Alberta's privatized driver testing

By: Drivers.com staff
Date: 1994-06-15

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In November 1993, the province of Alberta, Canada introduced what it called a "one-window approach" to the delivery of registry and licensing services. Registry services such as vehicle registration, driver examinations and licensing, land title, lien and corporate searches, and selected land-related and vital statistics services are now delivered through private agencies.

Under this system, driver license road tests are being delivered by government-designated driver examiners who have established a business relationship with private issuing agents or who choose to offer these services independently. No one may be designated as an examiner who is owner, part owner, shareholder, partner in, or employee of a driving school.

There are currently 125 designated driver examiners in the province, many of them former government examiners who accepted the opportunity to become designated private sector examiners.

The change has certainly speeded up the process of getting a road test, says Calgary driving school owner Janice Elliot. "You can get one today," Elliot told a conference of driving school owners in Ontario. "You can get one in an hour in some places."

The change to privatized testing has brought allegations of poor quality testing and a dramatic lowering of standards. There have been rumours of $5 tests being advertised on street corners. But these are just rumours, says Registries spokesperson Jeanette Espie-Lefebvre. "Examiners couldn't make a living at that price. As far as we can determine, they're charging about the same as was charged under the government system ($15), sometimes more in rural areas. The going rate is $15 to $20."

Monitoring and auditing of driver examiners is carried out by 14 Driver Testing Administrators who are government employees based in Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge, and Red Deer. Monitoring of administrative requirements, ride-alongs, and client consultations are being used to maintain testing quality and fairness.

Applicants for the position of examiner must have a Class Five driver licence in good standing, two years without suspension, less than four demerit points, no criminal record, a Grade 12 education, and must pass a comprehensive knowledge and road test. The application fee is $50 and applicants must complete a seven-day training program which costs $550 for basic classification examiners.

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