Latest news with #drivinginstructors
The Australian
4 days ago
- Automotive
- The Australian
Aussie ‘rite of passage' dying out
Learning how to drive a manual used to be a badge of honour but is now becoming an old-school skill. According to new research from EzLicence, nationally the average price of manual driving lessons has climbed to $83.87 compared to $80.61 for automatic. In comparison to last year, it was the other way around with manual costing less at $77.61 and automatic at $80.16. Some cities, such as Adelaide, are seeing staggering prices with manual lessons costing $271.20 per session. Yet in Wollongong, drivers are getting the best deal at $75.90 per hour. Part of the reason for the rising lesson costs is due to a nationwide shortage of driving instructors, particularly those who teach manual. According to EzLicence and ABS data, instructor numbers have dropped by 3.2 per cent over the past year. MORE: Trump declares war on 'world's worst car feature' Many of today's Aussie drivers will never know the thrill of driving a manual. There's still a steady demand for manual lessons, especially from people who need to drive manual vehicles for work, or want to have the flexibility, such as driving overseas or hiring manual cars. However, there is a clear shift in consumer preferences. Fewer inner city learners are choosing to go manual. So with a decline in demand, many driving schools are scaling back, ditching manual vehicles altogether due to longer teaching times, limited bookings and higher vehicle maintenance. So the few instructors that remain are more valuable and expensive. MORE: The Yank tank cutting Australia in two Very few cars on sale today offer manual transmissions. Manual instructors are especially scare with an average of just 10.7 manual instructors per 100 learners nationwide, and cities like Brisbane offering 7.1 manual instructors per 100 learners. EzLicence's Tobi Pearce said the shortage, particularly of manual and female instructors, is making it harder for learners to find the right match. 'Finding a driving instructor can be challenging, especially with growing demand and ongoing shortages,' he said. The iconic Suzuki Swift has seemingly succumbed to the lack of demand for manuals. Add to that the pressure of getting licensed quickly and affordably, automatic seems like the right choice. Most states also legislate that drivers who get their license in an automatic, can't legally drive a manual car until they get their full license. MORE AUTOMATIC OPTIONS There's also more automatic options in the new car market, despite manual cars being typically cheaper to purchase. For instance, according to the in Victoria (drive-away prices), the most affordable manual options are the Kia Picanto Sport priced at $21,340 and the Suzuki Swift Hybrid priced at $24,490 drive-away. In comparison to the automatic variant, the Kia Picanto is $1,000 more ($22,340) and the Suzuki Swift is $2,500 more ($26,990). The Kia Picanto is cheaper in auto than manual. But manuals are becoming hard to find, which is making the decision a no-brainer for new drivers. According to the there's currently 61 manual variants out of a total of 1,347 (4.5 per cent) vehicles available in the Australian market. Automatic versions are now priced equally or even more affordably, thanks to consumer demand, large production and dealer incentives. Manual driving isn't dead yet but it's on its way out. With fewer instructors, rising lesson costs, and limited availability on new car lots, the stick is no longer a practical choice. What was once a rite of passage, a bragging tool, a skill passed on from generation to generation is now becoming a niche hobby. Unless something changes, the next generation of drivers will never understand the satisfaction of the perfect gear change or the control that comes from driving the old-school way. Danielle Collis Journalist and Reporter Danielle's background spans print, radio and television, she has contributed to outlets such as The Age, ABC, Channel Nine and many more. For more than four years, Danielle has worked as Liz Hayes' producer and investigative journalist on her show 'Under Investigation', covering everything from corporate scandals to Australia's most baffling crime cases. Danielle's covered a range of topics from breaking news, politics, lifestyle and now motoring. Danielle Collis
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Automotive
- News.com.au
Aussie ‘rite of passage' dying out
Learning how to drive a manual used to be a badge of honour but is now becoming an old-school skill. According to new research from EzLicence, nationally the average price of manual driving lessons has climbed to $83.87 compared to $80.61 for automatic. In comparison to last year, it was the other way around with manual costing less at $77.61 and automatic at $80.16. Some cities, such as Adelaide, are seeing staggering prices with manual lessons costing $271.20 per session. Yet in Wollongong, drivers are getting the best deal at $75.90 per hour. Part of the reason for the rising lesson costs is due to a nationwide shortage of driving instructors, particularly those who teach manual. According to EzLicence and ABS data, instructor numbers have dropped by 3.2 per cent over the past year. There's still a steady demand for manual lessons, especially from people who need to drive manual vehicles for work, or want to have the flexibility, such as driving overseas or hiring manual cars. However, there is a clear shift in consumer preferences. Fewer inner city learners are choosing to go manual. So with a decline in demand, many driving schools are scaling back, ditching manual vehicles altogether due to longer teaching times, limited bookings and higher vehicle maintenance. So the few instructors that remain are more valuable and expensive. Manual instructors are especially scare with an average of just 10.7 manual instructors per 100 learners nationwide, and cities like Brisbane offering 7.1 manual instructors per 100 learners. EzLicence's Tobi Pearce said the shortage, particularly of manual and female instructors, is making it harder for learners to find the right match. 