Driving Training Industry Statistics 2019 - 2020

The latest driving training statistics have just been released for 2019 - 2020.

Here are the main points:

ADI Pt1 46% pass rate (male 48%  female 42%)

ADI Pt2 61% pass rate (male 63%  female 55%)

ADI Pt3 35% pass rate (male 34%  female 37%)

Learner theory pass rate 47%  (male 45%  female 49%)

Learner practical pass rate 46%

In terms of attempts at the practical test, males first attempt pass rate is 50% and second is 51%

Females first attempt pass rate is 43% and second attempt 44%

For the year, the highest volume of practical tests conducted by age was for 17 yr olds @ 308,725 with a 56% pass rate.

There were 39,531 ADI's on the register.

In terms of standards checks the Grade A pass rate continues to decline to levels last seen in July 2018 @ 10,358 whereas Grade B are at a record high of 24,599

A union for driving instructors

I often see signs of ADI's being rather critical of each other on social media, internal fighting and creating a divide.  When we care about what we do, we like to show our passion, myself included.  Because we are all self-employed, we tend to be rather protective or guarded naturally.  I generally find that chats in the test centres (a thing of the past?) are quite friendly and pleasant, which shows me what a decent group of people us ADI's are.  

But we are in unprecedented times, and tempers are understandably beginning to explode.  I don't blame ADI's for that, I blame this government (but that's another subject).  

In my experience, I find "trainers" to be the most problematic.  These are a group of unregulated individuals, with no tests to pass, accountable to no-one but who can be extremely vocal about how crap they believe ADI's are.   You know, those ADI's who have to pass three tests to qualify and then undertake regular standards checks.  The hypocrisy is quite something.  There is a voluntary scheme called ORDIT, but it in no way guarantees integrity.

Non-ORDIT trainers are entirely unmonitored.  They do not get vetted, they don't have to qualify to do the job, and yet they often hold this moral high-ground, patronising ADI's about how they are not asking the right kind of questions on standards checks.  Even ORDIT trainers do not have to account for their performance; they like to dish out the idea of accountability to ADI's, but they demonstrate very little of their own.

I have long felt that we do need our own union.  I've been a member of all the main driving instructor associations and what they severely lack is being in touch with the 'average' instructor.  What I believe is desperately needed is a body that truly understands the challenges that instructors go through on a daily basis. 

 

Those challenges include what I call a 'minefield' of risks:  late cancellations, coronavirus, national franchises, unregulated trainers, inadequate instructor assessments, injury/illness that incapacitates, driving school insurance premiums, driverless cars, occupational health risks, difficult pupils, lack of earnings due to unforeseen circumstances, late payments, social media slander, keeping up to date with legislation, standards check grades.  It is a minefield because any one of them can completely obliterate your business, your mental/physical health or at best, do it serious harm.  I see precisely the same need to help protect PDI's too - their trodden path is no less dangerous!

I would be happy to instigate such a union and if you would like to get some of these protections or others, let me know!  Text "yes" to 07498364211 and I'll get back to you.

Nunchi in a learning environment

South Korea is doing very well on limiting the virus death toll given its population.  They also make use of "nunchi" which you won't find on the standards check form (SC1).  But there should be a line under Teaching & Learning Strategies that asks:

Did the trainer demonstrate nunchi towards their pupil?

Nunchi is all about the art of intuiting what others are thinking and learning how to anticipate their needs.  I can think of times when a pupil is about to do something when I can prevent it from occurring.  You might question if I'm depriving them of the opportunity to learn from making mistakes.  As we are creatures of habit, sometimes it is better to prevent a certain habit from forming in the first place.  It's easier to tread a fresh path of behaviour than it is to 'de-rail' from an existing one.

But it's more than that.

We train in a 1:1 learning environment, and some of us are attempting to tap into the beliefs and attitudes that our pupil holds dear. We can assist in the raising of awareness of likely outcomes, e.g. wearing seat belts, maintaining the car, texting while driving, dropping off children on yellow zig-zags,  speeding.  When you are in those kinds of conversations, you are asking your pupil to open up, share a window to their inner feelings - we should quite rightly tread carefully.  One way I could describe it is not allowing your pupil to 'lose face', we should do our best to ensure the pupil is not uncomfortable or feels like they lose dignity as a result of the training.

