The Original Equipment Suppliers Aftermarket Association (OESAA) has echoed the call of its garage forum member, Hayley Pells, in urging MOT testers to complete their annual training and assessment early, so they can take advantage of a busy March.
At the beginning of February, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency confirmed that nearly 50,000 testers had yet to complete their annual assessment. It also confirmed that it will not extend the annual training year after already prolonging the period to help the industry recover from the COVID-19 pandemic; therefore, individuals that have incomplete qualifications will be suspended from testing from midnight on the 31st March.
However, Hayley has advised testers to complete their training early and not miss out on a likely windfall in March, with it forecast to be incredibly busy for qualified testers.
Hayley, an experienced MOT tester and technician, said her workshop, Avia Autos, employs three MOT testers, all of whom have completed their respective training and assessments and are ready to take advantage of the influx of vehicles.
She said: “Overall, testing volume is increasing due to the ageing nature of the UK car parc caused by poor new car sales, so there is a great window of opportunity for workshops to increase their revenue stream.
“Granted, finding the time to complete the minimum of three hours’ training per year, in a busy workshop, could be tricky, but the extra time put in now will generate great rewards.”
OESAA Chairman, Nigel Morgan, agreed with Hayley and hopes testers heed the advice to ensure they don’t miss out on a great opportunity.
He said: “A significant part of OESAA’s role is to support workshops, whether that be through live events, such as Autoinform Live, or synergy articles, to bolster their technical and business acumen, with the ultimate aim of strengthening their revenue stream in the immediate and long-term future – Hayley’s message, therefore, is absolutely right and OESAA supports her implicitly.
“MOT season is an incredibly busy time for workshops, so rather than wait until the last minute, we hope testers will find the time necessary, so they can hit the ground running at the beginning of March.”
Meanwhile, Avia Autos plans to begin a campaign in the second quarter of this year to improve motorist education, which she hopes will empower vehicle owners to make their own preparations for the annual MOT test, such as checking headlight bulbs, wiper blades and tyres.
Hayley added: “We have found working with motorists has strengthened our relationships with them and actively contributed to road safety.”