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Driving Instructor Comments/Questions

Ask anything you like about becoming a driving instructor here...or put me right if I've got something wrong...or suggest that I add something if you feel I've left something out...no promises though!

From the lens Driving Instructor Training (UK).

PLEASE KEEP COMMENTS RELEVANT TO THE TOPIC OF DRIVING INSTRUCTION - THIS PAGE IS INTENDED AS AN ADVICE RESOURCE, NOT FOR BUSINESS PROMOTION OR SPAM

I WELCOME AND ACTIVELY ENCOURAGE ALL RELEVANT COMMENTS, QUESTIONS AND FEEDBACK, BUT SPAM IS SIMPLY DELETED AND WILL NEVER APPEAR...SO DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME BY POSTING IT!

*PLEASE NOTE - to discourage irrelevant spammers & self-publicists I've had to disable HTML in this Guestbook, therefore there's no point trying to post links as they won't work - sorry to those who want to post relevant links!

Many thanks for your co-operation, CDT :)



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  • theholidayplace Apr 3, 2012 @ 9:15 am | delete
    I will recommend your lense to my quest related to info for those looking for a new profession, very informative!
  • jem Mar 20, 2012 @ 12:39 pm | delete
    ive been a driving instructor for 3 and a half years now and although i love teaching i am thinking of giving up once my badge runs out in november. im not earning anywhere near enough to live comfortably and i am hoping to start a family soon too. so i was just wondering if i wasnt to renew my badge will i be able to come back to it in a few years time or would i have to redo all the training again? i totally agree with everything which has been writen on this page and only wish i had read this before i started my training as i would never have bothered.
  • CDT Mar 21, 2012 @ 7:09 am | delete
    Hi Jem - it is getting harder and harder to make a living as a driving instructor. This is partly due to the atronomical costs of car insurance for under 25s which has led to many young people deferring learning to drive and rising fuel prices meaning that running a car is unaffordable for many people. The massive increase in the number of driving instructors caused by driving instructor training companies jumping on the gravy train started by RED has meant that the supply of driving lessons now vastly exceeds the demand for them. In short, there are too many driving instructors and not enough learners. This has led to driving instructors basically working for very little income (we've all seen the "five driving lessons for the price of a pint special offers") in a desperate attempt to stay in business. This has undervalued the profession and many, many experienced and excellent driving instructors are quitting as they cannot make a living. This is bad news for them and for road safety and we have the greed of ADI training companies and ambulance chasing "insurance claims companies" to thank for this shameful situation :(

