Two driving instructors say NZTA recruitment efforts have left them high and dry, while there is a backlog for drivers waiting for tests. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
Disorganised recruitment and training for new testing officers by the Transport Agency has left one driving school instructor thousands of dollars out of pocket, and another at a loose end, the instructors say.
Felicity from Ōtaki has been an instructor for the past three years and helped more than 300 students pass their restricted and full licence tests.
She told First Up problems started when she responded to an email from NZTA in July inviting her to apply for a training programme to become a testing officer.
Earlier this year, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced changes to the driver's licence system in a bid to curb a nationwide backlog, which saw some Auckland drivers waiting more than three months to sit a driving test.
"They were calling out to all driving instructors and anyone else that had held the O endorsement, which is the testing officer endorsement. They were saying: 'Hey, we want to get as many people as possible quickly trained up to be testing officers. And we want to move this huge backlog'."
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A week after applying for the course she received confirmation she had been accepted.
It was scheduled to start in Auckland on 29 July and run for three weeks, Felicity said. Transport and accommodation would also be covered.
When she asked if NZTA needed any references, she was told it was not necessary as there were no "bad comments" against her name.
Felicity started letting her clients know she would be away in Auckland and unable to do driving lessons.
"I cancelled everyone and didn't pursue any more driving and I text or rang everyone and said I'm closing the driving school at the end of the month because I'm going to be doing training"
But just days later, the course was postponed to August due to a trainer shortage.
"It was all go and then they came back and said 'we haven't managed to get enough testing officers to teach you."
NZTA gave her the option to enrol in the September course in Auckland.
But this time while she would be paid to attend the training, she was told she would have to pay for her own transport and accommodation.
Once again, she made arrangements, until she got another phone call.
"I heard from them last Friday saying we haven't got enough participants for that course. Sorry, we're indefinitely delaying it and now I'm just in limbo now"
"It's just so frustrating. I haven't got any income."
Felicity said she was forced to refund prepaid driving lesson vouchers and is now thousands of dollars out of pocket.
"I understand that they didn't know what was happening, but I was telling my students 'I'm finishing up at the end of the month so go to this person or go to this person'.
"I called at least six repeat clients that I'd already had booked in or was working with at the time."
And she was not the only one who felt frustrated.
Theresa McCardle runs the 007 Driving School in Paraparaumu.
She too received a phone call after applying for the July training programme.
"They sort of had somebody call you and say 'we've got all the details, can you do this date? We'll be doing Auckland or Christchurch for the training. Do you want to come home in the weekends?"
But she said in a follow-up call, her training was cancelled with no explanation other than not meeting selection criteria.
In a statement, NZTA said the first course for temporary testing officers was re-scheduled so enough trainers could be prepared.
One course had been held in August and two more are planned for September and October.
There were moving parts that needed to be considered, the agency said, including modelling to identify the VTNZ locations where testing officers would be most needed and matching them with the locations of those who were interested in becoming testing officers.
