The Alberta government said Graduated Driver Licence (GDL) drivers who have completed their two-year probation period with a clean record will receive a letter informing them of their change in their status to non-GDL. .“GDL was an expensive, duplicative licensing scheme that discriminated against good young drivers,” said Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors Minister Devin Dreeshen in a Monday press release. .“There are 500,000 young Albertans with clean driving records who would need to pay $154 and waste their time to take another driving test.”.The release said drivers are not legally required to obtain a new licence when their GDL period expires. It said they can do so if they prefer, but they will be required to pay registry fees after Sunday. .Drivers who do not obtain a new licence card will have their physical one upgraded the next time they renew it. .The release went on to say those who exhibit unsafe driving habits and incur demerits, suspensions, or tickets for driving offences during their last year of probation will have their probationary period extended for an additional year. .If drivers are stopped by police in Alberta, officers will know they have a full licence through information in the Canadian Police Information Centre. .If drivers are travelling outside of Alberta, they need to keep their letters with them in their vehicle or visit a registry and update their physical one, as police agencies in other jurisdictions might not have access to this data. .“Alberta’s government will continue to make common-sense rules and make life more affordable for Albertans,” said Dreeshen. .The GDL program was tweaked in April, with drivers no longer required to complete an advanced road test at the end of their probation..READ MORE: Government of Alberta implements changes to driver licensing system.The changes would benefit more than 500,000 drivers across Alberta..Launched in 2003, it placed new drivers on a two-year probationary period who could be removed and gain their full licence after completing an advanced road test.
