More driving instructors, examiners needed says provider who gets ‘50 calls a day, has 540 unheard voicemails’

Adelaide’s driving instructors are so solidly booked out that they’re using desperate measures to slow the flood of enquiries, insiders says.

Over-stretched driving instructors are jacking up prices in a bid to put off would-be clients from making contact at all, industry insiders say.

They say there are not enough qualified instructors and examiners to meet demand with little to no instructors elevated to examiner status in half a decade.

Adelaide Driving School’s Raj Patel said he was receiving 50-plus phone calls a day and had 540 unheard messages in his voicemail.

“(This high volume) clearly shows there is a need for more instructors – there is just not enough competition,” he said.

Data recently released by the RAA shows there’s been a surge in learner drivers, with 67,232 learner permit holders in SA in June, 10,000 (or 17%) more than the same time two years ago.

A backlog created by Covid lockdown, as well as more people choosing to drive rather than take public transport in the Covid era, have been cited as reasons for the increase.

A surge in the number of learner drivers is putting pressure on instructors, insiders say. Picture: iStock

In SA learner drivers have the option to do a pass-or-fail driving test (the Vort, or vehicle on road test), or a competency-based training and assessment course (CBT&A or logbook).

“There are lots of CBT&A examiners who are … finding that books are being flooded with clients so the only way to make the phone stop ringing is to make prices (so) high (it is) not affordable,” Mr Patel said.

According to his website, a “four week express CBT&A priority course” at his school costs $3,999.

Professional Driver Training Association (PDTA) SA vice president Matthew Woodman said his industry was no different to any other when “demand outstrips supply”.

“If you have a really good reputation you’ll get more referrals ... (but) when you are fully booked three months in advance, there is just no point in taking on any new clients – (some) will stop answering their phone, or resort to other methods,” he said.

The shortfall extends to regional areas.

A Port Augusta-based part-time driving instructor and examiner told the Sunday Mail the wait time for those wanting to acquire their licence through the log book process was about four months. “There’s definitely room here for another instructor who can offer competency-based training ... for me personally, January is my next opening,” the driver said.

Mount Gambier driving instructors have previously told how parents desperate to get their kids lessons were offering “double the asking price”.

One of the problems to attracting more instructors and examiners, those in the industry say, is the lack of training providers, coupled with the high cost – about $25,000 – involved.

RAA community engagement senior manager Ben Haythorpe, which runs the state’s largest driving school, said his organisation had raised the instructor shortage issue with the State Government.

“There is a definite lack of driving instructors and a lack of RTOs (registered training organisations) that can train new driving instructors (in Certificate IV in Driving),” he said.

“There is, we believe, only one place in SA that does that, and it is in Nuriootpa which isn’t very convenient if you live in Noarlunga.”

Once qualified and adequately experienced, instructors need to apply for an examiner’s licence through the Transport Department.

“(But it) has said ‘we have enough’ and hardly anyone has been permitted to upgrade their skills in the last six years ... you need to be an examiner to be able to sign off on the log book and that is what a lot of students want,” Mr Woodman, from the PDTA, said.

The Sunday Mail sent a series of questions to the Transport Department 11 days ago and is waiting on a response.