I discovered today, much to my chagrin and the disappointment of a young lady looking forward to her driving test, that EasyAs Driver Training has no control over the test booking process on Saturdays, outside of Strathpine and Redcliffe testing centres.As most of you would know, the Department of Transport and Main Roads, being a public service entity, only opens during standard office hours Monday to Friday. On Saturdays separate arrangements appear to exist between different Driving ‘Schools’ and the Department. For example, this is the current arrangement of coordinators for the various testing centres in the immediate Brisbane and adjoining areas:
As you can see, if you wanted to undertake a Practical Driving Test on a Saturday, at Cleveland, I would need to coordinate that booking not directly with EasyAs Driver Training, or even with the Department of Transport and Main Roads, but with someone called ‘Puneet’ who has something to do with ‘Global Driver Training’. I have no idea who ‘Puneet’ is, what position he/she holds within ‘Global Driver Training’, what booking confirmation process exists between that entity and the Department, let alone what confirmation process, and guarantee of acceptance of the booking exists between that entity and EasyAs Driver Training, or indeed, with myself as the instructor ultimately involved. I am endeavouring to find out, but let me relate to you, dear reader, what occurred this morning.
On 9 August 2016, a young lady client of mine booked a Practical Driving Test through EasyAs Driver Training, as is the normally accepted course of events for all of my clients. By booking through the office, I am assured that both myself and the client are able to be together on that day. That’s called ‘coordination’ and it happens in my scheduling calendar. What I wasn’t aware of was that EasyAs Driver Training is required by this – as yet unexplained – third party process involving other driving ‘schools’, to outsource the booking request to – in this case – ‘Omega Driving School’ which then undertakes to complete the booking process. None of which appears in my calendar, and therefore, I am totally unaware of. I receive no confirmation of the booking actually taking place outside of the appointment appearing in my scheduling calendar, which I presume to have been completed by EasyAs Driver Training. Somewhere along the line, the booking was never made officially with the Department. This meant that when the young lady and I arrived at the Greenslopes testing centre, her name was not on any appointment list that day, and she could not take her driver’s licence test.
Can you imagine the distress and emotional trauma? After weeks of preparation, planning and expectation to be told by a functionary of the Transport Department, “Nup, not on the list, sorry, no test for you today”? Can you just imagine???
Accordingly, until such time as I am personally satisfied with a booking process that confirms directly to me that an appointment exists at any of the three centres I service – Cleveland, Greenslopes or Wynnum – I STRONGLY RECOMMEND that people who come driving with me DO NOT contemplate a Saturday Practical Driving Test unless absolutely necessary. The embarrassment, the emotional distress and disappointment of being told “sorry, you’re out of luck” is, to me, unacceptable and ought not occur under any circumstances. Be smart, stick with what you know and what I can positively confirm for you. Stay with Monday to Friday. Stay with what I know I can control on your behalf.