Mike Fisher's Driving School

Due to unforeseen circumstances the last 2 dates of our December course, December 29-30, 2021 will have to be rescheduled.

As we have told our students for decades, if you drink at night and get up in the morning and drive yourself to school or work, you will likely be charged with impaired driving. If you stop drinking at midnight and go to bed, while you are sleeping you are actually becoming more impaired as your body absorbs more of the alcohol. It takes at least 12 hours for our body to get rid of the alcohol. Never drink and drive, especially over the Christmas Season.

The MTO did grant extensions for licence renewals. There are now deadlines to renew your licence. Be certain you renew your licence within your specific deadline, or you may have to start over.

We have heard that Drive Test Centers are not requiring proof of vaccination. We were at Bellville Drive Test September 22, 2021, and students there were asked for proof of vaccination. We suggest that if you have been vaccinated bring the proof with you in case they ask for it. Some Drive Test Centers set their own guidelines.

The Ontario governments Vaccine Passport requirements came into effect today. Any student going to Drive Test for documents, writing tests, road tests at any level, etc must first provide proof of vaccination and identification before entry, and before a road test is conducted.

Some Ontario Drive Test Centers may start running longer starting September 01, 2021. Anticipated hours for scheduling road tests may run from 07:00-22:00. (7am-10pm). Hopefully, all sides involved are able to have this in place in time. This may allow students to move their road tests up. Keep watching the DriveTest.ca site for them to release these extended hours bookings.

A reminder to everyone: The police and MTO are still doing a major crackdown on vehicle modifications, focusing on illegal mufflers. Even if your vehicle passed a mechanics inspection, you can still be order to remove the exhaust system and put in the original muffler that was manufactured. Other modifications will also be targeted for inspection.

We are having issues with our website. If you have not heard back from us within 24 hours, please call the office at 289-252-1506.

We will resume in car lessons later next week. As with previous lockdowns, our focus will be on those going for road test from now to throught July, then the next group for August. Schedules may change due to Covid testings, vaccinations, isolations, and students that have been able to move their road tests forward. Some Test Centers are running into the evening, and on Saturdays. If you have moved your road test up, or have 1 booked, confirm the date(s) with us to be certain to get into the scheduling cycle.

Drive Test Centers have announced they have hired 167 new Examiners, and added a few travel point Centers to try to clear the backlog of road tests. We anticipate most of these new hires will be assigned to the GTA. They have expanded hours and days of operations at some Centers so these new changes should help get them caught up after 3 lockdowns.

We hope to receive permission to resume in car lessons later this week. As with previous lockdowns, our focus will be on those who have been in the program waiting patiently throughout the lockdowns, and those with road tests in June and July. Send your updated availability for in car lessons and test dates so we can shedule accordingly.

The MTO has announced that Drive Tests Centers will resume G2, G, M2, and M road tests June 14th, and it will take them until 2026 to clear the backlog. We are not that far behind, but we are behind by 9 months. If it goes the same as the previous lockdowns, we should receive approval to resume in car 2 weeks after road tests resume.

We hope to receive permission sometime this month from the government and MTO to resume in car lessons.

The next course is December the 27th - 30th. We may do a class before then, if future Covid-19 restrictions are mandated by the MTO.

Another email I have sent to our MLA and Premier: I am writing regarding my concerns over what is transpiring at Drive Test Centers in my area. With Toronto and Peel regions in red zones, why are people from those areas still coming to Lindsay and Peterborough Drive Test for their road tests? Most are not following current guidelines or restrictions. Not only are they taking most of the Drive Test bookings leaving our local students waiting for test dates 3 months in advance,... they are endangering Drive Test staff and others attending Drive Test, and endangering communities they return to possibly bringing a virus outbreak to us. As a former Health and Safety Manager I developed Pandemic Policies and Procedures for companies over 20 years ago, so I am well aware of the likelihood of the virus spreading to my community and others if this current process continues at Drive Test. Respectfully, Mike Fisher's Driving School-Northumberland Ltd. See more

Mike here. A reminder to all of our students: As you were repeatedly told in class, it is your responsibility to contact your Driving Instructor to set up in car lessons. Unless we here from you, we take it you do not want to start yet.

In car lessons will gradually begin to resume July 27th with Covid-19 restrictions. If you haven't already, send your Instructor your upcoming availability throughout August. Priority will be given to those that had their road tests cancelled numerous times, then those with only a couple lessons remaining. Please keep in mind we are all running 4-5 months behind schedule due to the mandatory shut down, and subsequent delays.

The Police will be running a campaign on vehicle modifications. Charges could be under the H.T.A., O.H.S.A., or E.P.A.

In car lessons have been approved to restart with some Covid-19 requirements. We will have our vehicles sanitized over the next few days, and will go over sanitizing requirements with staff and students. Masks or face coverings are mandatory. Students must pass a Covid-19 assessment before each in car session. Any signs of illness and the student will have to reschedule the lesson. Instructors must wear masks or face coverings, and ensure their vehicle are sanitized before an...d after each students lesson. Priority will be given to students that have had their road tests cancelled numerous times since March, then students with only a couple lessons remaining. In car schedules will likely change as we find road test bookings for our students. Every Driving School, Instructor, and student is in the same position of being behind by 5 months. We thank everyone in advance for their patience as well all try to make up for the shutdown the virus caused. See more