Would-be Hong Kong motorists wait more than 1 year to sit driving tests, auditor finds
- Audit Commission also calls on transport authorities to shorten queues for driving tests in report on city’s licensing service for motorists
- Residents looking to sit test driving last year for private or light goods vehicles at city’s four designated schools left waiting around 410 days after applying, report finds
Prospective drivers in Hong Kong can wait more than one year to take a road test, while the delay before sitting a motorcycle exam at some assessment centres increased by about 280 per cent over a seven-year period, a government auditor has found.
The Audit Commission on Wednesday called on the Transport Department to shorten queues for driving tests in a report on the city’s licensing services for motorists, which concluded that the waiting time for non-commercial vehicle exams had “increased significantly” between 2015 and 2021.
In Hong Kong, those who wish to drive a non-commercial vehicle, such as a private car, light goods vehicle or motorcycle, must be assessed at either a government test centre or a site at one of the city’s four designated driving schools.
Residents looking to sit an assessment last year for a private or light goods vehicle at one of the four schools were left waiting about 410 days after applying, the report found.
Meanwhile, those looking to get an assessment at a government test centre to drive a motorcycle, private car or light goods vehicle waited between 257 and 322 days in 2021.