SGI has re-opened road tests to the general public, effective as of Thursday, including at the Weyburn office.
Appointments can be booked for all drivers who are required to take a road test for any class of driver’s licence or motorcycle endorsement.
Only drivers who have reached the required age and are fully eligible to take that test can request an appointment.
Drivers must first purchase a road test receipt, which can be done by calling or visiting a motor licence issuer. Once they have the receipt, drivers must complete and submit the “Road Test Appointment Request” form on SGI’s website at www.sgi.sk.ca/covid-19, under the “Driver Testing” section. Customers must have a receipt or they won’t be able to book an appointment.
An important note,drivers — and supervising drivers for Class 5 applicants – will also need to download and complete waivers to bring to their road test appointment. (Find the waivers under “Driver Testing” at www.sgi.sk.ca/covid-19.)
Drivers who wish to book a test are advised that testing capacity is still very limited due to stringent safety protocols which significantly reduces the number of tests that can be provided. Due to testing being unavailable or highly restricted for the past several months, it’s expected that there will be a high demand for road tests, so drivers are asked to be patient as they may still face a longer-than-normal wait.
Anyone who cannot get an appointment will be placed on a wait list and contacted via phone or email when an appointment becomes available.
Drivers who don’t have an urgent need to get their licence are asked to consider waiting to make their appointments in order to make more spots available to others with more pressing needs.
The COVID-19 pandemic shut down driver testing in all classes in mid-March. SGI re-introduced road tests on a limited basis –with modified testing procedures to allow for physical distancing – with priority given for commercial Class 1 and 3 licences, then for Class 5, 4, and 2 licences for people who worked in health care or agriculture and applicants who had booked a driver’s exam prior to the COVID-19 shutdown.
“We are grateful for the patience of the thousands of learner drivers who have been unable to book road tests since mid-March,” said Penny McCune, Chief Operating Officer of the Auto Fund. “Saskatchewan was the first province to resume offering road tests of any kind and we are the first to re-open testing completely across all classes. We will continue to explore ways to increase our testing capacity, with a priority on keeping our customers and employees safe and not contributing to the spread of COVID-19.”
In order to serve as many customers as possible, examiners have been working overtime and SGI has hired additional staff. Testing is available in Regina (two locations), Saskatoon (two locations), Prince Albert, Swift Current, North Battleford, Yorkton, Meadow Lake, Humboldt, Weyburn, Kindersley, Lloydminster, Tisdale, Estevan and Moose Jaw.
Learner drivers who may have to wait several weeks for their appointment are also encouraged to use the extra time to practice with their supervising drivers and to study the Driver’s Handbook to increase their chances of passing.
For information on how other SGI services have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and what changes are happening, visit www.sgi.sk.ca/covid-19 and look under the “Driver Testing” section for information specific to driver exams.
