Driving Test Petitions – Are they worth the effort?
There have been a number of driving test petitions started, most of which fall by the wayside. Petitions are a bit like charities; instead of uniting in support of one cause, there are too many different ones all chasing the same thing.
A more recent petition however, has managed to rustle up more of a following. It has even had a response from parliament. This one is calling for a review of the process used for booking driving tests.
Driving test availability
The problem at the moment, is that there are not enough driving test slots available. Part of that is due to unscrupulous resellers buying up tests. They then sell these on at inflated prices. Some also use automated systems or ‘bots’, which continually scan for availability. This makes it much more difficult for learners to find a date for their own tests.
The Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), who control driver testing, are taking steps to prevent this from happening. They have closed down many business accounts which have violated the terms and conditions of the booking system. Also, they have taken steps to try and block automated bots from accessing the system.
In response to the latest of driving test petitions, the government stated, “DVSA is reviewing its booking processes with the aim of improving this service for all users. A consultation regarding possible options for improvements has been fast-tracked to May 2025.”
Examiner Recruitment
By far the biggest reason for a lack of driving test availability, is the lack of examiners. Recruitment drives have failed, and the agency cannot retain the staff that it has. The main problem is that the job does not pay enough for the risk and responsibility involved.
There is another petition which currently only has just over a hundred signatures. This one is calling for the government to ‘Fund the DVSA to increase the availability of practical driving tests.’
A question of money?
The DVSA probably already has enough money. The problem is, most of it is paid to the huge number of admin staff and highly paid managers and directors. In fact there is roughly one admin person, for every two who carry out the job of testing drivers and vehicles. Like all government agencies, it is extremely top-heavy with people who take part in meetings and make decisions, but who do nothing practical. Some of the job titles amongst the mysterious management roles include:
- Head of profession
- Head of site rationalisation
- Smarter working cultural lead
Goodness knows what these people actually do!
There is also a huge waste of money in the way that property and other resources are managed. Managers sometimes seem to justify their existence by making change just for change’s sake.
So, in order to tackle the problem of driving test availability, the DVSA may need to make changes to the booking system. But they also need to take a long hard look at their staffing structure. Perhaps it’s time for agencies to go back under central government control?