Outsourced testers start work in bid to slash backlog
The outsourced service, in addition to the public service, aims to cut back on the 140,000 drivers waiting to sit tests.
This week, a number of the private contracted testers under company SGS, will begin work at a centre in Fonthill, close to Liffey Valley in Dublin. By the end of the month, test centres with the newly hired staff will include Deansgrange, City West, the Ballymun area, as well as Naas in Kildare. They will be located at the same centres used for the National Car Test, also run by SGS.
Company spokeswoman Samantha Maguire said it was hoped 40,000 tests will be carried out over the next 18 months.
“We are scheduling tests up to eight weeks in advance. This is in addition to letting those sitting them know by text.”
According to SGS, up to 65% of those responding to test dates are doing so by mobile phone text messages. The service is seen as very popular with learner drivers below 30 years of age.
By December, it is hoped that the outsourced centres will be opened elsewhere outside Dublin.
There are plans for the privately contracted centres in Carlow, Arklow, Enniscorthy, Kells, Drogheda as well as Dundalk.
Until recently, typical waiting times for tests were up to a year. Yesterday, Transport Minister Martin Cullen revealed this has now been cut back to an average 28 weeks.
The privately contracted company will employ 17 testers at first, each conducting about nine tests a day.
Mr Cullen plans to reduce driver test waiting times to 12-week periods by mid-2007. However, opposition parties warn that if the Government want to end the era of provisional licence holders driving alone by tackling the delay in sitting tests, thousands of drivers could rush forward to get full licences.
The Labour Party says there may be a further surge from the country’s 270,000 provisional licence holders to pass tests, something which is not being planned for by the Government.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
