Proposal 1
Delegated testing
Pro’s
ATF’s can instantly mobilise and offer flexible testing 24-7
DVSA white coats can audit ATF’s with unannounced visits
Challenges
Training private sector technicians to become testers
Agreeing minimum technician accreditation, such as IRTEC and/ or 5 years experience.
Proposal 2
Start Re-commissioning ATF’s now by regions that have been least affected, such as starting with Scotland first.
Proposal 3
Use Earned recognition and OCRS scores to regulate fleet operators that also run an ATF so they can test their own vehicles
Proposal 4
Temporarily deputise a third party organisation such as DEKRA or FTA that have an infrastructure of engineers to assist with the backlog to start testing at ATF’s.
Proposal 5
Class 5 tests for PSV’s
Proposal 6
Reinstate DVSA enforcement and retirees
Proposal 7
Financially assist ATF’s that have had to fund the administrative and operational burden of test cancellations and now have to fund the re booking process.
Financial assistance
ATF’s to retain both ATF fees and pit fees to pay for the lost revenue.
Proposal 8
Lift a ban on all ‘over time’ for DVSA tester staff so they can increase their daily testing capacity to help catch up.
Not recommended
Push all tests back 3 months
Negative effects of pushing back testing
ATF’s would lose 3 months revenue which would be catastrophic and lead to some ATF’s going into administration:
Many fleet operators would be out of synch with their normal test scheduling which would negatively impact on their delivery of services; such as
- Gritters – presently test in October/ November so they are ready for the winter frosts
- Most, if not all hauliers and other supply chain operators that maximise their fleet’s mobilisation for the pre Christmas delivery market. A 3 month ‘push back’ would mean testing their vehicles over Christmas, their busiest period.
- Multi car carriers – generally the busiest time is summer for many breakdown recovery operators who repatriate vehicles from all across Europe during the summer holiday period, so they are normally tested in Spring, not 3 months later in their busiest period.
Conclusion
Consider one, all or some of the proposals above.
The longer the testing suspension continues the larger the backlog becomes, so if there is no resolve soon (by end of April 2019) the bigger the problem becomes. A resolve from government is required immediately so the market has time to adjust, the response must ensure the market has 3 weeks to prepare for the re-mobilisation of testing.
Recompense vehicle operators who have not been able to test, for their short term MOT certificate that will not last 12 months. Offer them a reduction or complete fee holiday in statutory fees, but not ATF pit fees.
Ultimately, the only feasible proposal is to temporarily delegate testing to ATF’s. The ATF industry has the expertise, the skill, the knowledge, the capacity, the infrastructure and ‘the will’ to do it. These are unprecedented times, we need unprecedented resolutions to get back to normal.
