Major shortage sees critical road cost hiked across Australia: 'Prices likely to stay high'
With automatic cars now dominating Australian roads, manual driving instructors are getting harder to find — and pricier by the hour. As the popularity of electric and hybrid vehicles grows, manufacturers are increasingly moving away from the stick.
While most drivers across the country opt to learn to drive in automatics, manuals are still common in trades, agriculture, and regional settings — including among drivers of utes, trucks, and older fleet vehicles in particular. Some say it gives them more control behind the wheel, others argue it keeps their car-buying options more open, and many just prefer the experience.
Does a shrinking pool of manual-licensed drivers make it harder for businesses to find suitable staff? Potentially, yes. Experts warn that as lesson prices climb and access to instructors dwindles, it could deter learners who might otherwise pursue the skill, leaving fewer people qualified to drive manual vehicles.
Speaking to Yahoo News, auto expert Amanda Butler pointed to data that shows manual lessons are not only becoming more expensive but also harder to access.
"This combination of cost and availability could certainly be influencing learner preferences. While some still seek the added flexibility of a manual licence, rising prices — especially in cities like Adelaide — may be a deterrent, particularly for younger Australians or those on tighter budgets," she said.
Butler, of driving school EzLicence, said the company's latest analysis found that Adelaide is by far the most expensive city for manual learners, with an average hourly lesson rate of $271.20 — more than double that of the second-most expensive city, Canberra, at $92.90.
Newcastle ($89.20) followed, with Sydney ($87.70) trailing behind, and Geelong ($87.50) rounding out the top five. The data also revealed that learning to drive a manual is now more expensive than automatic, marking a reversal from the previous year.
In 2023–24, manual lessons averaged $77.65, slightly cheaper than automatic at $80.16. But by 2024–25, manual prices had jumped to $83.87, while automatic lessons saw only a modest increase to $80.61.
Automatic learners still copped price hikes, with Adelaide topping the charts at $112.93 per lesson, according to the data. Wollongong ($84.52) and Canberra ($84.32) followed close behind. On the more affordable end, Bendigo offered the cheapest automatic lessons at $74.79, with Hobart ($76.17) and Sydney ($77.81) also below the national average.
"While automatics are becoming more common, manual licensing still has a place, especially in regional areas or certain industries where manual cars remain prevalent," Butler said.
"Learners will ideally continue to have the freedom to choose what suits them best, whether that's manual or automatic. It makes sense to keep encouraging them where there's demand. But we also need to think about the supply side.
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"Without enough qualified instructors offering manual lessons, prices are likely to stay high, and accessibility will remain limited. Supporting instructors to continue teaching manual, whether through incentives or easing operational costs, could help keep this option viable in the years ahead."
Overall, South Australia emerged as the most expensive state for manual licence instructors, with lesson prices rising 10.7 per cent since 2023. Tasmania remains the most affordable, averaging $76.17 per hour.
On the cheaper end, Wollongong topped the list, with manual lessons averaging just $75.90 per hour, followed by Bendigo ($76.10), the Gold Coast ($78.90), Perth ($81.90), and Cairns ($83.20).
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