Latest news with #DriveNow
BreakingNews.ie
4 days ago
- Automotive
- BreakingNews.ie
Apps cut driving test waiting times by monitoring cancellations at nearby centres
There are apps that can alert you of driving test cancellations, and one can even automatically book a slot for you. If you're looking to get your driving test done as soon as possible, it might be worth downloading the DriveNow app or the DrivingTest Helper IE app. Advertisement DriveNow helps you find earlier driving test dates by monitoring cancellations across all Road Safety Authority (RSA) test centres in Ireland. You can get instant notifications when a cancellation becomes available at your preferred test centres. DrivingTest Helper IE can also notify you of cancellations. As well as this, it can automatically book them for you to ensure you do not miss out on a slot. Its system continuously monitors driving test centre across the State, giving learner drivers the edge in securing earlier test dates. One review of the DrivingTest Helper IE app states: "Helped me get a test within two weeks. Very easy to log in every two hours. Would recommend 100%." Another says: "App is amazing add your preferences and you will get a slot accordingly. And if you have any query's the individuals are willing to answer any questions and are truly very helpful 100% recommend for anyone."
Irish Independent
07-05-2025
- Automotive
- Irish Independent
'People are coming from Dublin to sit one in Limerick' – driving test wait times soar as learners travel across Ireland for appointments
Five test centres in the country have seen waiting times for driving tests double or even triple in comparison to the 2024 CSO figures Today at 05:31 The timeframe between completing 12 lessons and sitting the driving test has increased within the last year in a number of counties, new figures have revealed. Waiting times for driving tests have doubled or almost tripled across counties Westmeath, Mayo, Limerick and Offaly in comparison to 2024 waiting times. Learner drivers in Limerick faced waiting periods for driving tests in Castlemungret of eight weeks on average in 2024 which almost tripled to 22 weeks in 2025. Waiting times for the driving test centre in Woodview, Co. Limerick averaged at nine weeks in 2024 and more than doubled to 24 weeks in 2025. However, a Limerick driving instructor says the current figures do not show the full picture of what is happening, they explained: 'If you were to apply to Castlemungret today and you are eligible to sit the test, as in your six months are up and you have your 12 lessons completed, you'll get an invitation roughly around the week of December 20 and if you were to apply for Woodview for the same criteria, you'll get an invitation for your test around December 1." The driving instructor, who has over 20 years of experience in teaching learner drivers continued: 'Newcastle West's would be September 29, is the actual waiting time as of today, now that's the average for that test centre but every test centre is different.' There's people coming from as far as Dublin to sit tests in Limerick The instructor said: "It's getting messy at the moment obviously but this new app Drive Now, that app is not working because what's happening in Limerick is, there's been about five or six cancellations in Limerick in the last two weeks, but literally, they're taken immediately because there's people sitting online waiting to take them.' Cross-country travel for tests leading to higher failure rates The instructor said: 'There's people coming from as far as Dublin to sit tests in Limerick, they're coming, they're sitting the test in Limerick, they're failing the test in Limerick because they have no idea of the test routes plus they're not properly prepared for the test. "So that slot that could have went to somebody that's prepared in Limerick is being taken by somebody else that's quicker to pick it up on the cancellation list from this new app that's out so the app is a disaster at the moment, I think.' They continued: "As well as that then, you do your twelve lessons with people and you've no idea when they're going to be sitting a test so it's very difficult.' The instructor said that when they recently spoke to a tester, they said their first test that morning came from Dublin to sit the test and the second one that day came from west Cork. ADVERTISEMENT They said: 'The question he asked people doing the test was 'have you done lessons in this test centre?' after the test was completed, the answer to both was no. They both failed obviously, so they're not coming prepared for the test correctly either.' Unprepared vehicles and no shows contributing to backlogs Speaking on what could be contributing the long waiting times for tests, the instructor explained: "My observation of it is, the amount of no shows that are there every week for tests is quiet