When Your Driving License Examinations Become So Poor That the Military Needs to Intervene | Carscoops

      Dozens of examiners from the Ministry of Defense are being mobilized to alleviate the nearly 22-week average wait for driving tests.

      The UK has enlisted military support to address its dysfunctional driving test system.

      Thirty-six MoD examiners will conduct civilian tests one day a week for the next year.

      New regulations will prevent bots from reselling test appointments for exorbitant prices.

      “Alright Miss Jones, please take the next exit at the roundabout, then launch your rocket at that blue Fiesta.” As if the pressure of taking a driving test wasn't already overwhelming, British learners now face an additional layer of anxiety.

      The individual evaluating them, who ultimately decides their fate, might be from the military.

      More: Police Seize Golf R After Young Learner Driver Races at 124 MPH

      There’s no indication that the Ministry of Defense drivers, who are temporarily helping with the UK’s significant backlog in driving tests, will be in uniform—they are all civil servants, not military personnel. They are expected to be just as courteous as regular driving examiners, but you can imagine it could heighten the nerves on test day.

      Who's Behind the Wheel?

      The UK’s MoD employs its own driving examiners to assist armed forces personnel in passing their tests, and 36 of these examiners will be allocated to aid civilians in obtaining their licenses.

      Each will dedicate one day a week over the coming year to administering civilian tests, with an estimated cost of £100,000 ($131,000), according to the BBC.

      This significant action aims to reduce the long wait times for driving tests in the UK. As of June, the average interval between booking a test and taking it at one of the country’s 319 test centers was 22 weeks.

      This situation is frustrating for drivers who feel prepared for their tests, and it can become quite costly if they’re paying £80 ($105) weekly for lessons to stay sharp.

      The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is actively seeking to recruit hundreds of permanent examiners to address the deficit, but the turnover rate is high; current staff are leaving nearly as quickly as new hires are coming in. To encourage retention, new employees will be offered £5,000 ($6,600) “retention payments” starting next year, the BBC reports.

      Bots, Backlogs, and Big Markups

      However, the shortage of examiners is only part of the reason for the lengthy wait times. A significant contributing factor is the presence of automated bots that swiftly book newly available test slots, resulting in genuine learners being left without booking options.

      These bots, used by third-party resellers, often list the £62 ($81) tests for up to £500 ($660), typically promoting them on social media or private booking websites.

      Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander announced that this unfair practice would be addressed, stating that from now on only learner drivers themselves will be allowed to book driving tests, effectively closing this loophole. This move comes after a collective appeal from 38 MPs urging the government to take decisive action against the exploitation of learners by online bots.