(Another) Grand Plan to Reduce Test Waiting Times
The DVSA has launched a plan to reduce test waiting times (again). They have outlined a number of steps set out to achieve their objectives.
Management is under government pressure to do something to reduce the amount of time learner drivers have to wait for a test.
Recruitment
The first step is to recruit a further 450 driving examiners. The problem with this, is that people won’t take the job. The DVSA has repeatedly advertised vacancies, and ran open evenings at test centres to try and get people in. The main problem is that the job just does not pay enough for what can be a very stressful way to make a living. The majority of current driving examiners were previously driving instructors. They can earn far more doing driver training than they ever would earn working for the DVSA. In addition to being free to plan their own working days without someone constantly looking over their shoulder.
Pay
Pay for lower band civil servants has in fact been eroded so much over the last 15 years, that it’s possible to earn more stacking shelves in a supermarket.
Step number two is to increase the amount of time that unsuccessful candidates must wait before booking another driving test. But hang on… is the long waiting list not already doing that?
The third proposal, is to increase the amount of notice that candidates must give, in order to cancel or change a test. This seems counter-productive. If someone has a test booked that they realise they are not ready for, they will find it more difficult to postpone. This will increase the number of learners taking tests before they are ready. Plus, I have no idea how they think that this will shorten waiting times.
Booking Restrictions
At the moment, there is a 24 week limit on how far ahead someone can book a driving test. The DVSA are looking at increasing that. Yes, that may mean that more people can book a test, but they still won’t get it any sooner.
Lastly, the ‘Ready to Pass’ campaign will feature in promotion again. This is supposed to encourage learner drivers to be better prepared for taking their tests.
The main reason most candidates are not at a satisfactory standard is due to the poor quality of training they receive from so called ‘Approved Driving Instructors’. This is the DVSA’s single biggest failing, and one they continually fail to address. A colleague of mine used to say that a well-trained monkey could pass the qualifying test to become an ADI. That may not quite be true but he wasn’t far off the mark. It is far too easy to qualify. No matter how poor a standard some instructors present for test, action is rarely taken to remove them from the register. And therein probably lies the main cause of long waiting times.
So come on DVSA – how about addressing that issue in your plan to reduce test waiting times?
In Summary
In conclusion, if the DVSA is serious about reducing test waiting times, it must address the quality of training provided by driving instructors as a core component of their strategy. It is imperative that the agency not only focuses on increasing the number of examiners and changing booking procedures, but also prioritises raising the standard of instruction to to a much higher level to ensure that learners are genuinely prepared for their tests. Only then can we hope to see a meaningful reduction in waiting times and improve the overall driving test experience for future candidates, in addition to the driving examiners who are given the job of testing them.