June 2019

BIG ISSUE JULY 2017 AFTERMARKET 4 MOT RISK RATINGS: RED R.A.G TO A BULL? 8 AFTERMARKET JUNE 2019 L ast year saw a lot of change in the MOT system. New Annual Training requirements were introduced, and 2018 also saw the emergence of the new risk rating system. The DVSA is now assessing each VTS so they can see if there is any risk of non-compliance with the MOT testing service requirements. This is done using a revised approach to risk rating, worked out from testers on-site, as well as previous site review and disciplinary cases for that site. As the DVSA explained to us, a tester’s risk rating is calculated by comparing their individual test information against the national averages. MOT testers whose information greatly varies from the average will get a higher rating. A high rating does not mean for certain that the tester is doing something wrong. But it does mean that DVSA needs to investigate further. It also means that there are things the tester will need to look into to be satisfied that they’re testing to the right standard. It uses a standard red/amber/ green (RAG) rating to evaluate the risk of non- compliance with the MOT scheme: Red – higher risk of non-compliance Amber – medium risk of non-compliance Green – low risk of non-compliance White – garage hasn’t had a visit yet Only the MOT testers themselves and DVSA can see their individual rating; it’s their choice whether or not to share this information with anyone. MOT tester risk ratings are refreshed monthly. This will pick up any changes that happened in the previous month. Neil Barlow, DVSA’s Head of Vehicle Engineering, said: “The DVSA’s priority is helping everyone keep their vehicle safe to drive. The MOT plays a vital role in keeping Britain’s roads safe and the new risk rating system will help MOT testers improve their standards and consistency. Testers need to remember, this is a measure of risk – not of whether they’re doing a good job or not. The red, amber, green colour system is used for the ratings. However, it’s more important for testers to look into and understand the reasons why they’ve been allocated a certain risk rating, and take action to ensure they’re following the right processes.” Reality Aftermarket recently had a call from a reader; the owner of a MOT station based in the north-west of England. The business has been running for 25 hassle-free years. Despite this, his recent visit from the DVSA and resulting risk rating came as a bit of a shock. “I went from a green to a red.” His first surprise had to do with the Annual Training requirement. In case any of you have forgotten (as if we would let you), MOT stations had until 31 March to undertake their 2018/2019 Annual Training. Similarly, you have until 31 March 2020 to do the training for the 2019/2020 period. Our reader takes up the tale: “It seems that even though you have a year to do the Annual Assessment, they actually find against you if you leave it until three quarters of the way through the year.” When Aftermarket spoke to our reader, we were just inside the 2019/2020 period. We asked when he did the Annual Training for 2018/19: “During the first week in March this year.” We suggested that March was leaving it a little late in the year: “They don't say when you need to take it. Then you find out that you are penalised for leaving it to the end. Why give you a year to do something, then if you do it in the eleventh month of that year, punish you for it? Why don't they give you nine months of that year?” There is also the issue of how the training is being rolled out. Our reader had this to say: “I was under the misapprehension that the Annual Training would be a thing that built up over the year, so if I left it until the end of the year, I would get more information and more tests, more than if you did it at the beginning of the year. That was my reasoning - the longer you left it, the more detail there would be in it.” Nit-picking Misunderstandings over the training aside, our reader also found that his test station was subject to an extensive inspection as part of the risk rating, which he did not MOT risk ratings mean you need to keep up with the requirements or fall foul of the traffic light, but how well do many understand it? www.aftermarketonline.net