'Finding a driving instructor can be challenging, especially with growing demand and ongoing shortages,' he said. Add to that the pressure of getting licensed quickly and affordably, automatic seems like the right choice. Most states also legislate that drivers who get their license in an automatic, can't legally drive a manual car until they get their full license. MORE AUTOMATIC OPTIONS There's also more automatic options in the new car market, despite manual cars being typically cheaper to purchase. For instance, according to the in Victoria (drive-away prices), the most affordable manual options are the Kia Picanto Spor t priced at $21,340 and the Suzuki Swift Hybrid priced at $24,490 drive-away. In comparison to the automatic variant, the Kia Picanto is $1,000 more ($22,340) and the Suzuki Swift is $2,500 more ($26,990). But manuals are becoming hard to find, which is making the decision a no-brainer for new drivers. According to the there's currently 61 manual variants out of a total of 1,347 (4.5 per cent) vehicles available in the Australian market. Automatic versions are now priced equally or even more affordably, thanks to consumer demand, large production and dealer incentives. Manual driving isn't dead yet but it's on its way out. With fewer instructors, rising lesson costs, and limited availability on new car lots, the stick is no longer a practical choice. What was once a rite of passage, a bragging tool, a skill passed on from generation to generation is now becoming a niche hobby. Unless something changes, the next generation of drivers will never understand the satisfaction of the perfect gear change or the control that comes from driving the old-school way.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
'I am stuck,' says mum facing driving test delays
Calls have been made for additional driving examiners to be recruited in west Cornwall so more tests can be provided. The test centre in Penzance, which has been closed since April for maintenance, has only operated for two days a week since the pandemic. Learner drivers and instructors said it meant tests were hard to come by in a rural area where being able to drive was vital. Rosanna Allen, from The Lizard peninsula, said: "My son's only two and I would love to be able to just take him to the park... I feel a lot of guilt." The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) said it was recruiting more examiners but it did not currently have the capacity to increase testing in Penzance. More news stories for Cornwall Listen to the latest news for Cornwall Ms Allen said she had her test cancelled when the centre shut temporarily and it was proving costly. "A large chunk of what I earn is going into driving lessons," she said. "Now I'm having to wait an extra eight weeks, that's another several hundred of pounds on more lessons, and so it's really just frustrating I'm having to wait so long." She said not been able to drive was extremely limiting. "My son's only two and I would love to be able to just take him to the park, see his grandparents, or to the doctors," she said. "I feel a lot of guilt I can't do those simple things for him. "I am stuck, and I think the DVSA just seem to disregard the massive impact that not driving has on a lot of people in rural areas." The Penzance centre was due to reopen next month, staffed on a part-time basis by examiners from Camborne. Instructor Mark Squire wanted more examiners to be hired so the centre could operate full time. "If we were open another day and then gradually got it back to normal we could start to clear the backlog," he said. "We all know how nerve-racking it is taking a test and if you end up in an area that you've not learnt, that's even more nerve-racking." DVSA figures for April showed waiting times to book a test in Cornwall were about 24 weeks. The government pledged to recruit an extra 450 examiners to bring average waiting times down to seven weeks by the end of the year. Andrew George, Liberal Democrat MP for St Ives, said a driver's licence was fundamental for people to access work and education. He called on the government to make a "significant increase" in new examiners in west Cornwall. "I'm pleased they see there is a problem, but I wish they would actually address it in areas like ours so we get parity with the rest of the country," he said. "On a peninsula you can't go north, south, or west to be able to take up opportunities at other test centres. "We need to have a greater resource to maintain shorter waiting periods for tests." The DVSA said it kept its centres under review but it did not have the resources to increase the number of tests in Penzance. Pauline Reeves, director of driver services, said: "Since December, we've made significant progress on implementing our plan to reduce waiting times. But we know that our customers are not seeing the immediate effects of the measures. "The further action which the Secretary of State announced will help us to accelerate those measures, including expanding training capacity for newly recruited driving examiners so more of them can start carrying out driving tests sooner." Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@ 10,000 extra driving tests a month to clear backlog Three quarters of driving test centres at maximum wait time Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
'I am stuck,' says mum facing driving test delays
