Driving test bookers

Nebbit

I am trying to book my daughter's first driving test and discovering what a crazy system it is. On the DVSA site you wait a long time and then it throws you off. Can anyone recommend a company that provides an honest service for booking first driving tests? She has a driving instructor but he only does driving, not test booking. Thank you.  

400ixl

When we were doing this for our DD it was better to understand the times that they update the site and do it yourself. These booking apps were a poor substitute as all they did was scrape the site and then send out the results. You would have already seen them by the time they went out in the apps.

Flugelhorn

400ixl said:

When we were doing this for our DD it was better to understand the times that they update the site and do it yourself. These booking apps were a poor substitute as all they did was scrape the site and then send out the results. You would have already seen them by the time they went out in the apps.

the sites that do the scraping are good if you are looking for a cancellation and already have date booked eg for a retake.   seem to remember that there are specific days when the test allocations are uploaded and this is when you have to get booking 

Nebbit

I was told by the instructor to book early on a Monday morning but when I got to the front of the queue I got this error message and had to go back to the start 

cw8825

have just been able to log on, closest within reasonable distance to me is Mid August. So much for 21 weeks

Nebbit

mid August would be fine for us and I could get tests then, but nowhere near where we live. South East England is completely booked up

cw8825

i have found its easier , if you book for anywhere even the north east, just to get you on the system then keep checking. i have now been able to bring it forward to mid june

Lorian

Look often to find a cancellation. I believe we had most joy looking about 7.30am but check others experiences. We managed to jump to shorter and shorter waits.

Nebbit

cw8825 said:

i have found its easier , if you book for anywhere even the north east, just to get you on the system then keep checking. i have now been able to bring it forward to mid june

Do you mean that if you book a test, even if it's in an area where you don't intend to do it, you can then cancel that and swap for one in the area where you do intend to do it? And that this approach is easier than initially trying to find one in the wanted area ? 

Flugelhorn

Nebbit said:

cw8825 said:

i have found its easier , if you book for anywhere even the north east, just to get you on the system then keep checking. i have now been able to bring it forward to mid june

Do you mean that if you book a test, even if it's in an area where you don't intend to do it, you can then cancel that and swap for one in the area where you do intend to do it? And that this approach is easier than initially trying to find one in the wanted area ? 

certainly I think that is what some people do - if you are looking for say a retest and what it more quickly then you can do this and use the apps available that automatically scan for something nearby and book it for you 

cw8825

Nebbit said:

cw8825 said:

i have found its easier , if you book for anywhere even the north east, just to get you on the system then keep checking. i have now been able to bring it forward to mid june

Do you mean that if you book a test, even if it's in an area where you don't intend to do it, you can then cancel that and swap for one in the area where you do intend to do it? And that this approach is easier than initially trying to find one in the wanted area ? 

yes.
The system is absurd but that's the way. 
I'm in the midlands, initially booked a date in Wales because none were showing at all local. Now I have been able to move it close to me and sooner