Following DVSA’s recent announcement about more eligible managers and administrative staff doing driving tests full-time, there is a lot of interest in driving test waiting times.
The agency is often asked by learner drivers, driving instructors and the media for the latest driving test waiting time.
They also know that people have a different understanding of what the waiting time means.
Which of these do you think it means?
- How many weeks away the next available test is.
- How many weeks it is until over half of the weekly tests are still available.
- How many weeks it is until 10% or more of the weekly tests are still available.
In their latest blog post, John Selbey, Operational Performance and Delivery Manager, answers that question for you. He also explains how it’s just part of a range of measures the DVSA look at.
4 thoughts on “Explaining what the driving test waiting time actually means”
Normal people call it robbing Peter to pay Paul.
Try and get a part 2 or part 3 test. Our local examiner is now only conducting tests one day a week for instructors – yet they have the audacity to challenge when an extension is requested for a pink licence… it’s as if they don’t know what’s going on outside their office walls…
Some of my students are not able to book tests or change tests because they have been blocked by the new implementation of software by the DVSA to prevent company’s exploiting booking tests.
At the end of the day it is the pupil who is the customer and it should be specific to them. In east London the waiting time has not reduced from 24 weeks (6 months) since Covid. Using an average or any other reference is not a true reflection of the situation, it should be how many weeks away is the next available test. Please continue to use weeks to give a true reflection of the issue and a measurement of improvement.
The other issue which needs to be addressed is anyone using the booking system to make money and not for the pupils benefit. There is still a problem with BOTS and some individuals profiteering from the situation.
I feel both of these issues have now gone on for far too long.
Link profiteers ie bookers’ payment card to HMRC. Also, instructors facilitating these profiteers. A consideration to monitor possibly punish instructors who repeatedly frequent test centres with non-pupils; these instructors are likely not to display their ADI badge either.