VICTORIA -- For people who have waited almost three months to get their British Columbia driver's licences, there is still no end to the waiting in sight.

On Monday, ICBC had still not set a date for when road tests would resume throughout the province. It's not what the more than 50,000 British Columbians who had their road test cancelled due to COVID-19 wanted to hear.

"I really want my driver's licence. I was supposed to get it on June 25, but that's not going to happen," said student Rachel Swanson. "I've been waiting since July of last year when I got my 'L' [learners class licence] and it's really frustrating to have to look forward to something for a year and now it's not happening."

On Monday ICBC services offices reopened with some services available. Offices are now open for people who need a B.C. ID card and for those who want to take the first step towards a driver's licence.

You can now make an appointment to complete the knowledge test for a class seven learner's licence. The challenge for ICBC to restart road tests is the need for personal protective equipment (PPE) to prevent the spread of the virus between the driving evaluator and the person taking the test.

"First responders, police and fire need personal protective equipment first," said B.C. Attorney General David Eby, the minister responsible for ICBC. "Somewhere after that, driver's licence examiners are on the list, but they're certainly not at the top of the list, so making sure we have enough equipment for the examiners is going to be our biggest challenge."

There is a proposal by ICBC before WorksafeBC to resume road tests in a way that protects examiners and the people being tested. When the safety measures are approved, the public insurer will be faced with the challenge of developing a plan to clear the backlog of road test that have accumulated since mid-March.

"It's not good news for any driver, whether commercial or personal-use driver," said Eby. "We lost those three months and there will be some delay for drivers."

To reduce the backlog, ICBC may add additional examiners to some centres. There may also be a tightening of restrictions by increasing the wait time for the retesting of drivers who fail a road test.

At Wallace Driving School, management has already taken steps to protect instructors and students from the coronavirus. Every car in the fleet is disinfected after every driving lesson and students are required to wear protective masks. All instructors take the added precaution of wearing face shields. 

"We feel really comfortable that we’ve taken the kind of steps that Dr. Bonnie Henry and Minister Dix have recommended," said Wallace Driving School owner Steve Wallace. "We don't want any of our instructors getting sick and we don't want any of our customers getting sick."

For those people who want to take the road test and get their driver's licence, just knowing when they can finally get a road test would be a start.

"There's a lot of adults, there's essential workers who all need their 'N' [Novice class licence] and it's not safe for some people to take the bus and I think it is really important that we get that going," said Swanson.

Eby said he knows it is a very difficult time and he wants to reassure those who want or need a driver's licence that the province is working to make sure it is safe when road tests resume.

"They will be examined by a professional as quickly as possible to make sure they are safe on the roads but they're also safe during the test," said Eby.