Alberta government shortens Class 5 road tests

The Alberta government is shorteningClass 5 basic road tests to 30 minutes from45, in a bid to test5,000 more driverseach month andreduce wait times.

The shortertests, which will begin in January,will not affectthe on-roadportion of the test which will remain at25 minutes, but limitpre-test introductions and post-test debrief to five minutes total, the government said in a news release Thursday.

The change reinstates the allotted time offered under the privatized system, before the switch to government-managedtestingin March, the release said.

The previous NDP government said it wascompelled to move quickly to improve the driver examination system after theApril 2018 Humbolt, Sask., bus crash that killed 16.

The government alsolaunched an online survey Thursday, seeking feedback from Albertans about their experiences with road testing.

The survey will be available online until Dec. 22.

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Thursday's changes to road tests will not compromise safety, the government said. Examiners will continue to spend the same amount of time on the road with drivers and test all of the same driving skills.