Becoming a driving instructor

GT60

Hi as the title says i am interested in becoming a driving instructor but not to sure on who to trust to teach me.
I have looked at Bsm and Xcel Driving UK oh and i have read about red driving school if anyone has any recomendations i would be very happy.
I am currently a HGV class one driver in the north west
Thanks

DCFC79

Have you read some of the threads on here about being a driving instructor, i dont want to put you off but ill be honest, ive read on here that its long hours to make a decent wage out of it, if you go with red driving school you will need a couple of £K to fionance it all but they may have finance options so its like a loan so to speak.

snapping_crocodile

My stepdad was a driving instructor. He really enjoyed it but it did take a lot of hours to bring in the cash. He found he made more once he went solo (away from a company) but it was still a lot more than 9-5!! It also costs quite a few thousand pounds to do the training, even if you do it in conjunction with a school such as red, as if you notice at the bottom of the screen on the advert it says in very small print 'some financial committment required' or something along those lines

If you have the cash to spare, and you dont mind working long hours, then my stepdad recommends it. Don't know if you have read through this or used it to find anyone in your area

http://www.dsa.gov.uk/Category.asp?cat=503

cali_

DCFC79 wrote: »

Have you read some of the threads on here about being a driving instructor, i dont want to put you off but ill be honest, ive read on here that its long hours to make a decent wage out of it, if you go with red driving school you will need a couple of £K to fionance it all but they may have finance options so its like a loan so to speak.

And if you google, there are many similar [STRIKE]horror[/STRIKE] stories about cost etc and commitment. They also say that once you are set up in your own business then thats when profit is made.

jessicamb

Its a very tough business to make a profit in - prices are low and costs are mostly fixed so you have to work a considerable number of hours to make it pay for itself. Take the adverts that say you can make £30k a year with a pinch of salt. If you work very hard you could take £30k in sales revenue but you then have to take off all your costs - car, fuel, insurance etc.

There may be more of a niche in training HGV drivers than standard driving instruction?

DCFC79

cali_ wrote: »

And if you google, there are many similar [STRIKE]horror[/STRIKE] stories about cost etc and commitment. They also say that once you are set up in your own business then thats when profit is made.

maybe but dont direct that at me, direct it at the op, i was giving my opinion on it

GT60

Okay thank you all for your advice maybe not a driving instructor after all.

passatrider

GT60 wrote: »

Okay thank you all for your advice maybe not a driving instructor after all.

Sorry we've put you off, but it's for your own good knowing the true facts.
Those polished adverts really do not show you the bigger picture to be honest. I would be inclined to stay as an HGV driver as you will make more money I reckon.;)

Splodge77

My partner is training now with red and he is enjoyin it there is alot to weigh up with hrs and wether it works out to use ur own car with a school or there or to go it alone and start ur own company up. they do finance on there course has its expensive otherwise and u have to pay for ur exams like theory and ur pdi lisence if u choose that,my partners on his last part of his exam in may so fingers xsd but he doesnt know wot he's doing yet eg goin with a school or doin it part time round another job! but he loved learning people and the job when he had his pdi but like people say u need to put in the hour to get the money but like i say u d with all jobs! Good luck in wotever u do!

[Deleted User]

Also be sure to ask what they're Driving Instructor training success rates are. Most schools when I asked had no idea or guessed. In my opinion LDC is the best driving school there is.., with higher success rates than most. I'd avoid Red.., they were one of the ones with a very high sales pitch and no idea what they're success rate was.

But as said, when u add up the very high car charges and no idea how many learner drivers u'll be given a week (this is where my admittedly low motivation ex didn't do so well) u can be in a situation whereby u make enough to cover your car costs and no more (there's usually a contractual limit so the driving schools make more money if they employ more drivers - from the car fees - check the contracts on the minimal hours they will provide once u are working for them). Also think about the hours u'll be working, early morning, weekends, evenings which is when most people want their lessons.