Disgusted at the corruption of the DVLA and all the scamming around driving tests

[ManyBooksLittleTime]

Both my children are trying to pass their driving tests. In the area in which we live, and several centres surrounding this, individuals buy up ALL the driving tests using bots to purchase them all. It is impossible to buy your own test. The Instructors, including 'reputable' companies, recommend who to buy the test from. The tests are sold for £160 -500. Then the student is encouraged to pay for an hour driving lesson before the test and use of the car during the test.
My son's last test cost £340 all in and my daughter's £360. She got into the police, but couldn't join as she couldn't pass her test in time! It's soul destroying. AIBU to think that the the government/police should step in? This should be an illegal practice. At the moment the examiners and instructors must be getting massive backhanders and it's very much in the interest if the examiners to just keep failing the students. I'm so angry and frustrated! It just seems like very open corruption.

Op how do you know this , what's the evidence and if this is the case why haven't you made a direct complaint, I'm sure there's also a body you could report the issue to. Are you able to reveal the area?

How does this make the DVLA corrupt?

Hi, I know this because my children have been experiencing in. It has been the case since Covid. If you want to book your own test, you very occasionally can, but these are months away. They are the ones not already purchased. 4 separate driving schools have told my children to buy through the individuals they know.

@Sunsetbeachhouse This is well-known issue, here's a BBC article about it from last week.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clkypgwnkg4o

I agree it's annoying and feels like the backlog will never clear, but it's the DVSA, not the DVLA.

The DVLA are allowing this to happen. If people were only allowed to book ONE test at a time, it wouldn't happen. Surely this should be the easiest thing ever to shut down.

The DVLA are not responsible for driving tests. It's the DVSA, you should make a complaint if you have these concerns, details will be on their website, good luck.

A guy I know through my voluntary job booked his test at a centre miles away as he could get a test far quicker than locally. Would they consider that as an option?

Scamming and corruption? Seriously?

It has always been standard to have a lesson before the test and pay for use of the car during the test.

It’s not corruption from them - it’s venture capitalism from someone who spotted an opportunity.
its been going on for a while. I agree the DVSA should have some anti bot tech but local government IT systems aren’t the best.

i trained during this time and my instructor never recommended anything like that. I found out when they got released and just kept trying. Then looked for cancellations once I had one booked. It’s doable.

i think your child is slightly unreasonable for getting a job which needs a licence when they don’t have one. You can’t always predict things. Perhaps with a letter from her instructor they will be ok with it?

Never known any driving instructor not want the pupil to have an hour lesson before the test, that is just standard practice so on that yabu.

If it is possible to book a test yourself but a few months away surely the answer is to book a test yourself near the beginning of your driving lessons and aim to be ready by then?

My DS booked his test for 8 weeks after his 17th birthday and then fitted in as many lessons and practice with us that he could. If he wasn't ready he could have moved the test.

Also you dont HAVE to take the test at your local centre or in your driving instructors car.

My DC both booked whatever they could get months in advance and then easily got cancellations when they were ready. I assumed that system would work everywhere? How are bots booking multiple tests when you need your driving license number to book?

Hi ViciousCurrentBun, we are trying to book Slough or Uxbridge. We have friends who travelled to Cardiff to take the test as they don't seem to have the same issues as all around here. My children just want to rake tests in the areas they have practiced in and work/ go to college in. But its costing us all a fortune that should be saved towards the actual cost of a car and insurance

I have no skin in this game, but it has always been the case that candidates needed to book a lesson before the test and pay for the duration of the test.

Unless of course you took the test in your own car and had a parent drive you to the test. But would it need dual controls?

I don’t imagine that driving instructors have anything to do with the test-sellers, apart from trying to help their candidates find a slot. If people conducting driving tests were cash motivated they would probably go into a far more lucrative field in the first place! Have you seen the salaries for driving examiners? They are pretty mediocre.

If it’s bots booking the tests I assume they fool the software so it appears that it’s individuals booking?
It is a scandal but I can’t see how it implies that the examiners are corrupt.

If you think there is clear evidence of corruption, why are you reporting it to an internet forum and not to your MP, the Department of Transport, or the police if you think illegal activity has taken place?

This sounds awful.

It's not happening everywhere though. My dd passed (aged 17) in 2023. I remember she booked a test and then because she'd signed up for cancellations, she kept accepting tests sooner and sooner. In the end it was about 6 weeks sooner.

Yes, she sat the test in her instructor's car but she arranged the test.

I hope your dd can still join the police.

I agree. I was thinking about this after watching news reports about it last week.

Why don’t they make it so you have to put in your provisional drivers license number and postcode in to book a test?

Surely a very simple fix would be that candidate has to put their driving license number in at time of test booking. That would be very simple to implement.

Ive heard of people traveling to other areas for a test, could that work? Neighbouring county?

Presumably this is all based on a massive underfunded and badly designed piece of software bought in by civil servants who had limited consultation opportunities and no budget to get sensible adjustments made to it. That often seems to be the case in the public sector.

I think you can use an app called Testi - it's not free but it isn't very expensive. So you can book a test miles ahead through the main DVSA website and then the Testi app keeps an eye for ones nearer the time and can find you them to book. Might be better than paying £160 out.

You do have to do this! You also need proof that you've passed your theory test.
We found if you book the first date you can get, DS was 6 months away you can set up cancellation alerts that gradually brings it forward. DS did 4 tests and managed to get one, usually within a few weeks.

Unless of course you took the test in your own car and had a parent drive you to the test. But would it need dual controls?

You could drive yourself there in your own car as long as you are supervised. It doesn’t need to have dual controls.