DVSA CEO Loveday Ryder Steps Down — What It Means for Learners and Instructors

🚗 A Major Change at the Top

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has announced that Chief Executive Loveday Ryder is stepping down after nearly five years in charge.

Her time at the agency has been marked by enormous challenges — from the COVID-19 backlog to ongoing test-availability issues that continue to frustrate instructors and learners alike.

For those of us on the front line of driver training, her departure feels like a turning point.

💼 Ryder’s Time in the Hot Seat

Loveday Ryder took the helm of the DVSA in early 2021, right in the middle of the pandemic recovery. With lessons halted, test centres closed, and hundreds of thousands of learners waiting in limbo, it was a tough start.

Her background in government digital services meant she was well placed to modernise the DVSA’s online systems — but the road ahead was never going to be smooth.

During her tenure:

• The DVSA tackled COVID test backlogs and reopened services under intense pressure.

• A number of digital improvements were promised to streamline booking and communication.

• The agency began publicly addressing test-booking “bots” and examiner shortages.

But despite good intentions, waiting times remained long, and instructors continued to feel unheard.

⏳Progress Made – But Not Enough

Ryder deserves credit for increasing transparency. She often used DVSA blogs to update instructors and acknowledge frustration in the system.

However, communication alone wasn’t enough to fix the problems.

Even now, many learners face waits of up to 20 weeks for a test slot — something few in the industry see as acceptable. Instructor forums, trade bodies, and social media groups have consistently voiced the same concern: change needs to come faster.

🔄 What Happens Next

The Department for Transport has thanked Ryder for her leadership and confirmed that a new chief executive will be appointed soon. Whoever steps into the role will inherit a long to-do list:

• Reduce test-waiting times and recruit more examiners

• Strengthen the online booking system and tackle automated bot activity

• Improve collaboration with Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs)

• Deliver a smoother, fairer customer experience for learners

For instructors, this could mean shifts in policy, communication, and testing priorities — potentially good news if the right leadership takes the reins.

💬 Our View at Safe & Test Ready

At Safe & Test Ready Driving School, we believe that every learner deserves access to fair, timely, and consistent testing.

Most examiners do an incredible job under pressure — but the system around them needs proper investment and smart management.

Loveday Ryder’s departure offers a chance for renewal: a fresh approach, modern systems, and better support for both instructors and learners.

We’ll be watching closely — and as ever, helping our pupils stay Safe & Test Ready, whatever changes come next.