Learner drivers in New South Wales are having to wait up to two months to take their driving test and in some cases are struggling to find a booking at all.
Some people travel long distances to regional towns to take their test, forcing local L-platers to go further afield to secure a spot.
Oran Park student Sian Lynch has been ready to take her 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,” the 17-year-old said.
Sian Lynch says the lengthy wait had added to her stress. (ABC News: Marcus Stimson)
She said the delay had added to the stress.
“It was a little bit frustrating. It was also very nerve-wracking knowing that if I did fail my test, I would have to wait two months before I could book in again.”
Gerry Rivet has been a driving instructor in south-west Sydney for almost a decade.
“In an area like this in the Macarthur, there is not much public transport, so we are dependent on people being self-sufficient to get to and from work and school,” he said.
“In some cases, the apprentices have been threatened with their job because they need to get a licence for work.”
Gerry Rivet says booking a driving test has become a lottery. (ABC News: Marcus Stimson)
He said in recent months, finding an available booking for a driving test had been a lottery.
“You could normally book in within a week. When COVID happened, wait times blew out a fair bit, probably a month or month and a half. Now it’s roughly a six to eight-week wait which a lot of people aren’t expecting,” Mr Rivet said.
“People can’t get in here so they’re going to Mittagong or Goulburn. The Goulburn people can’t get in there, so they’re travelling out to Wagga and it’s a domino effect.”
Record number of driving tests amid high demand
Service NSW, which manages the driving test system, said the spike in demand was driven by a policy change requiring Australian citizens and permanent residents holding an overseas licence to pass the Australian driving test within three months.
Service NSW says policy change is behind a spike in demand. (ABC News: Keana Naughton)
About half the overseas drivers fail the test and then try to rebook, adding to demand.
“This change is about ensuring driver are safer on our roads,” a Service NSW spokesperson said.
A record 396,000 driving tests were held in NSW last year — a 12 per cent increase on the year before, but it has not been enough to keep pace with demand.
Abdul Al-Sharhani runs a driving school at Woodbine near Campbelltown.
Recently, he has taken to scouring the booking system himself, looking for cancellations for his drivers.
“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,” he said.
“I am looking forward for the government to resolve this problem as soon as possible.”
Driving instructor Abdul Al-Sharhani runs a driving school at Woodbine, near Campbelltown in south-west Sydney. (ABC News: Marcus Stimson)
‘Like putting a little Band-Aid on a big axe wound’
Service NSW said an extra 20 testing officers were being recruited on a temporary basis to help clear the backlog.
Some test centres in Sydney, the Central Coast and the Illawarra are offering tests on Saturdays.
Mr Al-Sharhani is not confident the measures will fix the problem.
“With the load we have now, with the people who came, the people who need their licence, I don’t think it’s enough,” he said.
Mr Rivet described the response as “putting a little Band-Aid on a big axe wound”.
Year 11 student Celio Romero plans to take his driving test as soon as he turns 17.
He lives in St Andrews and is often reliant on his parents to ferry him 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.
Year 11 student Celio Romero is planning to take his driving test as soon as he turns 17. (ABC News: Marcus Stimson)
“Say you have family members that have their own work. They don’t always have time to take you to work and stuff.”
He’s hoping to take his test at his local Service NSW centre in Gregory Hills, an hour away from his suburb.
“Travelling to a new area, I don’t know if there’s a roundabout coming up or if it’s as busy,” he said.
“It would be more difficult.”
Service NSW said the current backlog is reaching its peak but it would continue to monitor the situation and plan for future demand.
It is advising learner drivers to shop around.
“While there may be demands on an individual driver test location, there may be availability elsewhere,” a spokesperson said.