Calls have been made for additional driving examiners to be recruited in west Cornwall so more tests can be provided. The test centre in Penzance, which has been closed since April for maintenance, has only operated for two days a week since the pandemic. Learner drivers and instructors said it meant tests were hard to come by in a rural area where being able to drive was vital. Rosanna Allen, from The Lizard peninsula, said: "My son's only two and I would love to be able to just take him to the park... I feel a lot of guilt." The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) said it was recruiting more examiners but it did not currently have the capacity to increase testing in Penzance. More news stories for Cornwall Listen to the latest news for Cornwall Ms Allen said she had her test cancelled when the centre shut temporarily and it was proving costly. "A large chunk of what I earn is going into driving lessons," she said. "Now I'm having to wait an extra eight weeks, that's another several hundred of pounds on more lessons, and so it's really just frustrating I'm having to wait so long." She said not been able to drive was extremely limiting. "My son's only two and I would love to be able to just take him to the park, see his grandparents, or to the doctors," she said. "I feel a lot of guilt I can't do those simple things for him. "I am stuck, and I think the DVSA just seem to disregard the massive impact that not driving has on a lot of people in rural areas." The Penzance centre was due to reopen next month, staffed on a part-time basis by examiners from Camborne. Instructor Mark Squire wanted more examiners to be hired so the centre could operate full time. "If we were open another day and then gradually got it back to normal we could start to clear the backlog," he said. "We all know how nerve-racking it is taking a test and if you end up in an area that you've not learnt, that's even more nerve-racking." DVSA figures for April showed waiting times to book a test in Cornwall were about 24 weeks. The government pledged to recruit an extra 450 examiners to bring average waiting times down to seven weeks by the end of the year. Andrew George, Liberal Democrat MP for St Ives, said a driver's licence was fundamental for people to access work and education. He called on the government to make a "significant increase" in new examiners in west Cornwall. "I'm pleased they see there is a problem, but I wish they would actually address it in areas like ours so we get parity with the rest of the country," he said. "On a peninsula you can't go north, south, or west to be able to take up opportunities at other test centres. "We need to have a greater resource to maintain shorter waiting periods for tests." The DVSA said it kept its centres under review but it did not have the resources to increase the number of tests in Penzance. Pauline Reeves, director of driver services, said: "Since December, we've made significant progress on implementing our plan to reduce waiting times. But we know that our customers are not seeing the immediate effects of the measures. "The further action which the Secretary of State announced will help us to accelerate those measures, including expanding training capacity for newly recruited driving examiners so more of them can start carrying out driving tests sooner." Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@ 10,000 extra driving tests a month to clear backlog Three quarters of driving test centres at maximum wait time Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
BBC News
09-06-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Cornwall driving test delays leave mum feeling stuck
Calls have been made for additional driving examiners to be recruited in west Cornwall so more tests can be test centre in Penzance, which has been closed since April for maintenance, has only operated for two days a week since the pandemic. Learner drivers and instructors said it meant tests were hard to come by in a rural area where being able to drive was vital. Rosanna Allen, from The Lizard peninsula, said: "My son's only two and I would love to be able to just take him to the park... I feel a lot of guilt."The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) said it was recruiting more examiners but it did not currently have the capacity to increase testing in Penzance. Ms Allen said she had her test cancelled when the centre shut temporarily and it was proving costly."A large chunk of what I earn is going into driving lessons," she said."Now I'm having to wait an extra eight weeks, that's another several hundred of pounds on more lessons, and so it's really just frustrating I'm having to wait so long."She said not been able to drive was extremely limiting."My son's only two and I would love to be able to just take him to the park, see his grandparents, or to the doctors," she said."I feel a lot of guilt I can't do those simple things for him."I am stuck, and I think the DVSA just seem to disregard the massive impact that not driving has on a lot of people in rural areas." The Penzance centre was due to reopen next month, staffed on a part-time basis by examiners from Camborne. Instructor Mark Squire wanted more examiners to be hired so the centre could operate full time."If we were open another day and then gradually got it back to normal we could start to clear the backlog," he said."We all know how nerve-racking it is taking a test and if you end up in an area that you've not learnt, that's even more nerve-racking." DVSA figures for April showed waiting times to book a test in Cornwall were about 24 government pledged to recruit an extra 450 examiners to bring average waiting times down to seven weeks by the end of the year. Andrew George, Liberal Democrat MP for St Ives, said a driver's licence was fundamental for people to access work and called on the government to make a "significant increase" in new examiners in west Cornwall."I'm pleased they see there is a problem, but I wish they would actually address it in areas like ours so we get parity with the rest of the country," he said."On a peninsula you can't go north, south, or west to be able to take up opportunities at other test centres."We need to have a greater resource to maintain shorter waiting periods for tests." 'Significant progress' The DVSA said it kept its centres under review but it did not have the resources to increase the number of tests in Reeves, director of driver services, said: "Since December, we've made significant progress on implementing our plan to reduce waiting times. But we know that our customers are not seeing the immediate effects of the measures."The further action which the Secretary of State announced will help us to accelerate those measures, including expanding training capacity for newly recruited driving examiners so more of them can start carrying out driving tests sooner."
