Customer service A guide to our service standards www.direct.gov.uk
We aim to give a high-quality service to all our customers. We welcome constructive comments and complaints, as they help us to improve how we provide our services. Page 1 Who we are 2 Our aims 3 Service standards 5 Keeping you informed 6 Listening to you 6 How you can help us 7 Equal opportunities 9 Putting things right 9 Refunding fees and expenses 12 Data Protection Act 1998 13 Complaints procedure 16 How to contact us
Who we are We (the Driving Standards Agency) are an executive agency of the Department for Transport and a member of the Driver, Vehicle and Operator Group. Our main aim is to promote road safety in Great Britain by improving driving standards. We are responsible for carrying out theory and practical driving tests fairly and consistently for cars, motorcycles, buses, lorries and other vehicles. We set the standards for approved driving instructors (car), and compulsory basic training (CBT) for motorcyclists, and run the voluntary register of large goods vehicles (LGVs) and fleet driver trainers. As a trading fund, we have to cover our costs from the driving test fee. We do not have a quota for people passing or failing so if you demonstrate the necessary standard, you will pass your test. Our customers People who take theory and practical driving tests Approved driving instructors (ADIs) and potential driving instructors (PDIs) Approved training bodies (ATBs), motorcycle trainers and lorry, bus and coach trainers All road users 1
Our aims Improve road safety Make sure high and consistent standards are used in assessing drivers and driving instructors throughout Great Britain Provide fair tests which keep to a nationwide standard within an acceptable timescale Provide value for money Treat all customers in a polite and helpful way at all times Provide a national network of test centres Run an efficient user-friendly service to book tests Promptly tell candidates their results Provide constructive feedback at the end of each practical test Handle enquiries and complaints promptly and efficiently, to meet expectations Work closely with business and trade associations to improve services to the public 2
Service standards We judge our performance against the following standards (printed in our Business Plan) which we review each year. For all our customers 90% of candidates will be satisfied with the overall level of service received We will improve business customer satisfaction with the overall level of service by five percentage points After a call has gone through our automated call-handling system, we will answer 90% of all incoming calls to booking offices in no more than 20 seconds 95% of calls to booking offices will make contact with our automated call-handling system without receiving an engaged tone We will answer 90% of all calls to our enquiry points in no more than 30 seconds We will answer 97% of all letters and e-mails within 10 working days We will pay 95% of all refunds within 15 days of receiving a valid claim We will pay 98% of undisputed and settled disputed invoices within 30 days of receiving them 3
If you re taking a theory test We will keep 99.5% of appointments We will give 95% of candidates an appointment at their preferred centre within two weeks of their preferred date Theory tests are generally available between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday. Tests are also available on weekday evenings between 6pm and 9pm, and on Saturdays (usually in the morning) at no extra cost. Depending on the demand, some centres may be open only for part of a day. If you re taking a practical test 80% of candidates will agree that their most recent practical test was fair By 31 March 2006, appointments will be available within nine weeks at 99% of permanent car test centres We will keep 99.5% of appointments that are in place two days before the test We will keep 98.75% of all annual appointments The national annual average waiting time for practical driving tests will be no longer than: - six weeks for car tests; - four weeks for motorcycle tests at test centres offering tests at least once a week; - three weeks for lorry or bus tests; and - five weeks for PDI practical tests. 4
Practical tests are generally available at all permanent test centres between 8.30am and 4.30pm Monday to Friday (we offer earlier and later tests at some centres). Tests at some centres are provided when there is enough demand and they can be justified economically. We also provide Saturday, Sunday and weekday-evening tests at some centres, but you will have to pay extra. Keeping you informed We will give you information by: sending you the Learning to Drive leaflet and our Driver s Record with provisional licences; publishing a wide range of books; producing a free DVD giving information about theory and practical tests and the standards needed to pass them; issuing news releases to the media; putting up posters in test centres; giving Drive On and Ride On magazines free to new drivers and riders; sending our newsletters Despatch and Despatch Express to ADIs, training organisations, road safety officers and others within the industry; publishing our Business Plan which sets out our aims and targets (and our Annual Report and Accounts, which show our performance against them); and updating our website (www.dsa.gov.uk). 5
Listening to you To make sure we listen to you, we will: carry out regular customer surveys so that you can let us know your views on our services; consult instructors on the service we provide and any changes we propose; make it easy for you to get in touch so you can give us your comments and complaints; and carry out all areas of our work in a fair, independent, polite and helpful way. Your comments will help us develop our services. How you can help us Please come to tests: on time and properly prepared; with the correct documents (if you do not have your driving licence and you re taking a test, please contact your local customer service unit as you will not be able to take the test without it); and for the practical test, with a roadworthy vehicle that meets the test vehicle requirements. Please tell us when we do well. If we don t meet your expectations, please tell us how we can improve our services. 6
Equal opportunities We are committed to equal opportunities for everyone, and provide a number of facilities for candidates who have special needs or physical disabilities. We recognise and value our customers. We will treat all our customers with respect, and deliver our services in an objective, polite and fair way. The theory test When you book your test, please tell us if you need: wheelchair access; your test signed on-screen in British Sign Language (BSL), if you re deaf or have other hearing difficulties (you may bring a signer or lip speaker if you don t understand BSL); an audio version of the test in English, if you are dyslexic or have reading difficulties; extra time to take the multiple-choice part of the test, if you are dyslexic or have reading difficulties; 7
an audio version of the test in one of 20 languages, if you don t understand or read English or want to take your test in your first language (you may bring a DSA-approved translator with you if we cannot provide an audio version of the test in the language you need); and to read the multiple-choice part of the test in Welsh. The practical test Please tell us if: you are deaf or have severe hearing difficulties; you are in any way restricted in your movements; you have any physical disability; or you would like to take your test in Welsh. You may bring your own interpreter for your practical test as long as they are aged over 16 and are not an ADI. Don t forget to let us know about any special needs when you book your test 8
Putting things right We always aim to keep test appointments, but occasionally we have to cancel a test at short notice (short notice means fewer than three clear working days). If we cancel your test, we will try to book your next appointment within three weeks. Refunding fees and expenses We will either refund the test fee or arrange another test at no further cost to you in the following circumstances. If we cancelled your test If you cancelled and gave us at least three clear working days notice (a working day now includes Saturday) If you cancelled your test at short notice for medical reasons (we need to see a letter or certificate from your doctor) If you keep the test appointment, but the test does not take place or is not finished for a reason that is not your fault or the fault of the vehicle in which you were taking your test 9
We will also refund certain expenses that you had to pay on the day of the test if we cancelled your test at short notice, unless it was because of bad weather or poor light. We do consider reasonable claims for: any standard pay or earnings you lost through taking unpaid holiday leave (usually for half a day), after tax and National Insurance contributions but not including any overtime or commission payments; and reasonable cost of travel to and from the test centre if you were taking a theory test, or the cost of hiring a vehicle for the test, including travelling to and from the test centre if you were taking a practical test. We will refund your mileage if you have used your own vehicle to travel to and from the test centre. We will generally pay up to one and a half hours of vehicle hire. Costs are usually based on your instructor s or trainer s standard hourly lesson rate, rather than on a flat rate applied by your instructor or trainer for using the vehicle on the day of the test. 10
We do not pay the cost of driving lessons or any training course that you arranged before a particular test appointment, or extra lessons that you decide to take while waiting for a rescheduled test. Applying for a refund If you want to claim a refund, please fill in the reimbursement of candidate s out-of-pocket expenses claim form available from test centres and our website. You will also need to send us: receipts for travel costs you paid on the day of the test; a receipt signed or stamped by your instructor or trainer for vehicle-hire charges for the day of the test, based on his or her usual hourly rate and showing their instructor or trainer number, your name, amount charged and the period this covers; an employer s letter on headed paper showing your lost earnings (not including income tax and National Insurance) normally for half a day only, on the date of your test; and receipts for any other expenses that you had to pay on the day. If you were taking a practical test, you may ask your instructor or trainer to fill in the relevant part of the reimbursement form instead of sending in a receipt to confirm car-hire charges. You will find the addresses of where to send claims on the back of this leaflet. Please make sure you make any claim within six months of the date of your cancelled test, otherwise we may not pay it. 11
Data Protection Act 1998 We know how important it is to make sure that we handle any information you give us properly and in line with the Data Protection Act 1998. We mainly use the information to help us: book and manage theory and practical tests; manage our registers of trainers and instructors; and carry out research to improve road safety and our performance. Under certain circumstances, the Act allows us to give information to other organisations such as the police, to help them with their enquiries. We may also give information to: other government departments for statistical analysis, scientific, technical, health, social or economic research, collecting tax or similar charges; and non-government organisations if they can prove that they have a legal reason to ask for it. Finally, at times we may need to contact you to make sure that we have your agreement to: ask your employer or your instructor or trainer (or both) about an out-of-pocket expense claim; or answer a question or complaint from someone else for you. We will try to make sure that this does not cause unreasonable delay in dealing with any claims or questions. 12
Complaints procedure Step one Complaints about tests - You can e-mail, write to or phone theory test customer services or your local practical test customer service unit (see pages 16 and 17 for the contact details) if you have any questions or complaints about: test cancellations; out-of-pocket expenses; lost applications; delays in providing tests; test results; and how the tests were carried out. Please give the reasons for your complaint and the solution you are looking for. We will send other enquiries and complaints to the appropriate office for them to deal with. 13
Complaints about CBT - If you have any questions or complaints about your CBT course that you cannot sort out with your trainer, you should contact the CBT section at DSA Head Office, Nottingham. Complaints about ADIs - If you have a complaint about an ADI that you cannot sort out with the instructor, driving school or contractor, you can write to the Registrar of ADIs at DSA Head Office, Nottingham. Complaints from ADIs - If you have a complaint about the ADI Register, write to the Registrar of ADIs at DSA Head Office, Nottingham. Data Protection Act - In line with the Data Protection Act 1998, we cannot investigate or respond to any complaint someone makes to us for you without your permission in writing. If someone else writes to us for you, please make it clear that they have your permission to do this. Step two If you have followed the procedure in step one and are not satisfied with the response, you may write to our Chief Executive at DSA Head Office, Nottingham. We aim to answer complaints within 10 working days. Step three If you have followed steps one and two and are still not satisfied, you may also get advice from a Member of Parliament (MP). 14
You may also ask to have your complaint investigated by: the Independent Complaints Assessor, by contacting our DSA Chief Executive; or the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration (the Ombudsman), through an MP. You can get more information from DSA Head Office, Nottingham. Right to appeal - If you don t pass your driving test, you will obviously be disappointed. Although your examiner s decision can t be changed, if you think your test wasn t carried out in line with the regulations, you have the right to appeal. If you live in England or Wales, you have six months after the test in which to appeal. If you live in Scotland, you have 21 days after the test in which to appeal. 15
How to contact us Booking theory and practical tests (including ADI parts 1, 2 and 3) Website: www.dsa.gov.uk or www.direct.gov.uk Phone: 0870 0101 372 Welsh speakers: 0870 0100 372 Minicom: 0870 0106 372 Theory test customer service Email: customercare@pearson.com Phone: 0870 600 0067 Fax: 0870 0104 372 Driving Standards Agency, Customer Services, PO Box 381, Salford, Manchester M50 3UW Practical test customer service Email: customer.services@dsa.gsi.gov.uk Phone: 0870 0101 372 Fax: 0870 0102 372 Driving Standards Agency, PO Box 280, Newcastle upon Tyne NE99 1FP ADI registration customer service Email: adireg@dsa.gsi.gov.uk Phone: 0115 901 2500 Fax: 0115 901 2820 Driving Standards Agency, Stanley House, 56 Talbot Street, Nottingham NG1 5GU CBT customer service Email: cbt@dsa.gsi.gov.uk Phone: 0115 901 2595 Fax: 0115 901 2600 16
Customer service by area London and South East Email: londoncsu@dsa.gsi.gov.uk Phone: 020 7468 4712 Fax: 020 7468 4550 Midlands and Eastern Email: birminghamcsu@dsa.gsi.gov.uk Phone: 0121 697 6762 Fax: 0121 697 6750 Wales and Western Email: cardiffcsu@dsa.gsi.gov.uk Phone: 029 2058 1218 Fax: 029 2058 1050 Scotland Email: scotlandcsu@dsa.gsi.gov.uk Phone: 0131 529 8645 Fax: 0131 529 8589 Northern Email: northerncsu@dsa.gsi.gov.uk Phone: 0191 201 8161 Fax: 0191 201 8056 Our usual opening hours are 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday. If you prefer to write to us, please address your letter to your local customer service unit and post it to: Driving Standards Agency, PO Box 280, Newcastle upon Tyne NE99 1FP. For all enquiries about driving licences and entitlements, contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). Email: drivers.dvla@gtnet.gov.uk Phone: 0870 240 0009 Customer Enquiries Unit, DVLA, Longview Road Swansea SA6 7JL 17
The Driving Standards Agency We set the standards for theory and practical driving tests in Great Britain. We are the only organisation authorised to test learner drivers and riders. Contact us Please see pages 16 and 17 for more information. Website: www.dsa.gov.uk Email: customer.services@dsa.gsi.gov.uk Phone: 0115 901 2500 Driving Standards Agency Stanley House, 56 Talbot Street Nottingham NG1 5GU Directgov Directgov is the place to find all government motoring information and services. From logbooks to licensing, from driving tests to road tax, go to www.direct.gov.uk/motoring 7302 Plain English Campaign s Crystal Mark applies to the wording only, not the design. Printed on recycled paper with at least 75% post-consumer waste. Crown Copyright 2005 REF: CSERV.10.05