The DGT concentrated 300 practical driving exams this Saturday in Lleida in a single day to try to reduce the waiting list in the province, which reached 5,000 students due to the lack of operational officials. The tests were distributed between Neoparc and Til·lers, two points in the city chosen for their low traffic.
The operation alleviated part of the backlog, but did not resolve it. Despite the extraordinary day, Lleida still has more than 4,000 students waiting to take the practical exam, after months of delay to access a call.
Fifteen examiners conducted 300 tests on a Saturday
During the day, 15 examiners worked and each conducted 20 tests. On a typical working day, however, four officials operate and each conducts 12 exams.
The deployment allowed the ordinary examination capacity in the capital of Segrià to be multiplied in a single day. The DGT also located the activity in Neoparc and Til·lers to avoid traffic congestion during a much more intense call than usual.
Among the applicants, the accumulated waiting time remained very present. Nare Jied, a 19-year-old student from Mollerussa, explained that he had to wait nearly five months to be examined.
"I had to wait a long time to be examined, almost five months" - Nare Jied, student from Mollerussa
The delay has also conditioned the planning of other students who passed the theory exam months ago and have had to adjust their practice sessions and availability until they found a slot for the practical exam.
Nil Solé, 18 years old and a resident of Bellvís, attended the call after having passed the theory exam at 17 and turning 18 on the 6th. He arrived at the exam with eight or nine practice sessions and with a previous session on the same day.
"I passed the theory exam at 17. I just turned 18 on the 6th. When the teacher told me I could do it, I went for it, because I've only done eight or nine practice sessions. Let's see how it goes. I'm nervous. I also did a practice session before the exam and it seemed like I didn't know how to drive. But I told the teacher that if she thought I was ready, who was I to disagree?" - Nil Solé, student from Bellvís
The call reduced part of the backlog, but forced journeys of up to an hour and a half
The concentration of all tests in Lleida also provoked criticism among students from other towns. Aspirants from municipalities like Solsona had to travel around an hour and a half to the provincial capital to be able to take the exam.
The centralization generated complaints, although the driving schools considered the experience good due to the volume of tests completed in a single day. Raül Viladrich, president of the Federació d'Autoescoles de Catalunya, maintained that the measure could have been organized better, but valued that it helped to alleviate the backlog.
"It could have been done better, but all ideas to alleviate this bottleneck are welcome. The day went normally, was well organized, and the schools were examining. Nothing to object to" - Raül Viladrich, president of the Federació d'Autoescoles de Catalunya
After the positive assessment of the day, the DGT has confirmed that it will extend the experience to other Spanish cities. In Lleida, however, the waiting list remains above 4,000 students waiting to take the practical exam.