high, the amount of non-conducted tests is quite high as well so that's where I see the problem is people not coming to the test centre with their cars properly prepared for the test and there's a list of criteria there that they give that you have to do checks on. "They turn up to the test, I must see 10 or 15 tests, probably fortnightly that don't go ahead because of different things like people that don't know what they are supposed to be looking for like a tax disc out of date, insurance out of date, brake light not working, engine management light on in the system of the car, they're non-conducted tests and then no shows on top of that, I'd imagine that's accounting for a big proportion of what's not being done, I think that's making the figures higher than what they need to be, I've seen people turn up without L plates for a driving test.' The instructor also shared what they have seen learner drivers experience once their lessons are completed, he said: "In the interim when I finish my lessons with people and they're trying to do a test, it's basically fastest finger first if they get a cancellation because of the way that that app works, now it is successful on occasions for people but it's getting less and less at the moment because there's so many people looking for cancellations.' In Ballina, Co. Mayo, learner drivers faced an average waiting time of 11 weeks in 2024 which increased to 23 weeks in 2025 while Castlebar's test centre had an average waiting period of nine weeks in 2024 which increased to 23 weeks in 2025. A centre in Birr, Co. Offaly had an average waiting time of 15 weeks for a test in 2024 which increased to 27 weeks in 2025 while the centre in Athlone, Co. Westmeath saw an increase from 10 weeks in 2024 to 27 weeks in 2025. Mayo instructor: 'It's just like a wall of people waiting for tests' Driving instructor Tony Morris of Tony and Maria's Driving School in Ballina, Co. Mayo said: 'The twelve lesson course is supposed to take six months, I suppose a lot of students try to rush lessons as well because they know there's a long waiting list and then they're not ready for their test anyway. "So even when they've done their twelve lessons, they tend not to do much more in between until they hear from their test and the test does take a long time so I suspect there's a few examiners coming on board so as far as I'm aware their test time should be coming down eventually but it is quite a long wait.' 'I'd say generally it's a big backlog of people that are just waiting so we might send three or four people in for a test and they're waiting three or four months and then there's another three or four coming and the other ones are still waiting so it's just like wall of people just waiting for tests.' "We could probably help out in tests, we're trained instructors but there's no word of that happening.' RSA conducted record 253,850 tests in 2024 A spokesperson for the Road Safety Authority (RSA) told the Irish Independent that the Driver Testing Service has experienced 'unprecedented demand' in recent years with the number of applications for a driving test increasing significantly since 2021. The average waiting time for a test nationally is 24.1 weeks. In 2024 a total of 253,850 driving tests were conducted, up from 196,853 in 2023, making it a record year for the delivery of tests. The RSA have said that the delivery of 253,850 tests was only possible due to the support of testing staff through 'significant levels of overtime and improvements in operational efficiencies.' A recruitment campaign for new driver testers was launched following government approval for increased permanent sanction in September 2024. This will increase the number of permanent sanctioned testers from 130 to 200. The RSA said It should be noted that the number of permanent testers was 100 in 2022, and this rose to 130 following sanction from the Department of Transport. Minister meets RSA over waiting times Minister for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rails and Ports, Séan Canney met with RSA leadership on May 1, 2025 to focus on the need to reduce the current waiting times for driving tests which the department described as: 'far in excess of what is acceptable.' At the end February there were 144 permanent testers employed by the RSA, inclusive of 28 temporary testers who were successful in the open competition and moved to permanent contracts at the beginning of this year. Another group of 13 testers are in the final stages of training and will be deployed to Dublin and Cork, where demand is particularly high at the end of April. Further Training of our new recruits will take place in May, July, September and October. The RSA have said they will have 200 testers available in November. As these new recruits join the service, the waiting times will reduce significantly towards the end of the year.
