by September.
“As Ontario continues to gradually and safely reopen, reopening DriveTest centres will help get more people back to everyday life,” said Caroline Mulroney, minister of transportation, in the announcement. “By resuming driver testing in a phased, staggered approach, important health and safety measures, such as physical distancing and extensive cleaning, can be maintained.”
People with birthdays between January to June will be allowed to visit centres during the first week of reopening, while people with birthdays between July to December will be able to access DriveTest services during the second week. Access to DriveTest services will alternate weekly until full services are restored, according to the announcement.
DriveTest centres will require customers to wear masks inside centres and during road tests, sanitize their hands when they enter the building, and undergo temperature checks before road tests. All DriveTest staff will wear personal protective equipment when serving customers and driver examiners will have face shields, sanitizer packages and seat covers when conducting road tests.
“We encourage applicants to be patient when visiting a centre and hold off visiting DriveTest where possible to support physical distancing and reduce crowding,” Mulroney said. “We have extended the validity of all driver’s licences, so we would ask that everyone hold off on visiting a DriveTest centre unless the need for a driver’s licence is urgent. I can assure you that no one will lose their licence as a result of COVID-19.”
To book an appointment, or for more information about the DriveTest reopening plan, visit DriveTest.ca. Details of which customers are being served each week will be updated every Monday.
