The recent limited availability of driver exams has many Albertans feeling helpless and frustrated.

As it stands, those looking to book a test will see availabilities at the end of October, due to a preexisting backlog that was further exacerbated by COVID-19.

Some have gotten lucky, however. Co-owner of Ardiel Agencies in Okotoks Bev Carlson says earlier available spots do pop up on occasion.

"What you see today for availability is not necessarily what will be available tomorrow. The government is steadily increasing testing availability as they're hiring new examiners, and that's ongoing, and then people do actually still cancel their tests, so when that happens, that spot opens up again."

She says as frustrating as it sounds, tenacity is the best strategy.

"The people who are on it every single day and on it at odd times of the day are more successful than just hitting it sporadically here and there a few times a week. Being persistent is the absolute best way to do it. It does get updated, I believe, overnight sometimes. We've had people tell us they've been successful going on late at night or in the wee hours of the morning."

An instinctual reaction to the limited testing availability is to call a registry, or even to show up in person in search of earlier times.

Carlson says they've seen an influx of residents doing this, though booking online from home is the best and most convenient way to do so.

"If you come here and come up to our counter and we look for you, we see the exact same thing you do. To be honest, it's probably much more convenient for you to do that from your own house; there isn't anything we can see or anything we can do that's different from what people can see themselves online, unfortunately."

She says there, unfortunately, doesn't seem to be a foreseeable solution or end to the increased wait times.

"Right now we just need to deal with it the best that we can. Hopefully, we can slog our way through this backlog and the government will continue to give us some more driver examiners, and hopefully ease up that situation for us."

To access the provincial government's road test application page, click here.

 

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