B.R.O. thoughts? | Page 2 | GTAMotorcycle.com

B.R.O. thoughts?

Its a combination of overstressed and crowded infrastructure, and old world scam mentality of trying to game the system.

The grievances (true or not) I've heard are they intentionally fail people for BS reasons in some places so they avoid those locations.

Even brampton people want to avoid brampton.
 
timtune said:
Lots are just trying to get a test in a reasonable time frame because wait times are shorter in the boonies. Both my kids did the same - but only to speed the process.
Click to expand...

It's partly that, but for many Toronto based driver mills, er, schools, it's very much about ease of passing as well. Many have been reportedly even telling their students as much.

matthew said:
It's a failure of the government to not open more testing locations in areas with high populations. I can't fault people for going to a different testing centre to expedite the process.
Click to expand...

Agreed, but that's what sometimes happens when government services are turned over to for-profit private enterprise. If you can run x number of Service Ontario locations that are busy 100% of the time, why would you risk opening X number more to potentially only screw yourself when now you have a bunch more locations but they're only busy 75% of the time and sometimes idle not making money, but costing you a lot to keep open and staffed. It's effectively encroaching on your own business. There's little to no incentive.

A cautionary tale for another thread happening right now discussing handing over government run things like this to private enterprise, actually.
 
I live in Orangeville and the criticism that is often thrown around is "Brampton people come up here to OUR drive test centre".

Based on the auditor general's latest report, only 2% of Orangeville residents use the Orangeville test centre. If it wasn't for people from Brampton using it, I wouldn't put much faith into the long term viability of it, especially now that it's privatized.



Some 42 per cent of drivers who took their road tests in the Orangeville test centre were from Brampton, for example, compared with only 2 per cent who were actually from Orangeville.
 
AFJ said:
If I recall correctly, BRO came about after the province of Ontario brought in the helmet requirement and other motorcycling legislation in the late 1960's. I had been riding a motorcycle (legally) in Ontario since the 1950's since I had a "Chauffeur's class" license to drive any vehicle up to 10,000 lb weight. But I was not living in Ontario when the separate motorcycle licence test became a requirement and when I came back to Ontario in late 1969, while still licensed to drive cars and trucks, I was not licensed to ride motorcycles. And one could not get a "learner's permit" to ride on public roads. You had to learn to ride on "private property" (eg. empty parking lots) and were allowed to ride to the test location for your motorcycle test. If you passed - OK - you could ride home. If you failed you could not ride home! Part of the test was weaving in-and-out through a maze of closely spaced cones. Most riders who succeeded this test used a 50cc Honda. Some who failed on larger bikes said it was impossible to do this test successfully on bikes the size of Harleys and other "full-size" bikes.

I had bought a early-60's 250cc Honda CL72 to use but the charging system failed a couple of days before the scheduled test so I had to use a full sized 980cc elderly (1938) v-twin. Part of the test was you were asked to name the location of controls or parts of your motorcycle the the examiner pointed to. I was asked where's your electric starter button? "Doesn't have one I replied." The examiner, pointing to the Magdyno on the bike said "What's that then?" "That's the Magdyno, I replied, "it charges the battery and provides spark to the plugs." (He changed the subject.)
After completing the brief road test, (Observed by a second examiner standing at a traffic signalled intersection to see if you could give signals and make safe left turns.) I was asked by that examiner, "Where did you get an old bike like this?". "Built it up from a pile of pieces, I replied." (I was handed a piece of paper and told to go and get my licence.)

This business of going to small-town license-testing offices has been going on since the 1930's. Part of the reason is the lack of sufficient testing staff in urban areas resulting in long waits. But the biggest factor is (quite probably) the private contracting firms who actually do the testing (under contract to the government) and inadequate supervision and oversight by the Ontario government.

AFJ
Click to expand...
I got licenced in the late 70s on my 16th birthday. It took 60 days for a drive test appointment, you had to go to the MTO in person to book the test.

All 3 of my kids booked their tests online with ServiceOntario with no delays at GTA centres.
 
matthew said:
I live in Orangeville and the criticism that is often thrown around is "Brampton people come up here to OUR drive test centre".

Based on the auditor general's latest report, only 2% of Orangeville residents use the Orangeville test centre. If it wasn't for people from Brampton using it, I wouldn't put much faith into the long term viability of it, especially now that it's privatized.



