The Alberta government is shortening Class 5 basic road tests to 30 minutes from 45, in a bid to test 5,000 more drivers each month and reduce wait times.

The shorter tests, which will begin in January, will not affect the on-road portion of the test which will remain at 25 minutes, but limit pre-test introductions and post-test debrief to five minutes total, the government said in a news release Thursday.

The change reinstates the allotted time offered under the privatized system, before the switch to government-managed testing in March, the release said.

The previous NDP government said it was compelled to move quickly to improve the driver examination system after the April 2018 Humbolt, Sask., bus crash that killed 16.

The government also launched an online survey Thursday, seeking feedback from Albertans about their experiences with road testing.

The survey will be available online until Dec. 22.

Thursday's changes to road tests will not compromise safety, the government said. Examiners will continue to spend the same amount of time on the road with drivers and test all of the same driving skills.