Tecalemit’s Malc England asks whether it’s time you start MOT testing?
Have you thought about installing your own in-house MOT testing?
Have you been outsourcing your customers’ vehicles for MOT testing with all of the associated expense and administration costs?
Have you considered installing your own inhouse MOT testing capability, but are unsure where to start?
Are you an established MOT testing station utilising a two person test capability and would like to update to a One Person Test Lane (OPTL)?
If the answer is yes to any of the above, then the team at Tecalemit Garage Equipment can help with the entire process from start to finish, including all of the DVSA application processes, the civil works and the project management of the end to end process. We have a team of six specialists, located around the UK, specialising in working with vehicle workshops in order to help create an MOT Test station, or update an established test station to a One Person Test Lane (OPTL) or an Automated Test Lane (ATL) format.
Will it fit?
The first place to start is with the Class of vehicles you wish to test, followed by the critical question ‘will it fit’. With over 100 years of collective experience, the Tecalemit MOT specialists can help answer that question in a matter of minutes. Even when space is very limited, Tecalemit’s knowledge can quickly identify they type of bay configuration that can be deployed. See Fig.1.
For example, a scissor lift can often be utilised in narrow width buildings because the lack of lift posts mean that the minimum equipment to wall pillar dimensions can be accommodated. The DVSA’s mandated specifications are very specific and precise and cross checking them against a variety of equipment sizes can be a daunting task. Tecalemit’s MOT specialists have dealt with just about every challenge since they started working with the MOT test standards in the late 1960s. Have you got enough headroom? Have you got enough door access width? Have you got sufficient room around the perimeter of the equipment? Is part of the MOT bay going to extend outside of the building?
What do I need
Having determined that you want a Class IV & VII MOT bay incorporating Class I & II motorcycle, what do you need? Want and need can sometimes differ and the team at Tecalemit are adept at considering how best to achieve your goals. Overlaying Motorcycle Class I &II into a Class IV or VII bay has implications for both space and bay utilisation. Sometimes, physical space will determine the need for a separate class I & II bay in order to accommodate the brake test area within the regulations. Tecalemit can work with client wants and needs to engineer a practical and workable solution.
Gaining DVSA approval
When the appropriate class and specification of equipment options have been correctly determined, the next step is to make a formal application to the DVSA. This applies to new MOT bays and conversion of current two person test bays into OPTL or ATL formats.
You’ll need to complete a VT01, a phrase that often rolls off the tongue far easier than its completion. For Tecalemit’s MOT specialists, the required content is easy to navigate and they can help applicants identify and locate the appropriate supporting documentation. Have you got the appropriate lawful usage? Have you got evidence of exclusive use of your premises? Have you got a proposed layout drawing?
The layout drawing is crucial to a successful application. Our specialists will produce this for you, using the latest CAD drawing capability. The layout drawing is required to support the VT01 application and must show how the proposed layout meets the mandated DVSA standards.
When space is at a premium, what happens if the dimensions are slightly compromised? This is known as a minor intrusion. With their experience of dealing with minor intrusions, Tecalemit’s expertise can provide a good understanding on what is, or isn’t considered to fit within the terms of a minor intrusion. This can save several weeks of time on the stage of achieving Agreement In Principle, or AIP as it is affectionately known.
Civil works
Even if you have sufficient room to utilise a surface-mounted vehicle lift, you are still going to need a recess for the roller brake tester. If you are going to use a pit-based MOT bay or a recessed vehicle lift, you are going to undertake a big dig.
Tecalemit MOT specialists work with building contractors to ensure that all of the standards required by the DVSA can be adhered to. The groundwork excavation is often followed with several tonnes of concrete being poured – measure twice, pour once. The time for getting the floor right is at the beginning, not at the end. Does the builder understand the DVSA level requirements of +/-6mm or +/-12mm and how to interpret and apply them?
Delivery and Installation
An MOT bay with a vehicle lift, brake tester and all of the associated equipment is a sizeable delivery. To ensure that the builder has a clear work area for undertaking the required civil works, Tecalemit MOT specialists will schedule the equipment delivery at an appropriate time in the project. You only need the equipment when the floor is ready to accept the install and installation engineers are scheduled for installation.
Upgrading to OPTL & ATL
Established MOT testing facilities might be considering updating their current test bay from two person testing to one person testing or increasing their testing class coverage. Test stations still need to adhere to the application process. Whist the current bay may be operating under a term commonly referred to as Grandfather Rights, things have changed a bit since your Grandfather was signed off for MOT testing in the 1970s. This means that the addition of extra classes or a change to one person testing, either through an OPTL upgrade or a full ATL will need to go through a similar process to a new MOT bay.
