ATFOA

ATFOA – Authorised Testing Facility Operators Association

Members benefits:

• Organised conferences to voice your concerns and stay up to date with the latest information
• Opportunities to network with your industry partners and other stakeholders
• A proactive, democratically elected board of directors lobbying hard for your Association’s goals
• Regular e-news updates with ATFOA campaign news and tips for your ATF
• Regular editorial in AVRO News

Our charter:

• Liaise with DVSA on a regular basis
• Distribution of e-mail newsletters to ensure you are up to date with the dialogue with our partners
• To report back to you annually and update you on our progress
• To continue to lobby for a fair and sustainable deal for ATF operators
• Regular consultation and surveys to ensure we have your sentiment
• Lobby government to review the pit fee as this was left out of the last consultation

Our Challenges:

Lack of Testers

ATF’s are in a challenging partnership with DVSA.

As part of the ATF contract, ATF’s have signed up to take on real estate, administration and booking liabilities that were previously the responsibility of The DVSA.  In return ATF’s receive third party payments for testing and / or benefit from efficiencies in having an on site testing facility (dependent on the business model).

ATF’s, across the country, have had their revenue slashed because of a number of factors, not of their making:

1. DVSA have been unable respond successfully to the demand for more testers.
2. There are approximately 550 ATF’s, competing for limited test slots. This ‘static’ market place is contributing towards lower capacity utilisation which reduces revenue. ATF’s are still responsible for leases, equipment, loan repayments and employment costs resulting in a challenging business model.
3. The ‘Next Generation Testing’ did not deliver the flexibility, longer testing days and quicker response to supply and demand, that the private sector requires. In reality the criteria for booking tests has become more restrictive; with less choice, test slot availability being reduced by up to 40%.
4. Under the current regime there is no benefit to running a successful ATF as DVSA cannot provide an increase in test provision to ATF’s consistently delivering high utilisation.
5. DVSA’s control of the booking process limits the supply of testers and testing slots. These limitations to flexibility infringes free market economy.

One of the main issues recognised is that the HGV MOT testers are supplied from just one source, The DVSA.

Lack of choice adds to the challenge of adjusting to free market dynamics of supply and demand.

ATFOA continues to work with DVSA and has presented a number of practical business plans to the agency to consider.

The Authorised Testing Facility Operators (ATFOA) was inaugurated January 16th 2013 in a meeting held at Coombe Abbey, Coventry attended by over 50 ATF’s.

The members voted in a board of directors who set out a short, medium and long term strategy.

Since then, ATFOA has continued dialogue with industry stakeholders, including DVSA, and regularly represents our industry at Parliament by attending the APPG For Transport.

ATFOA’s annual Forums offer a great opportunity to communicate the sentiment of the industry direct to DVSA.