Correspondence

ATF e-bulletin issue 12: December 2015

Published 21 December 2015

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

1. Review of the recent Authorised Testing Facilities (ATF) forums

Authorised testing facility forums.

The recent ATF group forums held during November 2015 were the most well attended forums to date, with most venues completely sold out. Over 300 ATF owners/operators attended the eight strategic forum locations across the country.

The forums allowed attendees to:

  • share best practice
  • meet Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) officials
  • have an opportunity to ask questions

The forums also allowed we to get important feedback from you.

The feedback we received from the forums is invaluable and shows that you appreciate the vision and quality of service we’re in the process of delivering.

While there are challenges in delivering the fully-flexible service that our customers want, we’re confident that, with your help, we’ll achieve it.

You said, we listened

We’ve listened to what you said about forum locations, and we agree that we do need to vary the geographical locations a little. We’ll definitely endeavour to address that in the New Year when we start planning the next round.

We’d like to thank everyone who attended, and we hope that you enjoyed the sessions and found them as informative and worthwhile as we did.

Hugh Rimmer, Head of Vehicle Operations, added:

The forums are good engagements and I think that everyone attends with the same intention, to learn from each other. As Head of Operations, that’s really important to me, I need to know what our customers are thinking about the service we provide.

2. Next Generation Testing transition rollout for 2016

Next generation testing 2016 rollout.

In geographic locations where Next Generation Testing (NGT) has yet to be released, ATFs will be managed locally by custodian Station Managers.

If you’ve signed up for NGT, Network Business Managers (NBMs) will be your first point of contact.

We’ll be accelerating the rollout of NGT staff, to provide an early opportunity for DVSA to offer a flexible, versatile service to ATFs. Early indications suggest that we will have all areas staffed under NGT terms and conditions by summer 2016.

Flexible testing times structured around your needs

Once ATFs have signed up to the NGT 2015 contract, they’ll be able to request vehicle testing via the scheduling team during specific time bands, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Exceptions to this will be Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day.

ATFs should make sure that DVSA staff are fully utilised for any booked and requested testing period. NBMs will monitor the utilisation of our staff and advise and guide ATFs on effective utilisation and test lane loading as necessary.

Present any vehicle during your testing period

You don’t need to give our examiners a daily work programme, as we’ll aim to offer a testing period where you can present any vehicle for our examiner to test. This will allow you to manage your test lane efficiently and effectively and your customers appropriately.

All scheduling will be undertaken through the Swansea-based scheduling team. Any amendments or additional time will have to be requested from the scheduling team. Testing network managers, or the examiners themselves, won’t have the jurisdiction to make these amendments because the scheduling team time-manage the vehicle standards assessors allocation to ATF sites.

3. The new NGT contract

Next generation testing contract.

To support NGT we developed a new contract for 2015 which, when effective, terminates the previous 2010 version.

As NGT rolls out across the country, we use a simple method to terminate your old 2010 contract and make your new 2015 contract effective.

Once you’ve returned your NGT ATF application, you’ll receive 2 copies of the 2015 ATF contract. After the contract is signed by you and DVSA, it will act as a binding agreement between us.

Your existing 2010 contract will be terminated on the effective date of your new 2015 contract. This will mean that no further applications for testing periods under the 2010 contract can be accepted once the 2015 contract is effective.

Going live

Your appointed business engagement manager will contact you soon after we’ve received your application to arrange your ‘activation meeting’. At this meeting you’ll both agree a mutually convenient ‘go live’ date.

The terms of the 2015 contract become fully effective and commence on the ‘go live’ date agreed in your ‘activation meeting’.

After the ‘activation meeting’, but before your first NGT scheduling, any tests reserved, booked and undertaken will be covered by the new terms and conditions. This ensures continuity of service during transition, even though the original reservation was made under the old contract terms.

4. How ministry plates are issued

How ministry plates are issued.

The service level agreement for issuing first time plates after the submission of the relevant documents is 12 weeks. The current waiting time is around 14 weeks, largely due to the following issues:

  • the submission of incomplete or inaccurate data which results in queries and extra tasks
  • an increase in volumes since the September 2015 registration period
  • urgent requests from customers presenting a vehicle for test without plates - this interrupts the usual workflow because an urgent request takes 3 times longer to process than a routine application

All vehicle presenters should be aware that they’re required to present their documents at the time of test. If documents aren’t presented, the vehicle may not be tested. If you don’t have your documents you should always allow sufficient time for your application to be processed before the date of your test.

Replacements

Since 1 November 2015, the issue of replacement plating and testing documents for HGV and PSV vehicles has been a centralised function. Replacement plating and testing documents are issued from the customer service centre in Swansea.

Our service level agreement for the issue of replacement documents is usually 5 working days. We’re currently experiencing a backlog of requests and it’s taking around 14 working days to issue the documents. Based on recent performance, we anticipate that we’ll be within Service Level Agreement (SLA) in early January 2016.

Again, we’d like to remind you that all vehicle presenters are required to present their documents at the time of test. You should always allow sufficient time for your application to be processed in advance of your test date. You could be refused a test if you arrive without your documents.

Applications can be submitted by completing a VTG59 form and emailing it to replacements@vosa.gsi.gov.uk.

Alternatively, you can apply by post and send it to:

DVSA Replacements Section

Replacements Section
DVSA
The Ellipse
Padley Road
Swansea
SA1 8AN

5. A thank you to the industry

A thank you to the industry.

We’d like to thank the ATFs for bearing with us through a difficult period. Your patience while working with local managers has helped us to minimise the impact of the industrial action.

We’d also like to thank you for the way you’ve communicated with your customers to explain the issues we’re experiencing.

We’re grateful that ATFs have understood the challenges DVSA faces as a result of the industrial action. We appreciate that they understand we’re trying to achieve a better service with more flexible terms and conditions for everybody.

Working with local mangers is crucial, and helping our ATFs to facilitate good honest, two-way relationships with their managers can often fix a lot of issues.

Hugh Rimmer, Head of Vehicle Operations