    I'm sorry things haven't worked for you - this page has been online since 2007 and I've tried hard to raise awareness of what many of us in the driver training industry could see was a disaster waiting to happen. If you let your registration run out, you can no longer legally give paid driving instruction. However, you have one year after your registration runs out to apply for re-registration. This means you don't have to retake and pass the qualifying tests.
  • jem Mar 21, 2012 @ 7:19 am | delete
    thanks for the reply, its good to know i still have the year to come back if i do change my mind. good luck with trying to spread the word :-)
  • Roamn Feb 24, 2012 @ 5:04 pm | delete
    Thanks for these articles and videos. I am disgusted and put off. Thank you for saving my money.
  • RichardMillerADI Nov 28, 2011 @ 5:20 pm | delete
    It was a lot of hard work becoming a driving instructor. Going on my own was a great decision, but IT's not all a bed of roses. I love it when someone passes tho, and I taught them everything they know. Thats the best part of the job, the satisfaction.
  • paul hubbard May 7, 2011 @ 11:07 am | delete
    Very comprehensive info: But I cant help asking myself, If this is such an awful profession full of headaches, Why are you still doing it?????
  • CDT May 7, 2011 @ 11:24 am | delete
    The profession itself is far from awful. Driver training is a very enjoyable and rewarding job - as long as you're not in it for the money! Why do I still do it? Simple...because when you've put nearly 10 years of your life into building up a successful business and other people's livelihoods depend on you (the instructors who work for my company), it's not something you just turn your back on - not even when times are as tough as they are now...when you're established and you have a good reputation, you at least have a chance of weathering this economic storm - (although that didn't help the previous incarnations of BSM or RED!) even if you do manage to be one of the small percentage who qualify as a driving instructor, the market is now depressed to a level that is seriously worrying :(
  • Lee Feb 26, 2011 @ 5:08 am | delete
    Thankyou for taking the time to share this information.
    I am myself looking in to instructor training after putting my pack from RED in the bin and deciding to do it of my own back.
    I hope to report back in a couple of years when I've passed that this articular offered
    much help and guidance.
    Thanks again
  • davegreen001 Feb 20, 2011 @ 4:34 pm | delete
    Great lens. It always makes me angry each time I see one of the Adverts on the tv or in a paper with the earn £30000 per year headline. It must be very tempting to anyone who may have just been made redundent etc, I would have thought that the Trading Standards would have taken a look by now!
    Running a driving school can be very rewarding but you will need to work Very Very hard to Earn £30K let alone take home anything near £30k.
    The training can cost up to about £4K with about a 90% fail rate ,they dont make that clear! But you are then £4k in dept with still no Job !
  • ChrisDay Jan 4, 2011 @ 1:28 pm | delete
    Great lens - lot of work gone into it. Have you ever encountered Bob Newhart's skit on the Driving Instructor? You should(?) have his video here - http://trashcars.net/videos/223/bob-newhart-driving-instructor.html - thanks for the super lens
  • CDT Jan 5, 2011 @ 4:39 am | delete
    Yes - I have featured it on another of my pages "The Funny Side Of Being A Driving Instructor" (link towards the bottom of this page) along with lots of other funny driving instructor/examiner videos - they're not featured here as this is an information page & it's already somewhat on the long side :)
  • ChrisDay Jan 5, 2011 @ 1:40 pm | delete
    Caught me out there - obviously not read the thing properly - the video's a bit 'genderist' anyway. Love it to pieces tho'.
  • charlie drake Nov 11, 2010 @ 4:59 pm | delete
    awesome info,was going to fall under the evil spell of RED DRIVING SCHOOL tomorrow at 10am,you saved me:-]
  • Sojourn Sep 29, 2010 @ 10:31 am | delete
    Too bad you don't live in the US - I'd hire you in a second to teach my 16 year old son. Instead, I'm now an informal, parent-teacher and impatient, to boot. I don't know how you do it! New found respect for driving instructors. I just hold on tight and pray I survive each session. :) Incredible amount of information you've assembled!
  • nigel baker Sep 2, 2010 @ 5:48 am | delete
    Really helpful and thought provoking stuff-its always best to understand the pitfalls-It would however be nice to have some positive thoughts from those that chose this career and stuck with it..why do they still do it?
  • CDT Sep 2, 2010 @ 6:26 am | delete
    Hi Nigel - being a driving instructor is a rewarding career. Once you get established and build a pupil base and start getting a stream of customer referrals it become easier, BUT it's VERY hard to qualify and even harder to get established in a business where there is so much competition. In all seriousness, driving instruction is not a career for someone who needs a substantial income, but if money isn't your main aim and job satisfaction is, then yes - it's a GREAT job!
  • sisaphus Apr 16, 2010 @ 8:04 am | delete
    Many thanks for this lense, you have confirmed the doubts that I had regarding some of the claims in the sale material that I received from one of these organisations.

    I have now been able to make an informed decision i.e. not to waste my money!