Irish Independent
07-05-2025
- Automotive
- Irish Independent
Driving test waiting times double in one year across four counties – ‘People are coming from Dublin to sit one in Limerick'
Waiting times for driving tests have doubled or almost tripled across counties Westmeath, Mayo, Limerick and Offaly in comparison to 2024 waiting times. Learner drivers in Limerick faced waiting periods for driving tests in Castlemungret of eight weeks on average in 2024 which almost tripled to 22 weeks in 2025. Waiting times for the driving test centre in Woodview, Co. Limerick averaged at nine weeks in 2024 and more than doubled to 24 weeks in 2025. However, a Limerick driving instructor says the current figures do not show the full picture of what is happening, they explained: 'If you were to apply to Castlemungret today and you are eligible to sit the test, as in your six months are up and you have your 12 lessons completed, you'll get an invitation roughly around the week of December 20 and if you were to apply for Woodview for the same criteria, you'll get an invitation for your test around December 1." The driving instructor, who has over 20 years of experience in teaching learner drivers continued: 'Newcastle West's would be September 29, is the actual waiting time as of today, now that's the average for that test centre but every test centre is different.' The instructor said: "It's getting messy at the moment obviously but this new app Drive Now, that app is not working because what's happening in Limerick is, there's been about five or six cancellations in Limerick in the last two weeks, but literally, they're taken immediately because there's people sitting online waiting to take them.' The instructor said: 'There's people coming from as far as Dublin to sit tests in Limerick, they're coming, they're sitting the test in Limerick, they're failing the test in Limerick because they have no idea of the test routes plus they're not properly prepared for the test. "So that slot that could have went to somebody that's prepared in Limerick is being taken by somebody else that's quicker to pick it up on the cancellation list from this new app that's out so the app is a disaster at the moment, I think.' They continued: "As well as that then, you do your twelve lessons with people and you've no idea when they're going to be sitting a test so it's very difficult.' The instructor said that when they recently spoke to a tester, they said their first test that morning came from Dublin to sit the test and the second one that day came from west Cork. They said: 'The question he asked people doing the test was 'have you done lessons in this test centre?' after the test was completed, the answer to both was no. They both failed obviously, so they're not coming prepared for the test correctly either.' Speaking on what could be contributing the long waiting times for tests, the instructor explained: "My observation of it is, the amount of no shows that are there every week for tests is quiet high, the amount of non-conducted tests is quite high as well so that's where I see the problem is people not coming to the test centre with their cars properly prepared for the test and there's a list of criteria there that they give that you have to do checks on. "They turn up to the test, I must see 10 or 15 tests, probably fortnightly that don't go ahead because of different things like people that don't know what they are supposed to be looking for like a tax disc out of date, insurance out of date, brake light not working, engine management light on in the system of the car, they're non-conducted tests and then no shows on top of that, I'd imagine that's accounting for a big proportion of what's not being done, I think that's making the figures higher than what they need to be, I've seen people turn up without L plates for a driving test.' The instructor also shared what they have seen learner drivers experience once their lessons are completed, he said: "In the interim when I finish my lessons with people and they're trying to do a test, it's basically fastest finger first if they get a cancellation because of the way that that app works, now it is successful on occasions for people but it's getting less and less at the moment because there's so many people looking for cancellations.' In Ballina, Co. Mayo, learner drivers faced an average waiting time of 11 weeks in 2024 which increased to 23 weeks in 2025 while Castlebar's test centre had an average waiting period of nine weeks in 2024 which increased to 23 weeks in 2025. A centre in Birr, Co. Offaly had an average waiting time of 15 weeks for a test in 2024 which increased to 27 weeks in 2025 while the centre in Athlone, Co. Westmeath saw an increase from 10 weeks in 2024 to 27 weeks in 2025. Driving instructor Tony Morris of Tony and Maria's Driving School in Ballina, Co. Mayo said: 'The twelve lesson course is supposed to take six months, I suppose a lot of students try to rush lessons as well because they know there's a long waiting list and then they're not ready for their test anyway. "So even when they've done their twelve lessons, they tend not to do much more in between until they hear from their test and the test does take a long time so I suspect there's a few examiners coming on board so as far as I'm aware their test time should be coming down eventually but it is quite a long wait.' 'I'd say generally it's a big backlog of people that are just waiting so we might send three or four people in for a test and they're waiting three or four months and then there's another three or four coming and the other ones are still waiting so it's just like wall of people just waiting for tests.' "We could probably help out in tests, we're trained instructors but there's no word of that happening.' A spokesperson for the Road Safety Authority (RSA) told the Irish Independent that the Driver Testing Service has experienced 'unprecedented demand' in recent years with the number of applications for a driving test increasing significantly since 2021. The average waiting time for a test nationally is 24.1 weeks. In 2024 a total of 253,850 driving tests were conducted, up from 196,853 in 2023, making it a record year for the delivery of tests. The RSA have said that the delivery of 253,850 tests was only possible due to the support of testing staff through 'significant levels of overtime and improvements in operational efficiencies.' A recruitment campaign for new driver testers was launched following government approval for increased permanent sanction in September 2024. This will increase the number of permanent sanctioned testers from 130 to 200. The RSA said It should be noted that the number of permanent testers was 100 in 2022, and this rose to 130 following sanction from the Department of Transport. Minister for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rails and Ports, Séan Canney met with RSA leadership on May 1, 2025 to focus on the need to reduce the current waiting times for driving tests which the department described as: 'far in excess of what is acceptable.' At the end February there were 144 permanent testers employed by the RSA, inclusive of 28 temporary testers who were successful in the open competition and moved to permanent contracts at the beginning of this year. Another group of 13 testers are in the final stages of training and will be deployed to Dublin and Cork, where demand is particularly high at the end of April. Further Training of our new recruits will take place in May, July, September and October. The RSA have said they will have 200 testers available in November. As these new recruits join the service, the waiting times will reduce significantly towards the end of the year.
