Booking and managing driving tests for learner drivers survey: October 2022 results
Published 24 November 2022
Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
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1. Introduction
This report summarises research carried out by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) with businesses who book and manage driving tests for learner drivers.
We sent the survey on 27 September 2022 and it closed on 17 October 2022.
There were 374 responses to this survey.
2. Results
2.1 Booking and swapping tests
On average, how many tests do you book per month?
| Answer | Response rate |
|---|---|
| 0 | 16.0% |
| 1 to 100 | 73.8% |
| 101 to 200 | 2.4% |
| 201 to 300 | 2.7% |
| 301 to 400 | 1.9% |
| 401 to 500 | 1.1% |
| More than 500 | 2.1% |
On average, how many tests do you swap per month?
Test swapping is when you swap one booked test for another.
| Answer | Response rate |
|---|---|
| 0 | 38.2% |
| 1 to 100 | 52.7% |
| 101 to 200 | 1.9% |
| 201 to 300 | 2.7% |
| 301 to 400 | 1.3% |
| 401 to 500 | 1.1% |
| More than 500 | 2.1% |
How do you swap these tests? (select all that apply)
| Answer | Response rate |
|---|---|
| On the phone to customer services | 42.3% |
| Through an email to customer services | 0.9% |
| On the Online Business System (our online service to book and manage your pupil’s test) | 76.3% |
2.2 New feature for the booking service
How useful would you find a function which would allow you to search for 2 booking reference numbers when swapping tests?
| Answer | Response rate |
|---|---|
| Very useful | 62.0% |
| Somewhat useful | 19.0% |
| Not at all useful | 9.2% |
| Unsure | 9.8% |
2.3 Abuse of the booking service
To stop those who are abusing the service, how effective do you think it would be to set a swap limit for each organisation based on the monthly average of driving tests they book?
| Answer | Response rate |
|---|---|
| Very effective | 20.6% |
| Somewhat effective | 24.3% |
| Not at all effective | 40.7% |
| Unsure | 14.5% |
2.4 Reasons learner drivers were unable to attend a driving test
What are the most common reasons that your customers say they were unable to attend a test? (select all that apply)
| Answer | Response rate |
|---|---|
| They had health problems - including illness, physical injury, mental health and COVID | 30.8% |
| They weren’t ready for their test and need a later one | 25.6% |
| DVSA moved their test to an unsuitable time | 22.6% |
| They were no longer available that day due to an unexpected personal reason – including bereavement, caring responsibilities and work commitment | 17.4% |
| They were unable to find a car they could use / there was an issue with the car they were using | 15.4% |
| Their driving instructor was not available | 14.4% |
| They arrived too late to sit the test – including due to traffic | 14.4% |
| They mistook the date/time of their test | 13.8% |
| There was an issue with their provisional licence | 13.3% |
| Their test was rearranged to an unsuitable time | 10.8% |
| Their driving instructor had health problems - including illness, physical injury, mental health and COVID | 8.2% |
| Their theory test certificate expired before their test date | 7.2% |
| They arrived at the wrong test centre | 2.6% |
| They no longer want/need to take a test | 2.1% |
| Other (please specify) | 29.2% |