27/05/2026
The driving test system in NSW is under serious pressure — and everyday people are paying the price.
Across the state, especially in metro areas, learners are struggling to secure driving test bookings. Long waiting periods have become normal, and if someone fails a test, the process becomes even more stressful and expensive. This is not a short-term issue. It has been a systematic problem since the new international licence conversion rules came into effect.
While the driving test fee itself is around $70, the real financial burden comes from repeated lessons, hiring instructors’ vehicles, missed work, and long delays between tests. For many families, the cost of getting a licence is becoming overwhelming.
More importantly, the current testing system is not always reflecting the real standard it was intended to achieve. A safe driver is not simply created by a one-off assessment under pressure. Safe driving comes from proper coaching, observation, consistency, and accountability over time.
NSW should seriously explore alternative licensing provisions to help resolve this growing issue.
Driving schools and qualified instructors already spend dozens of hours assessing learners in real traffic conditions. If Transport for NSW managed and regulated driving schools more effectively and allowed them to participate in parts of the testing and assessment process, the system could become more efficient, practical, and accessible.
A collaborative assessment model — where both the instructor and the RMS tester contribute to evaluating a driver — could improve fairness, reduce unnecessary delays, and still maintain strong road safety standards.
The goal should not only be passing a test.The goal should be producing safer, more confident, and genuinely competent drivers for our roads.
Nabin Mishra
Sushma Mishra
