Chatham vs Windsor Road Test: Which Is Easier for Your G2 or G?
Published
Plenty of Windsor drivers make the hour's drive to Chatham to take their G2 or G road test. Here's why, what's actually different between the two DriveTest centres, and how to choose the one that's right for you.
Contents
Is Chatham Really Easier?
Yes, for both tests. Here's why so many of our students choose Chatham:
- A G2 route about half as long. Less to learn, less that's tricky, and fewer chances to slip up.
- Wider streets. More room for your three-point turn.
- Lighter traffic. Calmer roads and fewer surprises.
- No 100 km/h merge on the G. In Windsor you merge onto E.C. Row at 100 km/h. In Chatham you drive a road that starts at 60 and tops out at 70 km/h, make a lane change, and come back around. A lot less can go wrong.
- A two-hour warm-up. You drive the hour to Chatham with your instructor beside you (most students do), then get another hour of practice on the test routes, so by test time you know the car inside out. Our students tell us it's what made them feel ready.
- Earlier dates. Chatham often has openings before Windsor does. It changes week to week, so check both when you book.
Chatham's pass rate is also much higher than Windsor's, for both the G2 and the G. The marking doesn't change: both are DriveTest centres, and examiners at both use the same score sheet (here's what's on it for the G2).
Chatham vs Windsor at a Glance
| Compare | Windsor2470 Dougall Ave | Chatham171 Keil Dr S |
|---|---|---|
| The G2 route | Longer, trickier | About half as long With wider streets |
| The G test | Merge at 100 km/h Onto E.C. Row | Tops out at 70 km/h A lane change, then back around |
| Traffic | Busier City traffic | Lighter Calmer roads, fewer surprises |
| Pass rate | Lower | Much higher For both the G2 and the G |
| How you're markedBoth are DriveTest centres | Same score sheet | Same score sheet |
| Your warm-upOn our road test packages | 1 hour On the test routes | About 2 hours Drive the hour there with your instructor beside you (most students do), then another hour of practice on the test routes |
Watch the Chatham Routes
Here are the Chatham G2 and G routes from our YouTube channel. On the G route, the fastest road tops out at 70 km/h. For Windsor, see our G2 route maps and G route video.
G2 Chatham Route
ResidentialG Chatham Route
Up to 70 km/hWill You Be Ready for Windsor Roads?
It's a fair question: if you pass on quieter roads, are you ready for Windsor's?
Here's how we see it. The road test checks skills you build over months of practice, and passing in Chatham doesn't change them. You'll be driving in Windsor the day after your test either way, so that's where we get you ready:
- Your regular lessons are on Windsor-area roads, the ones you'll drive every day, whichever centre you test at.
- You still practise highway merging. Most students drive the hour to Chatham with their instructor beside them: merging, mirror checks and lane changes on the 401, the same skills E.C. Row asks for. Here's how to merge onto the highway.
- Passing is the start, not the finish. With a G2 you drive on your own for the first time, and the G2 rules still apply. Keep practising in traffic before your G.
Which Centre Should You Choose?
Chatham Might Suit You If
- You're taking your G2 and want a shorter, simpler route.
- Nerves get to you, and calmer roads would help.
- You're taking your G and the 100 km/h merge onto E.C. Row worries you.
- You want two hours behind the wheel right before your test.
- Windsor has no dates soon (check both centres).
Windsor Might Suit You If
- You're already a strong driver and ready for the tougher test.
- You'd rather not make the trip.
- You're comfortable in busy traffic.
- Merging onto E.C. Row at 100 km/h doesn't worry you.
Up for a challenge? Plenty of our students pass in Windsor too. It's busier, and some examiners there cover the backup camera for the whole test, so we prepare you for that (more on backup cameras on the DriveTest).
Want your best shot at passing the first time? Choose Chatham. It's the same licence either way, and nothing on it says where you passed.
How to Book Your Test in Chatham
- Book your road test with DriveTest and choose Chatham as the location. You can book online at DriveTest.ca, by phone or in person. Our booking guide covers what to bring.
- Book our Chatham Road Test Package and tell us your test date and time.
- On test day, we pick you up. You can drive the hour to Chatham with your instructor (most students do), then you get an hour's lesson on the test routes, take your test in our car, and we drop you off after.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers about testing in Chatham or Windsor
Yes. Chatham's G2 route is about half as long as Windsor's, on calmer streets, and its G test tops out at 70 km/h instead of a 100 km/h merge onto E.C. Row. Both centres use the same DriveTest score sheet.
Yes. You can book your G2 or G road test at any DriveTest centre in Ontario. Choose Chatham when you book online at DriveTest.ca, by phone, or in person.
About an hour east on Highway 401. On test day, most of our students drive it in our car with their instructor beside them, as part of their warm-up. The Chatham DriveTest centre is at 171 Keil Drive South.
Yes. The Chatham G2 route is about half as long as Windsor's and less tricky, with wider streets for your three-point turn and lighter traffic. The pass rate is much higher too.
Yes. In Windsor you merge onto E.C. Row at 100 km/h. In Chatham you drive a road that starts at 60 and tops out at 70 km/h, make a lane change, and come back around.
Yes. It's the same DriveTest G road test, and you get the same full G licence. DriveTest sets each centre's route, and in Chatham the higher-speed part tops out at 70 km/h. Before any G test you declare how often you've driven on highways of 80 km/h or more in the last three months, so get that practice in first.
Our car for your road test, pick-up and drop-off, and about two hours of driving before your test: you drive the hour to Chatham with your instructor beside you (most students do), then get another hour of practice on the test routes. It costs $250.
The test checks the same skills at both centres. What prepares you for Windsor traffic is practice in it, so your lessons with us are on Windsor-area roads whichever centre you test at.
Abdul is the best instructor ever! He helps you understand how to drive very easily and he always replies back to messages quickly! I just passed my G2 test in Chatham on the first try!!
$250: our car, pick-up and drop-off, the hour's drive to Chatham (you can take the wheel) and an hour's lesson on the test routes. Testing in Windsor instead? See our Road Test Package.
