RSA to SGS Transfers

ironclaw

Rang up today to transfer my test center from Churchtown to Bray. I was told that SGS won't take any transfers any more. So what, are waiting lists to just keep growing in Churchtown? Anyone else had the same response?

wicklow joe

i believe bray is to close on the 4th of march

ironclaw

I heard that alright. Its just so stupid. I applied in Jan, aiming to get Bray before it closed. Now, going on my friend, who applied to Chuchtown in November 08 and still hasn't got a date. I'm afraid its going to be months and my Leaving Cert is in June. It sad when you have to think that far ahead

fiona-f

Yup, the waiting lists are already back to being ridiculously long in Churchtown. I posted a thread about it a few weeks ago http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055456902 . It seems that SGS was only a temporary contract to reduce waiting lists for a year or so, and now the government are happy to let the waiting lists grow back to unmanageable proportions again. As I said, join me in writing to the Minister to complain, and if anyone comes canvassing to your door for the local or European elections in June, raise it with them too. The frustration of long waiting lists is one thing - it is somehow even worse when you realise that we had found a great system to improve things, only to turn around and abolish it so the waiting times can rocket again.

ironclaw

fiona-f wrote: »

Yup, the waiting lists are already back to being ridiculously long in Churchtown. I posted a thread about it a few weeks ago http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055456902 . It seems that SGS was only a temporary contract to reduce waiting lists for a year or so, and now the government are happy to let the waiting lists grow back to unmanageable proportions again. As I said, join me in writing to the Minister to complain, and if anyone comes canvassing to your door for the local or European elections in June, raise it with them too. The frustration of long waiting lists is one thing - it is somehow even worse when you realise that we had found a great system to improve things, only to turn around and abolish it so the waiting times can rocket again.

+1. As I said, I invisioned getting my test by March, so maybe if I had to resit I could do so before June. Its now looking like I'll be sitting in June which is no go. I can't wait to argue a cancellation because of my Leaving Cert. Its going to be epic "Well, I never thought I'd have to wait til June..."

Posy

So what SGS centres are remaining open for the forseeable future? This SGS thing is confusing me and all the centres are still listed on their website..

Permabear

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ironclaw

Caderyn wrote: »

So what SGS centres are remaining open for the forseeable future? This SGS thing is confusing me and all the centres are still listed on their website..

The bottom line is this:

1) If you apply now, you will be on the RSA waiting list and cannot be transfered to an SGS center

2) If you are on the waiting list for an SGS center i.e. You applied say last December-ish for Bray then you will more than likely be tested in Bray. SGS are just clearing their lists before they close.

3) You cannot be transfered to an SGS waiting / cancellation list.

4) All SGS centers will close by March / April this year or so I'm told.

fiona-f

donegalfella wrote: »

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I agree with the fact that it could have an impact on employment prospects, especially at a time that people are encouraging everyone to up-skill and train - what about the poor people who have just been laid off from unskilled jobs in Dell, surely a driving licence (for those that don't already have one) would broaden their new employment prospects so waiting four or five months for the test that half of them will need to take more than once is crazy.

Plus if it is the cost of the SGS programme that is an issue, I would be happy to pay the full economic cost of sitting my driving test if it meant that I could get an appointment within a reasonable space of time. What would this cost - one eighth of the tester's gross daily salary, plus employer's PRSI, plus a share of overheads. Assuming a tester is on, say, €35,000, that's €3000 a month so about €150 per working day, doing seven tests a day... I'd say €100 should well cover it. Then keep RSA for people who didn't want to pay the full fee and who didn't mind waiting.

Permabear

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brian076

ironclaw wrote: »

The bottom line is this:

1) If you apply now, you will be on the RSA waiting list and cannot be transfered to an SGS center

2) If you are on the waiting list for an SGS center i.e. You applied say last December-ish for Bray then you will more than likely be tested in Bray. SGS are just clearing their lists before they close.

3) You cannot be transfered to an SGS waiting / cancellation list.

4) All SGS centers will close by March / April this year or so I'm told.

I'm not so sure that this is the case. I spoke to one of my ex-colleagues last week who still works with SGS, and she told me that they'd recently received 50,000 tests from the RSA, so that might keep the testers in a job and reduce the waiting lists.
I mentioned before in other threads that it was much more cost efficient for the Gov. to pay SGS than their own testers. SGS testers carried out 47 tests per week, compared with less than 30 by RSA testers. The Gov. testers are also paid approx 50% more than their counterparts, so the maths is simple. The only reason that the RSA testers are being kept is that they have a very strong union, and they also got a guarantee of overtime to make up for the tests lost which would have been carried out by SGS testers.