A review into truck testing by the Department for Transport (DfT) could open the door to MoTs being carried out by the private sector through accredited Authorised Testing Facility (ATF) operators.
Currently most of the ATFs are owned and run by the private sector, with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) supplying vehicle standards assessors to conduct MoTs on site.
According to sources, the DfT is to launch a review ‘in the coming months’ into the way HGV and trailer roadworthiness testing is carried out.
A DfT spokesperson said the department had ‘outlined our intention to undertake a review of the heavy vehicle testing system’ and that ‘it is only right that we ensure that the testing system operates as effectively as possible’.
The review will look at how to tackle the current shortage of DVSA testers and consider boosting numbers by allowing DVSA accredited testers from the private sector to test HGVs and trailers.
