DSA's Trading Surplus
Earlier in 2013 DSA were asked to provide the actual cost of providing both theory and practical tests. They were also asked for the cost of B+E tests.
The reply received can be seen below.
The estimated costs to DSA for delivering practical tests are as follows:
Car practical £59.15
Car practical – Out Of Hours £74.44
Car - Theory test £22.69
Motorcycle - Mod 1 £54.93
Motorcycle - Mod 1 - Out Of Hours £63.94
Motorcycle - Mod 2 £75.49
Motorcycle - Mod 2 - Out Of Hours £86.22
Motorcycle - Theory test £26.75
Vocational £89.07
Vocational - Out Of Hours £112.34
Vocational - Theory test £16.31
CPC - Module 4 £45.36
CPC - Module 4 - Out Of Hours £56.54
B+E tests are included in vocational tests for this purpose.
You are all aware of what the DSA charge; you can now see how they manage to have a trading surplus that runs into many millions.
The question is then asked why the merger with VOSA. The answer becomes clear when you become aware that VOSA have been running at a loss for years. The losses at one time were near to 50 million per year. This figure has been reduced but it has not run at a profit for many a year. So is the merger about linking one agency that make a trading surplus with another that makes a loss so that the government can state they have balanced the books.
You must decide. You should also watch to see how fees could possibly rise to offset VOSA's losses.