The Ministry of Public Works and Transport has announced the resumption of service for driver’s licences in Phnom Penh after the pandemic forced its suspension for about three months.

People who want to take the driving exam can submit an application at the Phnom Penh municipal transport department in Chroy Changvar district’s Preak Leap commune.

Chhuon Vorn, head of the ministry’s General Department of Land Transport, said on August 23 that the resumption comes as the Covid-19 situation eases, and that the One Window Service Office has been opened at the municipal transport department in Prek Leap commune.

According to Vorn, the pandemic has seen a drop in license issuances of 65 per cent in the first six months of this year compared to the same period last year.

“The issuance of licences has decreased a lot, but registration work has decreased slightly, only about seven per cent,” he said.

Dai Thom II Driving School owner Kien Sophoan said on August 23 that reopening the driver’s licence service was a good move for people who need to drive for work or in a private capacity.

“During the closure, there was a real obstacle in giving people a driver’s licence. In general, the test needs to be carried out on the road, even in the Covid-19 situation they need to earn a living,” she said.

Sophoan added that the number of people taking driving lessons has also dropped during the pandemic. In applying the preventive health measures, the school has had to limit the number of students.

“Right now, we’re doing online learning sessions for instruction about road safety and traffic rules, but for the actual driving instruction we send a teacher to the student’s homes for one-on-one lessons,” she says.