Learner drivers in New South Wales are experiencing significant delays in scheduling their driving tests, with waits extending up to two months. Some are even resorting to travelling long distances to regional areas to secure appointments, resulting in local candidates being pushed further afield in their search for availability.
Seventeen-year-old Sian Lynch, a learner driver from Oran Park, has been prepared for her driving test for weeks. “When I logged in and saw all the time slots were taken, I had to wait a good six to eight weeks before I could book in,” Lynch said. This prolonged delay has intensified her anxiety about obtaining her licence.
Driving instructor Gerry Rivet, who has worked in south-west Sydney for nearly a decade, highlighted the local impact of these delays. “In an area like this in Macarthur, there is not much public transport, so we are dependent on people being self-sufficient to get to and from work and school,” Rivet noted. He added that some apprentices risk losing their jobs due to the necessity of a licence for employment.
Rivet expressed frustration over the current booking situation, describing it as a “lottery.” He explained that, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, appointments could typically be made within a week. “Now it’s roughly a six to eight-week wait which a lot of people aren’t expecting,” he said. As a result, learners are travelling to places like Mittagong or Goulburn, and those locations are sending candidates as far as Wagga Wagga.
According to information from Service NSW, which oversees the driving test system, the surge in demand is attributed to a policy change that mandates Australian citizens and permanent residents holding overseas licences to pass the local driving test within three months. This change has led to approximately half of these overseas drivers failing the test, necessitating additional rebookings and further straining the system.
In 2022, a record 396,000 driving tests were conducted in New South Wales, marking a 12% increase from the previous year. Despite this, the number of tests has not kept pace with the growing demand.
Abdul Al-Sharhani, who operates a driving school in Woodbine, near Campbelltown, has resorted to actively searching the booking system for cancellations to help his students. “I’ve got many drivers who’ve told me they need a licence to get a job. It changed their life so those things are really needed,” Al-Sharhani stated. He expressed hope for prompt government action to address the ongoing issue.
In response to the backlog, Service NSW is temporarily recruiting an additional 20 testing officers to expedite the process. Some test centres in Sydney, the Central Coast, and Illawarra are now offering appointments on Saturdays. However, both Rivet and Al-Sharhani remain skeptical about the effectiveness of these measures. Rivet characterized the government’s response as “putting a little Band-Aid on a big axe wound.”
Year 11 student Celio Romero, who lives in St Andrews, plans to take his driving test as soon as he turns 17. He often relies on his parents for transportation to school, TAFE, and his apprenticeship as a boilermaker. “It’s really good to get your Ps so you can get to places on your own,” he said. Romero hopes to take his test at the local Service NSW centre in Gregory Hills, which is about an hour’s journey from his home. He expressed concerns about driving in unfamiliar areas, stating, “Travelling to a new area, I don’t know if there’s a roundabout coming up or if it’s as busy.”
As the backlog of driving tests continues to grow, Service NSW is monitoring the situation closely and planning for future demand. They advise learner drivers to explore different test locations for potential availability, as some centres may have more openings than others.
