Tradies, health workers to jump queue when driver's licence testing resumes
Desperate tradies, health workers and young teens who need a licence to work are among thousands of Victorians facing a long wait to sit their driving tests.
VIC News
Don't miss out on the headlines from VIC News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Tradies, health workers and other Victorians needing a driver’s licence to work will be at the front of the line to sit their driving tests when COVID-19 bans are lifted.
Licence tests were suspended on March 25 — for 10 weeks — due to the coronavirus lockdown, with about 3800 people a week across the state being denied their ticket to drive.
Almost 30,000 young Victorians have missed out, with thousands more joining the queue each week.
All L and P plate tests booked up until June 3 were cancelled when COVID-19 restrictions were enforced.
The Sunday Herald Sun understands the backlog means wannabe drivers will be forced to wait many months and some as long as a year before being able to sit their tests and hit the road, once restrictions are lifted and testing resumes.
The Department of Transport said VicRoads was still not taking bookings but had started putting plans in place to “address the backlog”.
“We’ve suspended light vehicle drive tests and all computer-based license testing while coronavirus restrictions are in place, to protect the health and wellbeing of our staff and customers,” a Department of Transport spokesperson said.
“We’ll let the community know when licence testing resumes. Any decision to recommence testing will be made in accordance with the latest medical advice.”
An “exceptional circumstance” policy prioritising those who needed to drive for work purposes, including trade apprentices and health and social sector workers, was one system set to be implemented when it did resume.
It’s understood country residents will also be given priority, as will those likely to experience “undue hardship” without a licence, while those who can get by without a car will go to the back of the line.
Applications to be prioritised will be able to be made to VicRoads through its website, with eligibility assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Chief executive of Master Builders Victoria, Rebecca Casson, said it was great to hear apprentices would be given preferential treatment.
“We have been advocating for this … apprentices are the future of the building and construction industry … and they need to be able to get to and from jobs as well as around those sites to be able to work,” she said.
RELATED:
WHY YOUNG MELBURNIANS ARE WAITING LONGER TO GET A LICENCE
DRIVER’S LICENCES UPLOADED TO NATIONAL FACE-MATCHING DATABASE