DVA to launch recruitment drive amid shortage of driving examiners

The Driver And Vehicle Agency (the DVA) has said it will launch a recruitment drive for examiners amid a backlog of demand for tests.

It comes after a number of driving instructors expressed concern about the amount of time it takes to book a driving test appointment.

Some students have had to wait several months for a time slot.

Neil McLaren, a driving instructor in Newtownabbey, described the system as a shambles.

"You had maybe nine months of people who would have taken tests in every test centre," he explained.

"Seven tests a day, five, six days a week - a lot of people. That's where it started and it hasn't improved, in fact it got worse."

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He said a previous recruitment drive was not as successful as many had hoped.

"They got a lot of people into the system, but very few made it through the grade to become an examiner."

It has had a knock-on effect on driving instructors who say the backlog is damaging to their livelihood.

"All these people now who want to learn to drive have nowhere to go because a lot of the instructors have full diaries," Mr McLaren said.

"It is fending off the three, four phone calls you get a day because you cannot get these new people started. I'm turning down business daily."

'Putting money down the drain'

Last month 4,470 driving tests were carried out in Northern Ireland.

That is the lowest number of tests taken in July in the past five years, including 2020 when many were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Learner drivers are also feeling frustrated.

Ugne Girciute has been waiting seven months for her test date, which is booked for November.

"I was ready to do my test five months ago," she said.

Ugne Girciute says she feels like she's wasting money to keep up lessons before her test

"It puts a lot of pressure on my family, because they are the ones paying for my lessons.

"I can't abandon my lessons, because I'll just forget the knowledge I've gained, so I just have to keep putting money down the drain when I could have already been driving to work and school, and going about with my friends."

In a statement, the DVA said it has 93 full-time and dual role staff capable of conducting driving tests across its network of tests centres and is about to launch a recruitment competition for additional full time driving examiners.

"The DVA has taken a range of measures to maximise the availability of driving test slots, including continuing to offer driving tests on a Saturday and at certain centres on Sundays where it is suitable to do so without compromising the integrity of the test," it said.

"Overtime is also being used to rota off-shift dual role driving examiners to provide further capacity.

"Additional test slots will also be released as resources continue to become available.

"Due to the constantly changing position, the DVA's advice to customers is to keep checking the booking system for availability as additional appointment slots are added when resources become available."