Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) is resuming limited road tests, but only for workers in health care and agriculture sectors.
Testing was suspended in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Kwei Quaye, SGI’s vice-president of traffic safety, said they recognized there might be a pressing need for some people to get their driver’s licence, hence the resumption of testing.
“Health-care workers are providing essential care and we need to ensure they can operate the required vehicles or drive to work or other locations to provide important medical services,” Quaye said in a statement Friday.
“Agriculture has been deemed critical to ensure food production continues; seeding is underway and having drivers to support this sector helps ensure a secure food supply chain.”
Class 5, 4, or 2 licence road tests will start again on May 11 for those workers in six locations: Regina, Saskatoon, Prince Albert, Swift Current, North Battleford and Yorkton.
The number of tests is limited to a maximum of 140 each week.
SGI said as capacity allows, testing will be expanded to the roughly 4,500 people whose appointments for road tests were cancelled.
Testing is expected to expand to other locations over the coming weeks and increase to a maximum of 320 tests weekly by the beginning of June, SGI said.
However, those looking to book a new appointment for a road test in one of the three classes will have to wait a while longer. SGI said those are not being accepted at this time and it will announce at a later date when they will resume.
Class 5 testing changes
SGI said the way Class 5 testing is done is changing to ensure proper safety protocols and social distancing.
Typically, the examiner sits in the vehicle during the test.
Under new safety protocols, test examiners will follow the student in a separate vehicle and give instructions to the student over hands-free cell phones.
Students need to have a supervising driver from the same household with them, but that person can not help or assist the student in any way.
SGI said a dashcam will also be placed in the student’s vehicle to record the driver and view out the windshield.
Results based on the recording and observations during the examination will then be provided to the student within a day.
Those seeking Class 4 or 2 licences will follow the same testing protocol, however, they do not need a supervising driver.
Class 4 licences permit the holder to operate ambulances, taxis, limos, ridesharing vehicles, and buses seating 24 or fewer passengers.
Class 2 licences allow a driver to operate buses with more than 24 passengers.
Modified testing for Class 1 and 3 commercial licences resumed on April 20, with similar safety protocols.