Limited Time for Test Registration Irks Learner License Holders

…”𝑨𝒕 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔, 𝒘𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒑𝒓𝒆-𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝒎𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒗𝒂𝒊𝒍𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒔𝒍𝒐𝒕𝒔, 𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒎 𝒕𝒐 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏 20 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒕 4 𝒑𝒎 𝒐𝒏 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝑭𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒂𝒚.”

Phurpa Wangmo

Learner license holders across the country are voicing their frustration with the challenging process of securing driving test bookings. The limited availability of slots and the lightning-fast closures of registrations have left many aspiring drivers dismayed, particularly in Thimphu.

Tshering, 31, shared his exasperating experience, stating, ‘It was very difficult for me to secure a driving test booking in Thimphu. I tried for almost a month, but the slots would fill up within 20 seconds sometimes. Eventually, I had no choice but to travel all the way from Thimphu to Mongar for the driving test.’

Chimi from Trashigang expressed his hope for a more reasonable time frame, saying, ‘We would be immensely grateful if the Bhutan Construction and Transport Authority (BCTA) could provide us with at least 5 minutes to book a slot. At times, we suspect that pre-selected candidates might be taking the available slots, as they seem to get fully booked within 20 seconds of opening at 4 pm on every Friday.’

Sonam Choden, a former civil servant, revealed her struggles in trying to secure a driving test booking. She recounted, ‘Despite several attempts, I failed to secure a booking. As a result, I had no choice but to enroll in a driving institute, where I had to undergo an expensive triple course costing nu. 13,500. Moreover, I had to take the driving test on the designated day at the driving school, limiting my options for testing locations.’

Karma Yangzom, a resident of Thimphu, expressed her frustration with attempting to book the driving test multiple times. Despite setting an alarm at 3:57 pm and promptly refreshing the page at 4 pm to book the test, she faced difficulty registering for the test. Each time she entered her learner license number, the system displayed the seats as fully booked, leading to great annoyance.

Tenzin said, ‘Securing driving test bookings in Thimphu has become significantly more difficult because of a sudden increase in people trying to obtain driving licenses. My friends and I have made multiple attempts to book the driving test before our planned travels abroad, but unfortunately, we haven’t been successful in getting the bookings.’

Responding to the complaints, an official from BCTA denied any manipulation of the system, clarifying, ‘The swift bookings are due to learner license holders registering promptly. When the limited 70 slots are filled instantly, the system automatically displays them as fully booked.’

The official emphasized that none of their staff members have privileged access to the system to add their families or friends for driving tests. Everyone, including the officials, has to follow the same process as the general public, ensuring fairness and denying any claims of pre-selection, as the entire process is systematically managed.

In Thimphu, driving tests are conducted throughout the week, with Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays reserved for the general public, while Tuesdays and Thursdays are designated for driving institutes.”