WTH is going on with the backlog of driving tests at the minute?

[FluffyBox]

Trying to book lessons for my DC and the vest majority of them can’t take on new students yet because of the long wait for tests. They can’t ‘release’ their current students so can’t take on any new ones. The backlog can’t be due to Covid now do what the heck is it?

Honest to god, I feel really sorry fid the younger ones as everything seems so much more difficult and challenging than when I was that age. Can’t even book driving lessons, no where to rent, house prices out of reach. It’s frightening!

Shortage if testers (and yes, the backlog hasn't cleared as the system was a capacity pre covid)

Apparently criminals are buying up all the slots and selling them on at vastly inflated profits. Or something like that.

One of the many ways the legacy of lockdown is lasting. Perhaps I should become an examiner: from what I’ve heard, the training only takes about six weeks.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn0k2858jj1o

Yep

But the government are planning to crack down on it by only allowing a test to be booked against a provisional licence number. So they can't be bulk bought or sold on

Definitely still covid backlog - it wasn't just that tests couldn't be taken for a long time, but driving lessons couldn't happen either. You weren't even allowed to take your own child out for quite awhile due to the one trip a day rule. So there was a huge block of new drivers who were delayed before they even got to the test stage.
Lack of examiners
examiners strikes a year or so back
people not turning up for the tests that they have booked so slots are wasted
a lot of test centres have been shut
bots bulk booking slots for sale at inflated prices.

The government say that they are sorting it but....
by the time they had recruited new examiners, so many existing ones had resigned there was hardly any increase. They are taking of using MOD examiners - I think 34 of them so that will help things along!!

I already cam only be booked against a provisional licence and theory pass certificate. The problem was driving instructors being allowed to log into a system and book multiple tests- they then sold their login details to others who booked up all the tests using legitimate details.

Me and you both! Let’s do it

Have you seen the pay and expectations of driving examiners?

https://findajob.dwp.gov.uk/details/17118754 - example advert.

When you say they can't release students, are they saying they continue taking money off students who are test ready? Surely the ethical thing to do would be to suspend lessons for a pupil who really does not need any more then pick up again nearer the time of the test. This is what DH does, unless the pupil wishes to continue with the lessons but that could be 6 months worth of lessons they don't need.

Because we all know this happens no one should still be paying their instructor for a test. If anyone has an instructor who is doing this it needs to be reported to the DVSA . ok they may lose their instructor and have to go on a waiting list for another one but surely that would be better than funding corruption

I think your DH is very reasonable here... but I guess the issue is that, with the test-swapping apps, you might have a test booked in 6 months 200 miles away, then swap it for one 5 miles and three months away, then swap that for one 20 miles and a week away. So the only way to be sure of lesson slots just before your test is to keep taking lessons.

Yes I see that, in fact I am curious now as to how he manages that one (he does invest a lot in his pupils so I know he wants the best for them) I will be asking him about that when he comes home 🤔

Definitely criminal gangs buying up the slots. A friend’s son ended up paying £1500 for a test - we refuse

COVID backlog, followed by high birth rate years (2006, 2007). All taken advantage of by unscrupulous test sellers.

The best thing to do is to book the test as soon as possible even if they aren’t ready. DS. started lessons in June, took his theory in July and booked his test after a couple of lessons. It’s next week, so a 5 month wait. He was nowhere near ready and we didn’t know if he would be ready by now, but there is always the option to cancel nearer the time.

Luckily he has picked it up really well and he’s ready, I m just hoping he passes as if he makes a mistake on the day it will be hard on him to wait another five months! I don’t really want to pay his instructor £80 a week indefinitely either!!!