The Irish Sun
25-04-2025
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
I'm an Irish driving instructor and I've easy hack to get quicker test date
AN Irish driving instructor has revealed a simple hack to get your test date quicker. Learner are facing long waits while the number of no-shows for scheduled tests has been rising each month for the past year. 2 Laralewisdrivingschool is a popular instructor on TikTok Credit: Social Media Collect 2 And she shared how you can speed up the driving test wait list Credit: Social Media Collect An analysis by Lara, known on TikTok as And she revealed a major hack to speed up test waiting time. Lara said learner drivers can go on to their READ MORE IN MOTORS With this, you can see which test centres have the shortest waiting times and apply to do your test there. After receiving your invitation to book your test, you can then change it back to the test centre closest to you without the hassle of the waiting list. Lara said: "If you are applying for your driving test, you can go on to your My Road Safety account and put in all the different test centres around the country. "You can identify which test centre has the shortest waiting time and apply to that test centre. MOST READ IN MOTORS "When you get your invitation to book your test, you can change it back to the test centre of your preference." I'm an Irish driving instructor and here's what will happen if you get all of the theory questions wrong on day of test Another driving instructor Lyle, known on TikTok as Lyle revealed that novice drivers can get an app on their He said: "You can use it for free and select a test centre, and you can go into the app and see all the available cancellation dates. "And then you can book it from that through the RSA website." Lyle then revealed that if you pay a subscription fee in the app, you will get unlimited notifications when an available date is free near you. What's more, novice Lyle added: "You can also pay for the app and you can get unlimited notifications for cancellations that are live, and you will be able to book it straight away. "And we know that cancellations often go very, very fast. "If you don't want to wait very long and if you want to grab a cancellation while they're there, it might be a good idea to use the DriveNow app." The app is available through You can use it for free, and it's €4.99 per week for those willing to pay the subscription.
The Irish Sun
25-04-2025
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
I'm an Irish driving instructor and I've easy hack to get test date quicker
AN Irish driving instructor has revealed a simple hack to get your test date quicker. Learner are facing long waits while the number of no-shows for scheduled tests has been rising each month for the past year. 2 Laralewisdrivingschool is a popular instructor on TikTok Credit: Social Media Collect 2 And she shared how you can speed up the driving test wait list Credit: Social Media Collect An analysis by Lara, known on TikTok as And she revealed a major hack to speed up test waiting time. Lara said learner drivers can go on to their READ MORE IN MOTORS With this, you can see which test centres have the shortest waiting times and apply to do your test there. After receiving your invitation to book your test, you can then change it back to the test centre closest to you without the hassle of the waiting list. Lara said: "If you are applying for your driving test, you can go on to your My Road Safety account and put in all the different test centres around the country. "You can identify which test centre has the shortest waiting time and apply to that test centre. MOST READ IN MOTORS "When you get your invitation to book your test, you can change it back to the test centre of your preference." I'm an Irish driving instructor and here's what will happen if you get all of the theory questions wrong on day of test Another driving instructor Lyle, known on TikTok as Lyle revealed that novice drivers can get an app on their He said: "You can use it for free and select a test centre, and you can go into the app and see all the available cancellation dates. "And then you can book it from that through the RSA website." Lyle then revealed that if you pay a subscription fee in the app, you will get unlimited notifications when an available date is free near you. What's more, novice Lyle added: "You can also pay for the app and you can get unlimited notifications for cancellations that are live, and you will be able to book it straight away. "And we know that cancellations often go very, very fast. "If you don't want to wait very long and if you want to grab a cancellation while they're there, it might be a good idea to use the DriveNow app." The app is available through You can use it for free, and it's €4.99 per week for those willing to pay the subscription.