    Thank you again.
  • CDT Apr 16, 2010 @ 8:27 am | delete
    Thanks for your comments sisaphus - helping those interested in driving instruction as a career to make an informed decision rather than one simply based on training company promotional literature and sales pitches was always my intention - I'm so glad to have been of service to you :)
  • LDC1 Apr 15, 2010 @ 6:49 am | delete
    Very informative. The BBC consumer programme recently featured Red driving schools and the alledged lies it told to get a nice ex-RAF guy called Bruce to buy a driving instructor training course. He was so upset he taped his conversation with the local Red franchise manager who admitted the Red sales team just tell you what they want to hear despite him bing fed up of telling them about it. To see the programme look at youtube Red driving school BBc Xray.
  • CDT Apr 16, 2010 @ 8:23 am | delete
    Thanks LDC1 - I've now included the video extract from the show on this page and it can be seen at Red Instructor Training on BBC X-Ray programme - it does make for VERY interesting watching!
  • CDT Nov 10, 2009 @ 5:37 am | delete
    @ Christopher Wilding

    What worries me about Red and the quality of their instructor training is the fact that they regularly send out mail shots to newly qualified driving instructors asking if they'd like to join them to train potential driving instructors!

    With all due respect, how can someone who's only just passed their own ADI Part 3 be in a position to train others to become driving instructors? I don't think anyone is ready to be training others literally before the ink on their green badge has had time to dry!

    Newly qualified drivers cannot supervise learners or apply to become an ADI for several years, so why is it OK for a newly qualified driving instructor to become an instructor trainer?

    It makes no sense and it's undoubtedly one of the reasons why the failure rate is so high...(along with the indiscriminate nature of taking on anyone who can stump up to pay for the training regardless of whether they're suited for the job or not!).
  • Christopher Wilding Nov 7, 2009 @ 1:05 am | delete
    Red must be getting desperate, they are sending me up to four eMails a day trying to get details out of me!
  • Babs May 4, 2009 @ 11:29 am | delete
    Just to update you guys of progress. The Finance Ombudsman Service are in contact with The Instructor College (LVG Ltd) about my case and I hope they can help. I do believe that even though The Instructor College lie to most of us verbally, there should be consequences. They law cannot permit companies to lie to people as long as they lie verbally.

    I have also contacted the Trading Standards Agency for London Borough of Harrow and Brent, and they have opened a case to investigate the matter. I argued that The Instructor College are engaged in business malpractices and they use dubious techniques to get innocent people to sign up for their training course. Telling lies to customers is illegal, and Trading Standings will take legal action against the company.

    I have pointed out to the Trading Standards Agency that many people have falling victims to the scam and Trading Standards would like anyone who has been miss-sold the training course to write to them explaining the exact cir
  • Iam a driving instructor. Mar 12, 2009 @ 2:18 pm | in reply to instantpayday | delete
    This is for anybody thinking about being a driving instructor, i have been a driving instructor for 8 years, this site tells it as it is the truth and not what the driving instructor training companys tell you.Anybody thinking of being a driving instructor should read this whole site first as it will tell you as it is.
    I myself am thinking about giving up being a driving instructor up after a very tough qualification process and then once qualified the job isnt what i was led to believe and its very hard to earn a decent living and after 8 years ive done all i can.

    so my advice as ive been there and done that is DONT DO IT. choose a different carear and dont waste your time and money.
  • CDT Mar 3, 2009 @ 9:14 am | delete
    @ Andrea

    I don't agree that "all schools seem to be about the same"! There are probably thousands of individuals/companies offering instructor training these days.

    Red don't offer the "cheapest franchise going" - what are you comparing them with & are you comparing like with like? What one driving school offers in it's franchise package isn't the same as another.

    It's impossible to state the average earnings of a driving instructor. Earnings depend on how much work you can get, how much you charge for lessons, how much your overheads are and so on.

    There is NO guarantee of steady income, or a supply of work when you are self-employed, whether you take out a franchise or work as an independent.

    I would advise you to join a driving instructor messageboard to get detailed answers to your questions. Driver Training Today is a nice, friendly place to seek advice from lots of experienced people.
  • Andrea Mar 3, 2009 @ 5:57 am | delete
    Hi im looking at enrolling with Red. Iv heard the sales pitch and have done my research on other schools as well and they all seem to be about the same. My only worry is do they try and provide pupils to match the hours ou want to work or do they once youve passed leave you high and dry?

