BVI News

Truckers losing jobs as DMV seeks to clear backlog of requests for driver’s license upgrades

With a backlog of approximately 150 requests from motorists seeking to upgrade their driver’s licences to heavy-duty licenses, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will be seeking additional resources to facilitate a much faster processing time of all applications.

This is according to Transportation Minister Kye Rymer who was responding to concerns raised by a local employer who said she had been forced to deny a number of residents jobs because they did not have the appropriate driver’s license class.

She said: “I’m in the heavy equipment business and I have a lot of problems with persons coming to try to get jobs and don’t have the proper driving status and they can’t upgrade.”

“They’re driving these big trucks for years with an F-Class. You need a C-Class or a D Class and some of them need an A-Class, and they can’t upgrade because the DMV is not in the position to do so at the moment,” she explained.

Plead with Minister

She also urged Minister Rymer to make the necessary arrangements to ensure truck drivers, who are desperately in need of class upgrades, can get them at the DMV.

“Just like how provisions are being made for the biking association, on the behalf of the heavy equipment association I am here pleading with you Honourable Rymer to make provisions for that industry, so that we can better assist more persons who come and look for jobs,” she stated.

“Under my insurance, I cannot hire them because I would now be in breach, and if something happens, I would be held liable,” she explained.

More resources to come to clear backlog

In his response, Rymer assured the businesswoman that his ministry was putting measures in place to clear the existing backlog.

He said: “I am proud to announce that we started to do our upgrade testing on Tuesday, but we were only able to do eight at a time. During the COVID, we had those requests and we have maybe about 100, 150 requests for upgrades, so what we will have to do is get more resources to do more testing.”

“We intend to extend the days and the number of grade tests that we will be able to do within a day,” he added.

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10 Comments

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  1. huh says:

    i have two vehicles and both are unlicense ,got an appointment date two weeks after.i cant get around

    • friend says:

      Yes I believe you can as long as you have the print out of your date and time with the DMV to show if you get stopped.

  2. i wonder says:

    Why the BVI always behind the 8 ball?

    Like 9
    Dislike 3
  3. No nonsense says:

    As an insured and licensed driver, most of these drivers are too young and arrogant to be operating such MASSIVE vehicles on our NARROW roads

    Like 42
    Dislike 4
    • Agreed says:

      I completely agree. These young boys always speeding in these big trucks and bullying people off the road.

      Like 30
      Dislike 1
  4. Truck driving test says:

    I hope there is a truck driving test for these aspiring truck drivers which includes driving a 40 ft. container trolley backwards with only mirrors. Also driving a large dump truck backwards with only mirrors.

    I’ve seen lots of these licensed truck drivers drive their rig forward with no problems but then cannot reverse out of the driveway/cul-de-sac/road end.

    Like 24
    Dislike 2
  5. Jack says:

    DMV is a waste time… Square peg in round hole

    Like 5
    Dislike 8
  6. down2earth says:

    Isn’t there a law regulating truck sizes?

  7. Concerned driver says:

    Please Mr. Minister, also get these unlicensed and uninsured trucks and heavy equipment off the road. There’s so much scary looking trucks without bumper and or hood everyday on the road. Especially on VG.

  8. MR MINISTER, Regular driving tests??? says:

    I am a licensed driver from overseas and wanted to get my BVI license…Mr Minister when are those testing going to start back cis I need transportation to get to and from work. I work none early in the morning and I cant afford to be paying taxi on my salary.

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