Another reason that nunchi gets my vote is that it demonstrates efficiency with words and actions.  When we are paying attention, our brain is visualising the sequence of steps desired in our pupil and is double-checking the minutiae of the task, e.g. gear changes, observations.  It becomes a smooth process that has subtlety and finesse; which is why I like the description of nunchi being an art.  It shouldn't be underestimated how powerfully a learning environment surrounded by success benefits our pupils.  Nunchi within briefings and de-briefings is important.  We should not be expecting all pupils to engage in these discussions in the same manner; this is one of the activities that gives driving instructors a bad reputation.  Pupils who are sat in the driving school car outside their home, listening to an instructor, bored out of their brains.  They are not robots!  You know what you want to cover, for excellent reasons, but have some flexibility about the delivery - get your head out of 'standards check' ticky box mode.

The Great Divide

The relaxing of the lockdown is proving to be divisive for many members of the public, and driving instructors are no exception.  There is a combination of factors which is creating pressure.  Not least is the financial burden that many instructors find they have to carry.  Some are committed to organisations that are now beginning to terminate the contractual leeway that they kindly offered when the lockdown started.  Car leases and franchise fees are just two examples where instructors are now facing bills to pay yet no prospect of earning with which to pay them.    

The quieter pressure that is building in the back of instructors' minds is the driving tests for pupils who were nearly at the test stage before lockdown.  Initial postponements and subsequent suspensions are taking their toll on the pupils who quite understandably are seeking resolution from their instructors.  There is of course nothing quite so deadly as the stress we feel from causes we have no control of, and how the DVSA manage this situation would come into that category.  There appears to be an increasingly powerful "voice" of instructors developing who are understandably growing rather impatient with the lack of leadership of their authority body.

There does appear to be inconsistencies that defy logic.  One which is particularly relevant this week is the re-starting of schools (albeit in a graduated manner in terms of numbers). Yet, theory test centres cannot accommodate a dozen or so candidates in their premises.  Instructors and I imagine the public is looking at these kinds of developments with confusion and frustration.

The other inconsistency relates to the continued ban of the practical driving test.  You would have thought that in this downtime enforced since 23/03/2020, the DVSA would have had ample opportunity to gather the necessary figures relating to available examiners willing to work.  Schools must have gone through the same process but as a much larger task than driving test centres; staff who are directly affected by health concerns, or indirectly incapable of attending work due to protecting members of the family in their household.  You consider the logistics of whether it is sensible for all practical tests to start at precisely the same time, why not stagger them to accommodate social distancing.  You calculate altering the start/end times of the working day; not to extend the working day for each examiner but to offer more flexibility.  Can practical tests take place on weekends as standard to manage the inevitable demand?

Then it comes to the health risks associated with the nature of our work being in a vehicle.  There will be by now some data to draw on.   Not least is the fact of the continued conduct of driving tests throughout the lockdown involving examiners and critical workers - the very section of society that is a higher risk due to their natural interaction with numerous people.  What have been the consequences of examiners working with these people?  What does the data suggest regarding members of the emergency services who have continued to work in vehicles together?  Dustbin lorry personnel, staff who transport patients to/from hospitals?  There is no shortage of evidence as to the consequences of people working in vehicles throughout the lockdown.

At some stage, there has to be a relaxation of the social distancing condition to enable the country to get going again.  Take schools, for example.  They are resuming with something like 25% of the pre-lockdown quantity of students to stand any possibility of maintaining the social distancing requirements. Regular student numbers while continuing the distance rules would increase classrooms and teachers - good luck with that one.

Similarly, compromised distancing is an inevitable consequence when training drivers. Some driving instructors are suggesting that a plastic divide is placed between pupil and instructor as a form of barrier to the virus.  It is an interesting idea, but a practical limitation is the ability of the instructor to intervene with the steering as and when required.  The Driving Instructor's Handbook states:

Physical intervention should normally be restricted to situations when it is necessary to avoid danger.  This occurs when verbal intervention has not worked or where there is insufficient time to give it.  The main methods of physical intervention are use of the dual footbrake, and steering corrections.

