Steve Crowdy; Auto Instructor Man

21/05/2026

Congratulations today goes to Jess Chatwin from Quarry Bank. Passed at Dudley Test Centre this morning at her 2nd attempt with only 2 driver faults!
Cracking drive Jess. Proud of ya!

06/05/2026

01/05/2026

Congratulations today goes to Ben McCue from Netherton.
He's passed at Dudley Test Centre at his 1st attempt (with me😉)
About time chap! Well done! So pleased for you!

14/04/2026

Congratulations today goes to Laura Bernard from Halesowen. She has passed at Dudley Test Centre today at her 1st attempt!! Well done mate! You beat those bloody nerves!!

10/04/2026

Congratulations today goes to Henry Bridgland from Stourbridge. He's passed at Dudley Test Centre today with only 2 driver faults!!
Well done chap, pleased for ya!!

30/03/2026

Congratulations today goes to Amber Cooper from Halesowen. She has passed at Dudley Test Centre at her 1st attempt!! Done with only 3 driver faults!!
(2 for speed🫣)
Well done mate. So pleased for you

25/03/2026

Congratulations today goes to Carl
Bannister from Halesowen.
He's passed at Dudley Test Centre at his 1st attempt!
Only 3 driving faults too!😎
Top job buddy!

17/03/2026

This really should be front page news but somehow isn't.

In Britain right now.

There are young people who can drive.

Who have been ready to drive for months.

Who passed their theory test.

Who completed their lessons.

Who are fully prepared.

And they cannot get a test date.

Not because they failed.

Not because they did anything wrong.

Because the DVLA doesn't have enough examiners.

And hasn't had enough for years.

The average wait in some parts of the country is now over nine months.

Nine months.

To sit a one hour test.

In a country that's been running driving tests since 1935.

And while they wait?

They keep paying for lessons.

At £40 an hour.

To maintain skills they already have.

For a test they can't book.

For a licence they've already earned.

But it gets worse.

Because into that gap stepped the bots.

Automated software that sweeps the DVLA booking system the moment a cancellation appears.

Snapping up the slot in milliseconds.

Before any human being can click.

And then selling it.

On third party sites.

For £150.

£200.

Sometimes £300.

For an appointment.

That should be free to book.

That your taxes already help fund.

Being sold back to you by someone with a laptop and no shame.

And the DVLA's response?

They are aware of the issue.

They are working on it.

They have been working on it for years.

While the bots keep running.

Think about what this actually means in real life.

A seventeen year old offered a job that requires a driving licence.

Can't take it.

A care worker who needs to drive between patients.

Still waiting.

An apprenticeship that requires travel.

Gone.

Because the system failed to give them a test slot.

In some areas the wait is so long that learners are booking tests in other regions.

Travelling hours.

Just for the chance to sit in a car with an examiner for sixty minutes.

In Britain.

In 2026.

The DVLA knows exactly how many tests it processes each year.

It knows the demand from 17 to 25 year olds isn't going anywhere.

It has known for years that examiner numbers were falling short.

And it did nothing.

While young people waited.

And paid.

And waited some more.

This isn't a backlog.

It's neglect.

Dressed up as a capacity issue.

17/03/2026

See if this helps at all...

We’re putting learners in control of their car driving test bookings 🚘

If you’ve got a booking or you’ll be looking for a test soon, make a note of these dates 📅

31 March 2026 – only 2 changes can be made to a booking

12 May 2026 – only learners are allowed to book a test and make changes

9 June 2026 – learners can move their booked test only to nearby centres

By changing who can book car and change driving tests, we’re aiming to reduce the re-selling of driving tests, giving the power back to learners 💪

Read more on GOV.UK 👇

https://ow.ly/uP1T50YuHaJ

13/03/2026

Congratulations this week goes to Mousa Kiad from Halesowen!
He's passed at the Dudley Test Centre with only 4 driver faults!!!(done while fasting too!!)
Well done chap, proud of ya!