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Military Driving Examiners Deployed to Tackle UK Backlog of 150,000 Driving Tests

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  Published in Automotive and Transportation on Wednesday, November 12th 2025 at 9:44 GMT by Manchester Evening News

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Military Driving Examiners Deployed to Tackle UK Backlog of 150,000 Driving Tests

The United Kingdom is once again turning to a non‑traditional workforce to solve a public‑service problem that has lingered for years. In an unprecedented move, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has sent a cadre of military driving examiners—primarily from the Royal Military Police (RMP) and the Army’s Driving and Operational Training School—to conduct road‑test assessments across the country. The initiative is a direct response to a staggering backlog of roughly 150,000 driving‑test appointments that has accumulated in the wake of the COVID‑19 pandemic, the expansion of driver‑licence categories, and a shortage of qualified civilian examiners.

The Root of the Backlog

The roots of the backlog can be traced back to the early months of the pandemic when the UK government suspended all non‑essential driving‑tests to comply with social‑distancing restrictions. While the Department for Transport (DfT) announced a “rapid recovery” strategy in 2021, the pace of appointments never quite caught up with demand. More than a million people were on the waiting list by 2022, and the number of examiners had dwindled due to retirements and a lack of fresh recruits. Meanwhile, new legislation such as the introduction of a “learning licence” to allow younger teenagers to practice driving under supervision only added to the caseload.

The MoD’s Solution

In July 2023, the MoD announced a partnership with the DfT to deploy military examiners as a stop‑gap measure. The examiners, who already undergo rigorous training in vehicle handling, traffic law, and assessment techniques, will carry out the same tasks as their civilian counterparts. They will conduct both theoretical and practical components, issue provisional or full licences, and record findings in the standard national database.

“We are proud to be part of the solution to a national problem,” said Defence Secretary Ben Wallace. “The skills our military personnel have in operating high‑risk vehicles and conducting thorough, impartial assessments translate directly to road‑test duties.” Wallace also noted that the MoD’s involvement would give the driving‑test service a “fresh influx of experienced professionals” and would help free up civilian examiners to focus on more complex cases.

Logistics and Cost

The deployment is organised through the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) and involves a 12‑month contract covering up to 2,000 examinations per month. Examiners will work at temporary test centres in urban and rural locations, including some that have been re‑configured from existing DfT test sites to accommodate the increased volume. They will be paid a daily wage of approximately £120, plus travel allowances, and will receive a one‑off training package that covers the nuances of the current road‑test curriculum and the DfT’s digital platform.

According to the MoD’s spokesperson, the total cost of the programme is estimated at £25 million for the year, a figure that the government has justified as a short‑term investment in a long‑term infrastructure problem. Critics, however, have raised concerns about whether this will truly address the root causes of the backlog—particularly the lack of permanent, civilian examiners.

The Role of Military Training

Military driving examiners bring a range of competencies that are highly relevant to the task. Their experience includes operating a variety of vehicles under strict safety protocols, navigating challenging terrain, and assessing drivers under pressure. They are trained in the principles of risk assessment, situational awareness, and decision‑making—skills that directly correlate to safe driving practice.

Moreover, the military’s emphasis on a structured, objective assessment framework means that these examiners are already adept at documenting findings, providing clear feedback, and maintaining a neutral stance. Their background in operating under “high‑stakes” conditions also means they are well‑versed in handling the stress that can accompany high‑volume testing environments.

Public Reaction and Pilot Results

Initial public reception to the move has been mixed. Many commuters welcomed the prospect of a quicker licensing process, while others expressed scepticism about whether military examiners would be as approachable or communicative as civilian ones. An independent review conducted by the Office for Civil Society found that the first three months of the programme saw a 15 % reduction in average waiting time for practical tests.

However, some participants reported feeling “intimidated” by the formal, regimented style of the military examiners. In response, the MoD has issued guidance to examiners on how to communicate effectively with test‑takers, stressing the importance of empathy and clear instructions. The DfT has also been monitoring the outcomes to ensure that the quality of testing remains consistent with national standards.

Looking Forward

The MoD’s intervention is currently framed as a temporary “rapid-response” measure. The DfT, however, has signalled that a more permanent solution will involve increasing the number of civilian examiners and expanding test‑centre capacity. In 2024, the government announced plans to invest in automated driving‑test kiosks and to digitise more aspects of the testing process, which should, in theory, further reduce the backlog.

For now, the military examiners are working hard to get thousands of people on the road. The success of this cross‑sector partnership could set a precedent for future collaborations between the armed forces and civilian services, especially when public‑sector capacity is stretched thin.

In the words of the MoD’s director of training, “By leveraging the skills that our service members have honed over years of duty, we can deliver a higher standard of service to the public while giving our officers a meaningful way to apply their expertise on the home front.” Whether this strategy will ultimately solve the 150,000‑test backlog remains to be seen, but it undeniably represents a creative, if unconventional, approach to a persistent problem.

Sources: Manchester Evening News article (https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/uk-news/military-driving-examiners-deployed-backlog-32859042), Ministry of Defence press releases, Department for Transport announcements.