Clearly, a plastic divide prevents the instructor from reaching the steering wheel.  I couldn't tell you the last time I had to grab hold of the steering wheel while training.  It's not something that I find is an issue if you are training in the correct locations, doing the correct subjects for the ability of the pupil at any given time.  But, it is understandable why some instructors and possibly even insurance companies would start to feel more than a little uncomfortable with this particular intervention being removed from the working environment.

Other precautionary suggestions include the cleaning of the controls and hands prior and after training.  Maybe a forehead temperature check of pupil and instructor prior to entering the car.   There is mention of the possible use of masks and gloves.  It seems sensible to keep windows open and air con off.  Likewise, keeping the unnecessary face to face interactions to a minimum.  No swapping of pens or reference materials.  Heaven only knows what happens if either person coughs or sneezes!  The medical advice appears to be plenty of tissues within reach, and immediately disposing of them.  Having a limit to the maximum number of pupils in a working day seems logical, as does consideration to the duration of the interval between the sessions.  Payments made online - no exchange of cash.  

Prior to any of those measures, though, it is wise to consider how appropriate is the training given the circumstances of the pupil/instructor.  Members of a family who may be shielding, for example.  Are there any heightened risk factors associated with the pupil.  Have either pupil or instructor been subject to 'trace and track' - the compulsory disclosing of the details in advance. 

Converting fear into action

Millions of people are staring at imminent redundancy through no fault of their own.  It seems an injustice and understandably many are feeling battered and bruised.  Employers are facing a difficult decision in the coming weeks regarding how to handle furloughed employees.  This is a period of high anxiety, stress and uncertainty.  

The temptation in these times is to wallow in self-pity, make half-hearted attempts at looking for job vacancies and settle for second best.  It may be too easy to forget the experience and skills that are present in many people.  There will be communication skills, effective handling of demanding customers, time management, critical thinking, diplomacy.  These add value to organisations.  

BIG TOM recognises the worth of people who have experience in these areas. 

 

We work in a 1:1 environment where there is the opportunity to appreciate customer needs.  If you think about it logically, there is a desire in all of us to maximise the support and learning for others, because we instinctively do this with our family members.  All BIG TOM is asking for is the same devotion to personal development in our working relationships with customers.

  

We work hard when the work starts getting hard.  

Pupils can present a variety of challenges when learning to drive, and at BIG TOM, we start getting busy as the needs arise.  We aren't looking for instructors who coach a pupil to pass a test.  We want the learning to be meaningful and long-lasting; essential for keeping safe on the roads.

If you like the idea of a stimulating and rewarding career that asks you to bring out the best in others, we would be delighted to hear from you.   

http://drivinginstructortraining.bigtom.org.uk/ 

Are you willing to help yourself?

Driving instructors are understandably nervous.  There are bills to pay, outstanding pupils wanting tests and risks associated with the workplace.   Not having newly qualified drivers on the roads creates big headaches for businesses, individuals and the government.  It is in everyone's interests for the driving training industry to get started again.

Why don't you use this pause in business to review how happy you are with your work?  Consider how much better it would be, for example, if you didn't have cancellations.  Or you only paid a franchise fee when you are actually working.  How about if you receive your payment for your services 21 days in advance.  What if you had complete control of when you work so that you can continue some of the more pleasurable activities that you have appreciated over this lockdown.  How much covid safe would it be if you could earn just as much per week working with one pupil than you did before lockdown working with over 20?  Would that change alone that reduces the possibility of infection not be worth embracing?

Now is precisely the time to change.  

You can find out how the BIG TOM franchise operates in this quiet time.  You are turning what lots of instructors are considering a negative, into a very big positive and you are creating that change in a time where you lose no earnings in the transition period.  

It is time to review the way that we all work.  Everyone needs to start behaving more smartly, reducing risk, increasing efficiency and maximising time.  It's time to revolutionise the way you have thought about providing driving training and be willing to appreciate the incredible opportunity that is available for you to grasp.

www.drivinginstructortraining.bigtom.org.uk