North Canterbury News: March 14, 2024

NEWS
The North Canterbury News, March 14, 2024
Learner licence testing in Hurunui District
5
Aspiring drivers in the Hurunui can now
get their learner licence without leaving
the district.
Anew initiative by the Hurunui District
Council has seen the first batch of
graduates get their licences in Culverden
this month through the VTNZ portable
theory testing service.
Hurunui Council’s Safer Roads
Facilitator Emma Featherysaid the
opportunity will be offered to the wider
community in April.
The council, in partnership with
Proactive Drive, has been running very
successful Learner licence theory courses
for about two years.
‘‘These have been popular from the start
and have helped many of our young
people over that first hurdle to getting
their licence.
‘‘They’ve been so successful, last year
we opened these to our migrant workers in
Amuri.
‘‘However, taking the next step of sitting
for their theory test is still proving
challenging for some,’’ Ms Feathery said.
Living in arural district where there is
no public transportmakes it difficult for
young people to get into Rangiora to sit
their test.
‘‘For our migrant workers, if they’re
working on farm 11 days on and three days
off, or are living far from Rangiora, it’s that
much harder.
‘‘Now, thanks to this partnership with
VTNZ, every time we hold the theory
course, we will have VTNZ on site for
people to sit their test.’’
For Ellenber Ociones (36) from Hanmer
Springs, the service has given her the
opportunity to take her first step to afull
Drivers Licence.
When Ociones walked into the
Culverden fire station, she was one of 12
people attending the Learner theory
course.
By the end of the evening, she was the
Testing time ... Ellenber Ociones high fives Jade Waqairadovu at the Learner licence theory testing event in Culverden.
proud owner of aLearner licence.
‘‘Living in Hanmer Springs, going to
work or to the supermarket, you need a
car.
‘‘As migrants, we are new to the area and
we didn’t know where to start to begin
getting alicence.
‘‘The course was easy to understand and
cleared up alot of questions we had,’’ Ms
Ociones said.
‘‘The mobile testing really helped us
because it’s not easy to get transport to the
testing centre in Rangiora.
‘‘My colleagues and friends, we all went
together after work and we were so happy
to have all passed.’’
VTNZ Product Manager Ruth Stuart
said the initiative fits in well with VTNZ’s
new outreach programme.
‘‘We’re making it easier for people to
access Learner theory testing and licence
renewals for our seniors.
‘‘We understand it can be challenging to
get to aVTNZbranch during office hours.
‘‘It’s important to us that we make driver
licensing more accessible to more people
by removing these barriers.’’
Ms Feathery said she heard about the
VTNZ portable theory testing unit through
the Driving Change Network, and
immediately saw the potential for
Hurunui.
PHOTO: SUPPLIED
VTNZ has been incredibly
accommodating to us, providing afterhours
and weekend testing options. Its
been fantastic.
Feathery said VTNZ will be at Hurunui
District Council on Saturday, April 20.
Young people enrolled on the theory
learning course will be tested in the
morning, and the testing unit will be
opened to the public from noon.
Anyone wanting to sit their Learner
theory test or needing alicence
reinstatement, renewal, reissue or
requalification can just turn up.
VTNZ will have full eftpos facilities
available for licensing fees.
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