July/August 2019

A s the DVSA continues to make more and more used of ‘Big Data’ to analyse MOT test information, and test centres become familiar with the new Red-Amber-Green (RAG) system now being used, there still appears to be confusion and concern around how this relates to not only test centres but also to individual testers. Commenting on the issue, Frank Harvey, Head of Member Services at the Independent Garage Association (IGA) says: “The DVSA are migrating to a point where they are data-driven, however as they progress down this road it should be considered that computer systems deal purely with the objective statistics, and in the early stages the DVSA are looking at the bigger picture rather than data alone. It is important to note that the requirements and standards have not changed, it is simply the way in which they are analysed.” The RAG system measures test stations against a national average and as such relates individual stations variation from that average. Frank continues: “Many things need to be considered, such as the age of vehicles being tested, variations by location and time taken per test, to mention a few. Testers will be placed into groups with other testers of similar characteristics e.g. similar volume of tests/average test times, and from there comparisons will be drawn. The more unusual a profile is compared to the other testers in the group, the higher score it will render.” Fine-tuning Some MOT stations are finding the new rating system hard to get used to: “It is understandable that in these early days of this new RAG rating system, being ‘in the red’ might be a cause for concern, however this doesn’t mean that either the tester or station are doing anything wrong; it is just a representation of how they compare nationally at the time. If you aren’t doing anything wrong, and your testers are doing things correctly, there is no need to change what you are doing.” It is a work-in-progress according to Frank: “The DVSA are still fine-tuning this system so always recommend that stations have regular external quality assurance checks, such as RMI’s MOTQC assessment, which helps stations maintain testing standards and manage their risk of going into the red.” Direct factor One of the things that the DVSA are starting to bring light to is MOT testers leaving their Annual Training until the last minute. Frank observes: “We have had a member contact us after a visit from an AE where they were flagged as red as a result of Annual Training being left to the last minute. “DVSA have now confirmed that the time of year the tester takes their assessment is not a direct factor in the Tester Risk score, however we maintain our position that MOT testers should plan to complete their Annual Training at their earliest possible convenience. This will reduce the likelihood of creating a red flag to the DVSA, as the VE may choose to consider this when judging if the management controls for the site are satisfactory.” While testers are assessed annually on their training and use of the MOT Testing Manual, managers can end up left behind as there is no current requirement for MOT centre managers to regularly update their knowledge. Frank adds: “The RMI Academy of Automotive Skills offers a number of options for Annual Training, as well as manager training and manager update training, to ensure that individual testers and managers are prepared and informed. “For more information please call our friendly helpline team on 0845 305 4230, or visit our website at IndependentGarageAssociation.com” 46 AFTERMARKET JULY/AUGUST 2019 MOT www.aftermarketonline.net MOT UPDATE 2019 We look at what’s new in the MOT, encompassing the bedding-in of the ratings system, the DVSA approach and the coming impact of big data