DSA REPORTS
DSA Chief Executive, Gary Austin, keeps us up-to-date with
all the latest at the Agency. This month, it’s hazard perception testing for
all ADIs and, finally, a belated admission of poor performance
Decmber/January 2004
Hazard Perception
As you are aware, we have consulted on whether existing
driving instructors should have to take the Hazard Perception Test. And it has
been agreed that all existing driving instructors, except those who took the
hazard perception test as part of their qualifying examination, will be
required to pass the complete ADI Theory Test within 12 months from early next
year.
This will include the 100 multiple choice questions and will
be conducted using the same touch screen technology as learner drivers use on their theory tests.
The pass mark will be set at 57 out of 75 for the hazard
perception element. Although all of you are experienced in the field of
training, we would still advise you to prepare for this test, as experience
shows we can all get a little rusty.
You will need to pass the theory test within three attempts
and we will need to take steps to remove ADIs from the Register if they fail
three times. The first test will be free of charge to instructors but, if a
second or third attempt is needed, we will need to charge £50 per test.
As professional instructors we are sure that, like us, you
will see this as a progressive step towards raising instructor standards by
encouraging all instructors to further build on their existing strengths as
part of continuous professional development. In addition it will increase your
credibility and therefore benefit your pupils to know that you have gone
through this test and are therefore better qualified to pass on knowledge and
full understanding of the computer testing process.
Further details as to when the tests
actually start will be announced as soon as possible, but I felt it only fair
to give you early warning about the decision to make the test compulsory.
Falling Standards
On the subject of standards, I know only too well that some
of our customers are frustrated by high waiting times and appreciate that we
are not achieving our service standard targets. Last year demand for tests was
15% higher than our demand forecast and remains above our forecast for this year,
so we find ourselves without the examiner resource necessary to bring down the
high waits seen at some test centres.
Although we have been fully occupied at Cardington with new
examiner training after recruiting 168 new examiners this year to help with the
high demand, our recruitment teams are working hard to recruit another 130 by
April.
Since the introduction of the hazard perception element of
the theory test in November last year, demand has not followed expected
patterns and accurate forecasting has proved difficult.
In addition there has been a change in candidate behaviour, with higher numbers
of candidates choosing to take their tests in their early 20s rather than at 17
or 18 years of age.
In relation to the phone calls to our test booking offices,
in October there were over
2.6 million call attempts. Only 35%
of these were for new test bookings, 52% were requests to change dates in an
effort to get earlier tests. Clearly our telephone system cannot cope with this
volume of calls and will end the call if there are no booking agents available.
We have of course staffed both call centres to capacity and are continuing to
recruit and train new agents. We actually answered over 65,000 more calls in
October than planned for and our call answering performance would have exceeded
all expectations in normal circumstances. I am extremely proud of the way staff have dealt with the huge volume of calls.
But we recognise that we need to do more. We have recently automated the final part of
a booking call, which cuts the call by 30 seconds, enabling the agents to take
more calls. We have introduced a facility to book practical tests over the
internet, which means candidates can book a test without having to speak to an
operator. And we have also approved a project to develop an Advanced Speech
Recognition System so that customers can interact directly with our booking
system by phone to get earlier tests without having to talk to an agent.
Charter Mark Status
Despite our best efforts, I do accept that our current
performance is not in line with the Charter Mark standards. And in view of this
we have voluntarily suspended our Charter Mark status. We are due to reapply
for Charter Mark membership under the revised criteria in 2004, when we will be
subject to a full and rigorous assessment process.
