NASP - Biting the hand that feeds it

Well, it's taken some time (and don't forget we're still waiting for a reply to their email to the CEO of the DVSA that they seem to have forgotten about) but two weeks later they're finally challenging the Department for Transports result basically using the same argument we published in an update over a week ago.

"We would like you to evidence your suggestion, it’s easy to look at pass rates and point the finger, however if we look at the amazingly 'consistent' pass rates over the last 10 years, a growing number of ADI's wonder how with around 1.5 million tests in a year that pass rate figure can remain virtually the same."

Well, in the real world we all know how it remains the same. The DVSA modify the overall assessment criteria periodically to rig the result to maintain it at that level so that the test is not too difficult (because if it was no-one would bother) and not too easy (because if it was, what would be the point?) This is the big lie at the heart of the DVSAs "statistics" which is well known by NASP and the management at the Dft and DVSA and one that needs to be officially exposed. 

The fundamental fact is that if a learner took a test today and passed, if they took the same test ten years ago driving the same route, with the same examiner, with identical "faults" they would fail, not because of quotas but because the assessment has been manipulated.

Our social media informants have also seen rumblings that the DVSA are who are on full pay, with full sickness entitlements, and full leave entitlements to fit in, are now contacting ADIs trying to entrap them into saying they will take lessons in the lockdown period.  

In other news the DVSA aren't doing anything, they've sent out a couple of updates saying they aren't doing anything, and nothing has changed, which is a change from last year when they didn't send any updates out and didn't do anything I suppose. 

They've claimed (or lied depending on your point of view) in a Parliamentary reply, that they are recruiting for examiners to help with the backlog. 1) We suggested this a year ago 2) there's no evidence anywhere of any advertisements for examiners that we can find. If you can find an advertisement feel free to let us know in the comments. 

The second claim made by the DVSA in response to the (ill-founded allow your driving instructor to pass you petition) "The regulations also specifically prohibit an examiner from simultaneously being an active ADI" is also untrue. That might be a civil service condition of employment but we can't see it anywhere in the actual Driving regulations.

We've now found out the real reason they won't extend the theory test, unfortunately for them the debate was just prior to the announcement of the new theory test delivery contracts (in fact they are recruiting for a theory test contract manager, but still no more examiners) and it seems clear that in any commercial contract certain assumptions such as income and number of people taking theory tests would be taken into account, assumptions which would be invalid if a large number of learners suddenly didn't have to pay to take the test again because their certificates were extended. 

We've also seen recent evidence that the DVSA are threatening ADIs with "fit and proper" when they publish dashcam footage to cover up unambiguous evidence of incompetence by examiners.  It seems strange that police officers who are considerably more important than mere driving examiners use body worn cameras, but the DVSA use every means at their disposal to prevent malpractice by examiners being exposed. 

We hope to launch a social media site soon,  part of which we will be happy to take submissions (anonymous or otherwise) written or video that demonstrate DVSA malpractice, either organisationally or from specific employees which will can then be passed on for investigation by any subsequent enquiry, if people don't want to submit it directly themselves.

In the meantime, please share this petition with your colleagues, learners, and any other taxpayers so that we can have a full independent enquiry into if the DVSA and its senior employees are "fit and proper" to manage the driver training industry.