Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon
A community leader helping the NZ Transport Agency recruit extra driver's licence testing officers says the process has been messy and a betrayal of people's trust.
The agency is spending an estimated $3.5 million to recruit and train 85 extra testing officers to meet the huge backlog of people waiting to sit their licence test.
The costs of recruiting, training and paying new officers will be covered by driver licensing revenue.
Wendy Robertson heads the Driving Change Network, an advocacy group that supports driver education, training and licensing.
NZTA "messy" decisions on driver testing officer recruitment
She said NZTA was looking for driving instructors to train as testing officers and help clear the queue of people waiting to sit their test.
"We have a close working relationship with NZTA and we knew from feedback from our membership that the wait times were a huge problem. We wanted to be part of the solution and we wanted to do whatever we could to help fix the issue."
Three training courses were set to be held in Auckland, and participants were told all costs would be covered.
"They were willing to pay all of the transport to the course and all accommodation while they were doing the course, as well as being paid for their time during the training period."
Most driving instructors attending the current course have travelled from outside Auckland.
NZTA said in a statement that graduates from the first training course this month will now be able to work at testing stations around the country.
But Robertson said NZTA has changed requirements for the next two courses in September and October.
Auckland is the area with the greatest need for more testing officers.
"They didn't have as many people for the Auckland region as they had hoped ... And so the decision was made that anybody on the second and third courses would need to be working in the Auckland region."
Essentially it meant trainees from around the country will have to stay in Auckland to do testing, and cover all their own living costs.
Robertson believed this was an abuse of people's trust.
"I can understand why people are feeling a little bit betrayed. They volunteered their time with the best of interests, gave up their businesses ... and were willing to put themselves out. They never expected to be out of pocket because of it."
The agency said plans for the next two courses have not been finalised, but it has confirmed Auckland was a high priority region.
Robertson said that meant some potential testing officers would pull out.
"I have heard people are withdrawing from the course, which is really disappointing because all of us want the long wait time addressed. It's hopeless for everybody in New Zealand not being able to get a test and gain their licence."
One of those potential officers was Felicity Weston, a driving instructor based in Ōtaki.
After signing up for a training course, she was giving up due to a lack of communication.
"They [NZTA] told me that they would give me an update last Friday and that hadn't happened."
Robertson said the need for Auckland-based officers should have been communicated better from the start, and her members in the Driving Change community network were frustrated.
"They want to be part of the solution, but they feel like they are really just being used."
Agency doing its best on backlog - minister
Simeon Brown Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
Transport Minister Simeon Brown said NZTA was doing its best to clear the backlog, and other options were being considered, but did not elaborate on what those options were.
"It is increasing the number of tests which are being done on a weekly basis, but we still have a significant backlog of around 70,000."
The minister said he was disappointed that NZTA changed its position on paying for accommodation and travel for people undertaking this training.
Meanwhile, Robertson there needed to be a systemic overhaul of driver licensing.
"It's really frustrating that such a vital system in our country is not working well."