❓ A Member of Parliament questions the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure about ongoing driver's license test waiting times, despite previous assurances of improvement. The Minister responds with details of actions taken and claims of significant reduction in waiting times.
AnsweredQoN 1936Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the ongoing issue of waiting times for people wanting to sit for their driver’s licence. I have raised this matter twice in the Parliament (
Hansard
June 12 2003, ref. 707 and again on November 13 2003, ref. 1274). On both these occasions I was promised that the matter was being addressed, and yet I am still receiving complaints that there is still an 8 to 12 week waiting time to re-book a driving test.
Can the Minister please advise -
(1) What action has been taken to reduce the waiting time to re-book a driving test to a reasonable time period - that is approximately 4 weeks?
(2) Why have these steps not resulted in a reduction of the waiting time to re-book a driving test?
(3) Since these steps clearly have not been effective, what new steps will the Minister take to reduce this waiting period?
(4) When will these be implemented?
Hansard
June 12 2003, ref. 707 and again on November 13 2003, ref. 1274). On both these occasions I was promised that the matter was being addressed, and yet I am still receiving complaints that there is still an 8 to 12 week waiting time to re-book a driving test.
Can the Minister please advise -
(1) What action has been taken to reduce the waiting time to re-book a driving test to a reasonable time period - that is approximately 4 weeks?
(2) Why have these steps not resulted in a reduction of the waiting time to re-book a driving test?
(3) Since these steps clearly have not been effective, what new steps will the Minister take to reduce this waiting period?
(4) When will these be implemented?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
3 June 2004
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary representing the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure
Response time
30 days
- Introduction of waiting periods of 4 weeks for candidates in the metropolitan area who: · require a re-test after an unsuccessful attempt; or · fail to keep appointments or provide insufficient notice of cancellation. - Additional assessors have been recruited to alleviate problems in the metropolitan area. - A new driving assessor management structure was created and became fully staffed on 2 February 2004. The new structure provides: · staff to fill short term unplanned absences; · a weekly report identifying lead times by metropolitan location to enable staff to be reallocated as needs arise; · Regional Office staff in Bunbury and Geraldton have been trained to enable short term needs to be met; · temporary assessor positions have been created at Mandurah and Boulder to alleviate current demand; · metropolitan licensing centre customer service staff have been trained and are committed to undertaking 1-2 assessments per week to ensure their skills are maintained and to provide short term relief; · assessor staff involved in light vehicle assessing are booked for 9 assessments per day commencing at 7am. Those involved in heavy vehicle testing are able to undertake fewer assessments as the assessments take 2 hours. · Saturday overtime has been provided during April and May enabling 480 additional candidates to be tested; · further overtime is programmed; · a low cost targeted media campaign is nearing completion aimed at reducing the failure rates of candidates which will further reduce lead times as the need to re-sit tests diminishes. 2. As stated, aside from the 4 week penalty that is applied to those who fail their assessment or who fail to keep their appointment, these measures have very effectively reduced the waiting time to an average in the metropolitan area of 1.2 weeks as at 12 May 2004. If the Member wishes to provide details of the persons who are required to wait 8 to 12 weeks for a driving assessment, the Minister would be happy to ask the Department for Planning and Infrastructure to investigate the matter. 3&4. Not applicable
- Additional assessors have been recruited to alleviate problems in the metropolitan area. - A new driving assessor management structure was created and became fully staffed on 2 February 2004. The new structure provides: · staff to fill short term unplanned absences; · a weekly report identifying lead times by metropolitan location to enable staff to be reallocated as needs arise; · Regional Office staff in Bunbury and Geraldton have been trained to enable short term needs to be met; · temporary assessor positions have been created at Mandurah and Boulder to alleviate current demand; · metropolitan licensing centre customer service staff have been trained and are committed to undertaking 1-2 assessments per week to ensure their skills are maintained and to provide short term relief; · assessor staff involved in light vehicle assessing are booked for 9 assessments per day commencing at 7am. Those involved in heavy vehicle testing are able to undertake fewer assessments as the assessments take 2 hours. · Saturday overtime has been provided during April and May enabling 480 additional candidates to be tested; · further overtime is programmed; · a low cost targeted media campaign is nearing completion aimed at reducing the failure rates of candidates which will further reduce lead times as the need to re-sit tests diminishes. 2. As stated, aside from the 4 week penalty that is applied to those who fail their assessment or who fail to keep their appointment, these measures have very effectively reduced the waiting time to an average in the metropolitan area of 1.2 weeks as at 12 May 2004. If the Member wishes to provide details of the persons who are required to wait 8 to 12 weeks for a driving assessment, the Minister would be happy to ask the Department for Planning and Infrastructure to investigate the matter. 3&4. Not applicable
