1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182 
JOIN US AND LOSE THE QUEUES!
Page 3
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
The annual test is a fundamental aspect of the 0-licensing and road safety requirements for operators, so you might assume it is given a high priority by the government agency that administers the system. Unfortunately Commercial Motorcontinues to receive Operators with solid maintenance schedules will probably find it easier to get test dates as they tend to book them well in advance. But for used truck and van dealers, the picture is bleaker because they can't always predict how many vehicles will be coming in or leaving their yards. Some are pre-booking test dates on the assumption they will need them; others are resorting to swapping test dates so no one is left in the lurch. A rapid and efficient service is not a luxury; it is crucial to this industry so it is simply what we should expect.
Our investigation into the causes of the problems is ongoing; Vosa has yet to shed any light on specific or regional problems which might contribute, But you, our readers, are giving us a picture of demoralised staff, under-recruitment and an urgent need for flexibility during evenings and weekends.
We are pleased that the Road Haulage Association has responded to the problems CM has highlighted; we invite the trade associations, and each of you, to join our Lose The Queues campaign to cut waiting times for tests. So far Vosa has suggested meeting with individual dealers to discuss their problems. Every attempt to improve the situation is welcome. but we suspect it will take more than one-on-one chats to fix this—or silence us.