    Red seem to have the cheapest franchise going.

    What would you say your average earning was a week by becoming a driving instructor.

    Where would you suggest to train and work for?
  • the man Feb 27, 2009 @ 10:28 pm | delete
    I worked for Lvg (Red driving school instructor college etc)
    It is all a massive sales pitch, all they want is your money nothing else, they give oy uall the crap on the phone telling oyu how great you are and you would be ideally suited etc, all the phone people want to do is get you to the main sales pitch in sone college they have spread around the country, Try and get some sort of price from the phone people, you have no chance they are on commision to get you to the meeting, people have been sacked from Lvg just telling the price etc!!!! Please dont believe the Hype. LVG Have a massive turn over in telephone staff also, that to me sais it all. Save youre £4000 Please. I can tell oyu alot about Red driving school, Instructor college, LVG just ask.
  • Frontman Feb 26, 2009 @ 11:14 am | delete
    What an amazing piece of work. I don't even want to be a driving instructor but I still read most of it with great interest. Your language is perfect, communication perfect and I bet this will go a long way to helping a huge number of people. Surely industry journals should refer to this. Great job!
  • Lord_Sid Nov 14, 2008 @ 6:59 pm | delete
    A great lens, and I agree with everything you say. Passing Part 3 is particularly hard going and I needed probably nearer 80 hours tuition to reach the required standard, and its so much harder than the TV adverts suggest.
  • CDT Oct 13, 2008 @ 5:18 am | delete
    Hi Jon B,

    I haven't heard of the company you mention myself.

    Have a look at a website called "Driver Training Today" - it has an instructor training company reviews forum at http://www.drivertrainingtoday.co.uk/forum/index.php/board,296.0.html

    If the company you're looking for isn't listed, then join the forum yourself and ask whether anyone has any experience of them...there are instructors from Northern Ireland who post there and they may be able to offer you some advice :)

    CDT
  • Jon B Oct 12, 2008 @ 9:00 pm | delete
    Hello all, I am seriously thinking of training as an ADI in Northern Ireland. Have you heard of a training company called Acclaim,they are a UK company & have half a dozen outlets in NI?
    Cheers Jon.
  • CDT Apr 17, 2008 @ 7:56 am | delete
    @ Amn

    Pls see Transport Office -Introduction To Becoming A Driving Instructor for full details of the legal requirements.

    If in any doubt, use the contact details provided on that website to ask a direct question
  • Amn Apr 17, 2008 @ 7:37 am | delete
    i am not a British nationality holder. i hold indefinite stay in UK though. have held my licence for 8 years. can i still become an instructor?
  • BeyondDriving Apr 5, 2008 @ 6:25 am | delete
    Very good lens CDT - I can recommend anyone thinking of becoming an instructor to look carefully at the information on here. This is a realistic view of the industry - good and bad.
  • VandADI Mar 30, 2008 @ 3:13 pm | delete
    I am sure this informative lens will be of great benefit to anyone wishing to embark on ADI training.
  • James Smith Mar 20, 2008 @ 9:30 pm | delete
    Great Web site very informitive true and a eye opener for any up and comming ADI or PDI wish I had found this Web site 2 Years ago and saved myself £3000 carry on the GREAT work . I only have been a ADI for 3 mths but can relate to every word you have said . Once again GREAT work and keep it going.
  • The Undercover ADI Mar 15, 2008 @ 3:51 pm | delete
    Very good lens with some excellent information. I'm so glad there's more of us putting the information out there.

    Carry on the good work.
  • Serpico Mar 14, 2008 @ 3:41 pm | delete
    I've been an ADI for twelve years now and can vouch for just about every word of this feature. Excellent advice.
  • Ian Parker Apr 11, 2012 @ 1:24 pm | delete
    Hope you are not with RED as i have discovered they are a con.Giving verbal agreements and not honouring them.Lost £1800 because of this.

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CDT

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