- A new driving assessor management structure was created and became fully staffed on 2 February 2004. The new structure provides: · staff to fill short term unplanned absences; · a weekly report identifying lead times by metropolitan location to enable staff to be reallocated as needs arise; · Regional Office staff in Bunbury and Geraldton have been trained to enable short term needs to be met; · temporary assessor positions have been created at Mandurah and Boulder to alleviate current demand; · metropolitan licensing centre customer service staff have been trained and are committed to undertaking 1-2 assessments per week to ensure their skills are maintained and to provide short term relief; · assessor staff involved in light vehicle assessing are booked for 9 assessments per day commencing at 7am. Those involved in heavy vehicle testing are able to undertake fewer assessments as the assessments take 2 hours. · Saturday overtime has been provided during April and May enabling 480 additional candidates to be tested; · further overtime is programmed; · a low cost targeted media campaign is nearing completion aimed at reducing the failure rates of candidates which will further reduce lead times as the need to re-sit tests diminishes. 2. As stated, aside from the 4 week penalty that is applied to those who fail their assessment or who fail to keep their appointment, these measures have very effectively reduced the waiting time to an average in the metropolitan area of 1.2 weeks as at 12 May 2004. If the Member wishes to provide details of the persons who are required to wait 8 to 12 weeks for a driving assessment, the Minister would be happy to ask the Department for Planning and Infrastructure to investigate the matter. 3&4. Not applicable
If the Member wishes to provide details of the persons who are required to wait 8 to 12 weeks for a driving assessment, the Minister would be happy to ask the Department for Planning and Infrastructure to investigate the matter. 3&4. Not applicable
3&4. Not applicable
- Additional assessors have been recruited to alleviate problems in the metropolitan area. - A new driving assessor management structure was created and became fully staffed on 2 February 2004. The new structure provides: · staff to fill short term unplanned absences; · a weekly report identifying lead times by metropolitan location to enable staff to be reallocated as needs arise; · Regional Office staff in Bunbury and Geraldton have been trained to enable short term needs to be met; · temporary assessor positions have been created at Mandurah and Boulder to alleviate current demand; · metropolitan licensing centre customer service staff have been trained and are committed to undertaking 1-2 assessments per week to ensure their skills are maintained and to provide short term relief; · assessor staff involved in light vehicle assessing are booked for 9 assessments per day commencing at 7am. Those involved in heavy vehicle testing are able to undertake fewer assessments as the assessments take 2 hours. · Saturday overtime has been provided during April and May enabling 480 additional candidates to be tested; · further overtime is programmed; · a low cost targeted media campaign is nearing completion aimed at reducing the failure rates of candidates which will further reduce lead times as the need to re-sit tests diminishes. 2. As stated, aside from the 4 week penalty that is applied to those who fail their assessment or who fail to keep their appointment, these measures have very effectively reduced the waiting time to an average in the metropolitan area of 1.2 weeks as at 12 May 2004. If the Member wishes to provide details of the persons who are required to wait 8 to 12 weeks for a driving assessment, the Minister would be happy to ask the Department for Planning and Infrastructure to investigate the matter. 3&4. Not applicable
- A new driving assessor management structure was created and became fully staffed on 2 February 2004. The new structure provides: · staff to fill short term unplanned absences; · a weekly report identifying lead times by metropolitan location to enable staff to be reallocated as needs arise; · Regional Office staff in Bunbury and Geraldton have been trained to enable short term needs to be met; · temporary assessor positions have been created at Mandurah and Boulder to alleviate current demand; · metropolitan licensing centre customer service staff have been trained and are committed to undertaking 1-2 assessments per week to ensure their skills are maintained and to provide short term relief; · assessor staff involved in light vehicle assessing are booked for 9 assessments per day commencing at 7am. Those involved in heavy vehicle testing are able to undertake fewer assessments as the assessments take 2 hours. · Saturday overtime has been provided during April and May enabling 480 additional candidates to be tested; · further overtime is programmed; · a low cost targeted media campaign is nearing completion aimed at reducing the failure rates of candidates which will further reduce lead times as the need to re-sit tests diminishes. 2. As stated, aside from the 4 week penalty that is applied to those who fail their assessment or who fail to keep their appointment, these measures have very effectively reduced the waiting time to an average in the metropolitan area of 1.2 weeks as at 12 May 2004. If the Member wishes to provide details of the persons who are required to wait 8 to 12 weeks for a driving assessment, the Minister would be happy to ask the Department for Planning and Infrastructure to investigate the matter. 3&4. Not applicable
If the Member wishes to provide details of the persons who are required to wait 8 to 12 weeks for a driving assessment, the Minister would be happy to ask the Department for Planning and Infrastructure to investigate the matter. 3&4. Not applicable
3&4. Not applicable
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