driving test queue bypass

CarberyMan

I was wondering does anyone know what the deal is with getting a letter from your company to speed up the waiting for your driving test. I'm starting a new job soon and know they will require me to do some driving between offices in Dublin.

Do i need to go to the company first to get a letter or is there some kind of form to fill out ?

I tried ringing the driving centre 1890 406040 but have been stuck on hold all day ..:(

Creamy Goodness

go to your company, get them to write a letter on letter headed paper.

then just send this in with your normal application, you should get a cancelation spot within 4 weeks, that is how long it took mine to go through but hey it beats waiting 60 weeks and i'm glad to say i got the job after passing my test (they told me job was mine if i passed the test).

Noelie

just make one up, I created a Spar letter head put an address and telephone number on it, and sent it off. Done the trick for me and my brother, he got his test within a month mine was 7 weeks

CarberyMan

OK, thanks for that lads ...

Anyone have any info on driving lessons, I was thinking of doing them with RAC in rathmines. Anyone know if they are any good ?

road_high

I don't see the point in this really..You hear of half the country doing this, so if everybody is at I don't see how things can be speeded up significantly.

People should just have the foresight to just go and apply for the test well in advance and get it out of the way.I know the waiting lists are a disgrace but I don't see why others should be getting priority just because of work commitments. They should got the test out of the way well before the work scenario arose.

Victor

There were something like 22,000 cancellations last year. It can be made to work. It may mean sittign around a test cetre for a few days though.

Wishbone Ash

Tell them that you are available to be tested at very short notice and/or write it in large print on top of your application form.

CarberyMan

The point is to make use of cancelled appointments and to give priority to people with work requirements.

Seems simple enough to me, Mfitzy

Right_Side

mfitzy wrote:

I don't see the point in this really..You hear of half the country doing this, so if everybody is at I don't see how things can be speeded up significantly.

There is every point. 60 weeks v 4-6 weeks! Not rocket science. People who wait are suckers.

mikedragon32

Right_Side wrote:

There is every point. 60 weeks v 4-6 weeks! Not rocket science. People who wait are suckers.

Or maybe they have the forethought to apply for the test and THEN learn to drive?

I don't have a problem with people getting hooked up with tests on cancellations btw, but it's a farce that people could go through 4 (or more) years of provisional licences before even thinking of applying for the test!

Irish Salfordia

CarberyMan wrote:

I was wondering does anyone know what the deal is with getting a letter from your company to speed up the waiting for your driving test. I'm starting a new job soon and know they will require me to do some driving between offices in Dublin.

Do i need to go to the company first to get a letter or is there some kind of form to fill out ?

I tried ringing the driving centre 1890 406040 but have been stuck on hold all day ..:(

As the waiting list is 12+ months in most Dublin Test Centres most test candidates would be well advised to book a test appointment ASAP, when they have started driving. The trouble you are asked on the form to say dates when you will not be available for your test, i.e. holidays, work training etc. but who knows this a year in advance? Because the wait for a test is so long that is why there are cancellations available, and these are then offered to people who need a quicker test for work to take.

When you are ready and up to speed for the test, that is when to send in a letter from an employer. When you book a test originally, you get a reference number on your acknowledgement letter. When you send or fax in the letter from work, make sure you put the reference number on so they can match it up with your original application.

Beware, though, that you could get a date for test anything from a couple of days up to 3 months. They are using up appointments that have already been offered to others and have been cancelled, so make sure you are ready - pass rate is only just over 50%

Wishbone Ash

Irish Salfordia wrote:

most test candidates would be well advised to book a test appointment ASAP, when they have started driving.

Or well before they start driving!

The trouble you are asked on the form to say dates when you will not be available for your test, i.e. holidays, work training etc. but who knows this a year in advance?

You are given ample opportunity to reschedule the date without forfeiting the test fee (up to 10 days before the test AFAIK). Most people who cancel do not do so because of holidays, work etc. They just chicken out and abuse the safety blanket of the provisional licence system. This is very common in category B tests. It's very rare with truck, bus and motorcycle tests.

When you are ready and up to speed for the test, that is when to send in a letter from an employer.

I disagree. Send the letter with the application and state that you are willing to be tested at very short notice.

imeddyhobbs

this thing of sending a letter to get your test brought forward is just skipping the que,like skangers getting pregnang so they can get a house before anyone else that was in the que before them,jump the que,its clever!its irish.

Rovi

imeddyhobbs wrote:

this thing of sending a letter to get your test brought forward is just skipping the que,like skangers getting pregnang so they can get a house before anyone else that was in the que before them,jump the que,its clever!its irish.

I agree!
Far better that the testers sit in their offices (on full pay, I presume) twiddling their thumbs for those approx. 22,000 cancellations per year than for someone who is willing and available to attempt the test to actually make use of the time slot.
How dare they be so presumptuous as to avail of an opportunity that would otherwise go to waste!
:rolleyes:

interested

In addition to passing along a letter from your company it doesnt hurt to bash a one paragraph letter from yourself explaining why you need to get a test in a hurry (job, personal reasons, existing commute a nightmare, etc). My brief dealings with the driver test centre in Mayo was that they'll respond almost immediately to a written letter since its auditable if you know what I mean - rather than a phone call they dont have to take

I didnt realise the number of cancelations was so high, 22000 ... strikes me that alot of people are either really busy or would prefer to cancel than face the possibility of failing. Or maybe there'll be another amnesty ...

westtip

Dear Bertie,

I have a child aged three, as he is likely to need to drive at some point in his future life, could you advise if I would be as well to place him on the waiting list for his first driving test when he is eighteen now. Whilst I think about it is there anyway I can get him on a waiting list for any medical procedures he might need in say his mid sixties.

I await your advice.

Yours etc.

I suggest sending a letter along these lines to secure a driving test for your children.

Wishbone Ash

imeddyhobbs wrote:

this thing of sending a letter to get your test brought forward is just skipping the que,like skangers getting pregnang so they can get a house before anyone else that was in the que before them,jump the que,its clever!its irish.

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: Maybe you should change your username to "imaskanger".

Rovi wrote:

Far better that the testers sit in their offices (on full pay, I presume) twiddling their thumbs for those approx. 22,000 cancellations per year than for someone who is willing and available to attempt the test to actually make use of the time slot.
How dare they be so presumptuous as to avail of an opportunity that would otherwise go to waste!

100% agree Rovi.

Dodd2550

Does the reference number shorten your waiting time?

Permabear

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