Some 42 per cent of drivers who took their road tests in the Orangeville test centre were from Brampton, for example, compared with only 2 per cent who were actually from Orangeville.
Click to expand...
I wonder where the Orangeville people go?
 
bigpoppa said:
Its a combination of overstressed and crowded infrastructure, and old world scam mentality of trying to game the system.

The grievances (true or not) I've heard are they intentionally fail people for BS reasons in some places so they avoid those locations.

Even brampton people want to avoid brampton.
Click to expand...
I almost spit out my drink.

Based on current driver awareness they should be doubling whatever failure rate we currently have.
 
Evoex said:
I almost spit out my drink.

Based on current driver awareness they should be doubling whatever failure rate we currently have.
Click to expand...
Apart from aunties in their SUV's that cant see over their steering wheels, its not too bad.
 
bigpoppa said:
Apart from aunties in their SUV's that cant see over their steering wheels, its not too bad.
Click to expand...
😱 are we talking about the same roads?
 
Jampy00 said:
I wonder where the Orangeville people go?
Click to expand...
I suspect that was a wording issue. I suspect most Orangeville residents get tested there but they make up only 2% of the total test volume. As written, 98% of Orangeville residents are tested elsewhere and I can't see that happening. Orangeville (and lindsay) drivetest have a huge discrepancy between number of employees and number of locals requiring testing. Forcing tests close to home would be a bloodbath for them.
 
bigpoppa said:
Apart from aunties in their SUV's that cant see over their steering wheels, it’s not too bad.
Click to expand...
What about the million fart-can Civics that hit V1 every day?
 
matthew said:
I live in Orangeville and the criticism that is often thrown around is "Brampton people come up here to OUR drive test centre".

Based on the auditor general's latest report, only 2% of Orangeville residents use the Orangeville test centre. If it wasn't for people from Brampton using it, I wouldn't put much faith into the long term viability of it, especially now that it's privatized.



Some 42 per cent of drivers who took their road tests in the Orangeville test centre were from Brampton, for example, compared with only 2 per cent who were actually from Orangeville.
Click to expand...
I did my G2 test in Orangeville, lived in Brampton, but went to Mayfield S.S.(Caledon). Our driving instructor affiliated with the school would always take students there. So I would suspect a decent chunk is bordering highschool students as well.

I did do my full G in Brampton and passed no problem in 2010.

But I do agree that is makes more sense for people to test where they live, as no matter what they always have to drive that area as they can't teleport from their house to 30 minutes away to start driving.
 
AFJ said:
I came back to Ontario in late 1969, while still licensed to drive cars and trucks, I was not licensed to ride motorcycles. And one could not get a "learner's permit" to ride on public roads. You had to learn to ride on "private property"
Click to expand...

Odd. On my 16th BD in '74 I wrote the multiple choice questionnaire at the Ministry and they handed me a M beginner licence. Only restrictions were no divided highways and no riding between dusk and dawn. Booked my test before I left and did the Cones of Shame + road test 2 weeks later.
 
FullMotoJacket said:
Odd. On my 16th BD in '74 I wrote the multiple choice questionnaire at the Ministry and they handed me a M beginner licence. Only restrictions were no divided highways and no riding between dusk and dawn. Booked my test before I left and did the Cones of Shame + road test 2 weeks later.
Click to expand...
Same with me, Back in the day i paid 10bucks and they added the M license
 
FullMotoJacket said:
Odd. On my 16th BD in '74 I wrote the multiple choice questionnaire at the Ministry and they handed me a M beginner licence. Only restrictions were no divided highways and no riding between dusk and dawn. Booked my test before I left and did the Cones of Shame + road test 2 weeks later.
Click to expand...

Similar for me. My first driving was Alberta at 15 for a summer job. When I returned, I got my ON 365 (G1) on my 16th birthday. You could wait at the cancellation bench for a no-show.

Got a chauffeurs lic after that so I never needed an M. (that got messy later).
 
FullMotoJacket said:
Odd. On my 16th BD in '74 I wrote the multiple choice questionnaire at the Ministry and they handed me a M beginner licence. Only restrictions were no divided highways and no riding between dusk and dawn. Booked my test before I left and did the Cones of Shame + road test 2 weeks later.
Click to expand...
.
AFJ
 
Last edited:
Anyone remember the testing center at Keele and 401? That's where my second test took place. I remember asking others if they too had snuck in on the 401 even though we were still restricted from divided hiways. Yes most had.
Forum Sponsor
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom