DVLA fit for purpose?

alchemilla

The DVLA does have problems. The Medical Department at the DVLA in particular - and MPs have been involved. One case was lorry driver who'd had a head injury of the sort that means six months off driving. Reapplied for licence, forms "lost in post", difficulty seeing a DVLA appointed driver, no action taken after the poor man finally got through on the phone - all the time unable to earn - and try claiming benefits when technically he could drive. During Covid, the backlog became horrendous since most were WFH and there appear to have been no plans for dealing with postal applications or letters.

If you loose your licence for medical reasons it can be very difficult to get it back especially if you are a professional driver or a pilot.
Medics are very careful they don’t want a bus driver to have relapse, with passengers on board.

I can only say that my renewed driving licence arrived within a few days of having submitted the form online. So I dare say I was lucky.

The DVLA does have problems. The Medical Department at the DVLA in particular - and MPs have been involved. One case was lorry driver who'd had a head injury of the sort that means six months off driving. Reapplied for licence, forms "lost in post", difficulty seeing a DVLA appointed driver, no action taken after the poor man finally got through on the phone - all the time unable to earn - and try claiming benefits when technically he could drive. During Covid, the backlog became horrendous since most were WFH and there appear to have been no plans for dealing with postal applications or letters.

Allira

Allira

I exchanged my car recenty, the garage sorted out the tax refund and it arrived by cheque very promptly.

Oh dear, I wasn't very helpful.

But, having paid me my £50 refund, perhaps they're in the red now. Exceeded their overdraft limit.

It's that £22 billion black hole.

🤣

annodomini

Why are you offloading your indignation on us? If you are so dissatisfied with DVLA, which is a Government department, you should be contacting your MP who can then let the Transport Secretary know of your complaint.

I did post on AIBU. Thought we were allowed a bit of a rant on gransnet now and again! I am pretty sure my MP has better things to do than chase up a cheque from the DVLA for me, at least I hope so,

M0nica

Rather a sweeping judgement just bcause you have a problem.

The way people have not flocked to this thread to report their bad experiences rather suggests that unfortunate though your experience has been - and I do agree, it is inefficient and annoying, it does not suggest that the DVLA is in a terminal state.

Was tongue in cheek MOnica don’t be so severe!

I thought the black hole had grown to £40 billion.
Maybe I’m wrong.

Allira

I exchanged my car recenty, the garage sorted out the tax refund and it arrived by cheque very promptly.

Oh dear, I wasn't very helpful.

But, having paid me my £50 refund, perhaps they're in the red now. Exceeded their overdraft limit.

It's that £22 billion black hole.

annodomini

Why are you offloading your indignation on us? If you are so dissatisfied with DVLA, which is a Government department, you should be contacting your MP who can then let the Transport Secretary know of your complaint.

Whilst your suggestion may be useful to the OP, I don’t think there’s a problem with her off loading her frustration on here. Lots of Gransnetters do that when something bothers them.

I exchanged my car recenty, the garage sorted out the tax refund and it arrived by cheque very promptly.

Why are you offloading your indignation on us? If you are so dissatisfied with DVLA, which is a Government department, you should be contacting your MP who can then let the Transport Secretary know of your complaint.

We moved 2.5 months ago and notified the DVLA so the address could be changed on our drivers licences. Each paid for the privilege, Mr. S.'s new licence was received within a week and I'm still waiting for mine.

Two emails sent and one letter and I'm still waiting. The response to the first email was that the matter had been dealt with!!!

Well I haven’t had any bad experiences (yet) with the DVLA, but I’ve had too many to count with other businesses/institutions. Probably everyone else has too. The hours wasted hanging on the phone trying to put right the mistakes businesses/institutions have made is known by everyone in the country, so inefficiency isn’t just known by Cambia.

I think it unfair to label this gross inefficiency as a sweeping judgment when the truth is that nowadays almost every business/institution is inefficient.

Next week I will be going to hospital to get my second pre surgery check up. I had one in August and was cleared for surgery, but now, because they haven’t done the surgery in the required three months after the pre op check, I have to have another. Inefficient? Of course. Costly? Of course. This is our NHS though, wasting time (mine and theirs) and money! Of course this is only one example of how institutions are inefficient and waste money.

Rather a sweeping judgement just bcause you have a problem.

The way people have not flocked to this thread to report their bad experiences rather suggests that unfortunate though your experience has been - and I do agree, it is inefficient and annoying, it does not suggest that the DVLA is in a terminal state.