Recent press articles in various publications have
reported the latest trend to hit the driving school market. At Roadworks we feel you should know the facts and then make your
own mind up to what over the last year or so has affected learner drivers in most smaller/medium UK cities.
Many press articles report similar to the following;
'....new driving schools offering ridiculous claims regarding how many lessons
people need and charging unrealistic fee's (such as £7 for first 3 lessons then £15 thereafter) just to get new customers. These
are simply impossible prices to be ongoing and sustainable, and are continuing to flood the market, taking most
of the work from the established and experienced driving schools......'
That may look like healthy competition to most people, but the problem is some
of these driving schools and/or instructors disappear as quickly as they appeared, leaving the pupil to find a new instructor,
and then having to fix many driving faults due to poor and/or inexperienced training and often postpone a driving
test they genuinely thought they were ready for.
The articles continued along the lines of;
'......only to cease trading and disappear within
a few months, leaving the pupil to find a new instructor, sometimes only days before a test they are unlikely to be properly
prepared for....'
adding;
'.......leaving a trainee/newly-qualified instructor with a large
debt, no job and a broken promise.......'
The above is a unique construction of many ongoing
articles from many publications.
The Innocent Problem
Promises of substantial earnings, a secure future and a guaranteed job (or
potential business opportunity in plain English) are tempting more and more people to train to be a driving instructor.
During the final part of their training at make or break time, these new schools/instructors cease to teach if they don't
make the grade or find the promise of £32,000+ per year/£700+ per week, (that's around an almost impossible 45 lessons
@ £15) was rather generous to say the least, resulting in the pupil being sent another instructor by the school, who
will sadly and probably be in the same situation soon, or the pupil will be looking for a completely new instructor
altogether, a situation never expected by the learner. If they knew they would have 2-3 different instructors and maybe even
2-3 different cars, all with one driving school, a booking would never have been made. These are not the sort of situations
that generate repeat business and recommendations, both a driving instructors bread and butter.
If you're looking for a good deal there is often more to consider that a
cheap starting deal and cheap lessons. No one can be blamed for these things, many people can start a driving school,
they can charge whatever they like and we all look for a good deal whenever we can. However, people call a driving school
or instructor to learn to drive and pass the test, with that particular chosen driving school or instructor, but not
to experience the above.
The above is factual, ongoing and causing many problems for many people. I
hope this information is of use to anyone attempting to choose an instructor to learn to drive efficiently, in
an almost flooded market.
The effect on the pupil, and the unfortunate mislead,
but innocent trainee instructor are the only thing we at Roadworks are concerned about. Established driving schools like Roadworks and many other quality instructors/driving schools in
Leicester and throughout the country continue to pick up the pieces.
The DSA say without quoting directly due to copyright,
........."we suggest that you ask relatives and friends
to recommend an instructor they may know. also look in a localised business pages for instructors
in your town or city. Try and choose an instructor that:
carries a good reputation
is punctual and reliable
has a vehicle that suits your needs............"
