Grumbles from the Gearbox
Well Done to the dvsa!
You can take your wee to the dtc!
OPEN for Business - Instructors are back on the Road.
Congratulations dvsa.
A great big congratulations to the dvsa this week, not something we get to say often in here, on their decision to reverse their original advice that the there would be no toilet facilities for those attending for their tests, or their accompanying drivers. This is a big deal for them as it was done so quickly and they advised all on the register directly, not via a third party that so many ADIs and PDIs do not belong to. Congratulations dvsa.
Direct communication is one of the major things that the AADI have asked for and fought for.
The ADI and PDI, along with all others on the registers, such as fleet, should be shown the respect that they deserve and told directly of any changes or advice that needs to be shared and not have to search social media for the information. Worse still is to find it out from the newspapers, radio, TV, or the bottom of the pit, to be asked by their pupils on the latest developments. Have they no idea the damage this can do to undermine the people they licence to work in the eyes of their customers? The damage that it also does to the dvsa reputation when the instructor replies, " I don't know, we are the last people that the dvsa tell". Not true anymore with the apparent new dvsa policy of Direct Communication which we truly appreciate.
We have received the original email on the loo situation, the immediate change of policy, updates on theory and practical tests in the last week. This is all that we have been asking for as our right as instructors. Also a big thank you to all the ADIs etc who contacted HSE on this and registered their concerns, your actions have made the difference.
Well done dvsa and thank you for your new approach to sharing information directly with those who pay the bills.
Loos for all!
Loos for all is the battle cry for the AADI. How can we have a situation where only a limited number of test centres have toilets in the 21st century.
The driving test is one of the most stressful situations that you can go through, and if you have not bought a house or had a child yet, I would say the most stressful. So, how can it be that there are no toilet facilities for so many Dtcs around the country? Is it not time that the dvsa stepped up to the mark and as a national government agency stopped expecting Shell, ESSO, ASDA, Tesco, Sainsbury's to provide the toilets for "their customers". Perhaps it is time for BP, Tesco et al to start providing theory and driving tests, the customer service element would certainly improve if there was competition and we would have toilets and possibly a coffee shop - heaven.. The dvsa claim it is not in their remit to provide these facilities, surely that is an outmoded attitude in the world of customer service that they like to refer to for us in the training industry.
We are constantly told that the dvsa 'consult' with nasp as they represent thousands (I have even heard, the majority) of ADIs.
STOP PRESS!
They nasp group are now claiming in the latest release that they represent 75% of ADIs and PDIs in the UK. Pardon me, but I think someone has got their sums just a wee bit wrong and needs to back to school. In an independent survey held earlier this year, of almost,1000 respondents only around 25 - 30% was the figure.....unless you add the numbers up differently. So, as always the vast majority are out in the cold and hence the AADI campaign for direct communication.
Unless there is an independently audited count of the members that they represent to discount 'repeated' membership, this statement is not only just questionable it is in the realms of Trading Standards Office activity. ADIs are frequently been members of several associations, I myself have in the past have been in more than one of them. We, have members who are also members of the ADINJC, the DIA and the MSA, plus their own local groups, which in turn may give them membership of the ADINJC again. So, if an ADI is a member of his/her local group, then the ADINJC via their local group, this counts as 2, add in if they are a member of the DIA and MSA we have 2 more counts and we have suddenly up to 4 ADIs in total as the worst scenario - instead of just 1.
If there are just 250 ADIs like this in the land, then we have 1000 members instead of the true 250. If we just take membership of a local group plus one of the other 3 then we have double counting and we get into the realms of many hundreds more in false representation. This is something that has rocked so many national elections worldwide and why we have checks and inspections on our elections in this country. My question then has to be, do nasp truly represent the majority of driving instructors of this country......Nope! I believe it to be nearer to 12,000 independent ADIs which is not bad, but not the 75% recently claimed.
Sadly a little birdie whispered to me that the dvsa are not fooled by the claims either and have had a good chuckle when the doors were closed.
The AADI have fought and shouted on behalf of the nearly 40,000 instructors to get the direct communication they deserve. So a brilliant result and we are pleased with the outcome.
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Keep it up dvsa, keep your ADIs and PDIs in the loop directly, not via the back door.
My apologies for the long gap between Blogs but I took a little break from the keypad. There is lots to look at lately so more to come soon. As usual, if you spot anything wrong, let me know and I shall correct it.
www.theaadi.co.uk
The DVsA response to recent media criticism about the current test waiting times is to throw in the kitchen sink - but, is this the right solution?
Are the DvSA morally bankrupt?
Why bother, the job is not what it used to be?
Where on earth does the dvsa thinking come from, we know where it belongs?
The AADI is offering to help the dvsa with its poor public image to help clear up some confusing issues on the driving test for driving instructors and learners in the UK and make their lives easier.
AADI advising the dvsa, and they are at last listening.
Did the dvsa go too far opening new theory centres when tests are not available?
We are all Ambassadors for our chosen profession
Dear dvsa,
DVSA thanks for all the recent emails,... keeping us ADIs up to date. I should like to discuss with you a few of the points that you have raised.
"It is all our fault (the ADI) that the booking system is in chaos and our fault that candidates are not turning up for the test".
how the dvsa fails its customers on a daily basis
