To all the driving instructors our there...

umboma

umboma

umboma

Soldato
Joined
10 Jan 2011
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3,331
Hello all,

Right from the start I guess,

I've got an option to become a driving instructor so as you know this is quite expensive to start out, but before I jump in and start I'd like to know if this is a good career to follow at this moment in time, I mean is the market good is there plenty of work out there?.

After talking to a representative he made it sound like it's a gold mine "kinda" he's saying potential earnings a week could easily be around the £450 mark after paying expenses IE car/fuel this got me thinking is he telling the truth or is this just salesman talk?.

Reason for looking into this as a career is I've been made redundant from previous job and with redundancy pay I can do this, I've had enough of earning other people/company's money and I'd like to work semi self employed and start to earn my own money.

So please let me know you're thoughts..

Many Thanks
 
I can't help, but I would have thought you'd need the patience of a saint to try and teach some people who just don't get it! I'd be all raging after about 5 minutes!
 
umboma said:
After talking to a representative he made it sound like it's a gold mine "kinda" he's saying potential earnings a week could easily be around the £450 mark after paying expenses IE car/fuel this got me thinking is he telling the truth or is this just salesman talk?
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Before or after tax? Either way not exactly a "gold mine"?
 
I would have thought that it's pretty hard to make a good living. There are loads of driving instructors around at the minute that to be successful you'd need some sort of niche (the car you are using could be one) or have a massive ready client base which would be almost impossible for a new instructor.

Instructors thrive from word of mouth, so I think it'd be pretty hard to set yourself up as a brand new one without having a few VERY lean months/years whilst you create the client base who will recommend you. I'd expect to be covering expenses and not much else for the short - medium term.
 
Ahleckz said:
I would have thought that it's pretty hard to make a good living. There are loads of driving instructors around at the minute that to be successful you'd need some sort of niche (the car you are using could be one) or have a massive ready client base which would be almost impossible for a new instructor.

Instructors thrive from word of mouth, so I think it'd be pretty hard to set yourself up as a brand new one without having a few VERY lean months/years whilst you create the client base who will recommend you. I'd expect to be covering expenses and not much else for the short - medium term.
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You see I was thinking this, but the company who I'd train with gives you an auto placement as a franchisee and guarantee a minimum of 8 new clients a month, this doesn't sound like a lot, but then I can get my own clients also..
 
Take anything the company says with a big pinch of salt, at the end of the day they make their money by getting people to sign up for the training. From the driving instructors I know, the following is true:

It will start very slowly, as Ahleckz said you'd be in for several lean months when you start up as you build a client base (unless you sign up with one of the nationwide companies but not sure how that works, referral etc?)

The figure he mentioned may be true but you'd have to put in a lot of hours to make a decent amount and that requires a lot of customers.

Depending on where you are the market can be over-saturated meaning earnings will be lower, conversely if you're in an area without a glut you could clean up.

You'll want to throttle at least 50% of your students!
 
Salesman speak, you'd be very lucky to earn anywhere near £450 a week until you've been doing it many years, my uncle was doing it with RAC and after he'd paid all his expenses (car rental, insurance, petrol & RACs cut etc.) he was bringing home just shy of £200 a week (he was working until 8pm most nights and weekends).

He gave up after 4 years and drives a golf cart around the hospital taking patients to other suites etc.

The only way to 'make' money is to setup on your own but as previously mentioned word of mouth is the main attraction and as a new guy in town you wouldn't have that.

Anyhow best of luck to you in whatever venture you choose
 
Windle said:
Take anything the company says with a big pinch of salt, at the end of the day they make their money by getting people to sign up for the training. From the driving instructors I know, the following is true:

It will start very slowly, as Ahleckz said you'd be in for several lean months when you start up as you build a client base (unless you sign up with one of the nationwide companies but not sure how that works, referral etc?)

The figure he mentioned may be true but you'd have to put in a lot of hours to make a decent amount and that requires a lot of customers.

Depending on where you are the market can be over-saturated meaning earnings will be lower, conversely if you're in an area without a glut you could clean up.

You'll want to throttle at least 50% of your students!
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All this is true, the company in question is RED, so national and by all accounts when I pass they will put me on priority list to get me the customer base up ASAP, also before I start they will book lessons for me three weeks in advance so on the first day of teaching I'll have some work to start me off.
 
If you assumed a full client list and 8 (1hr) sessions a day, factor in travel time to each client of say half an hour, then also assume a 6 day working week with your first session at 8am and your last at 6:30pm, without lunch break and you're charging £11 per session (no idea what the average fee is these days) then that makes £528, this is before any of your own costs are taken into account.
 
Rob200sx said:
If you assumed a full client list and 8 (1hr) sessions a day, factor in travel time to each client of say half an hour, then also assume a 6 day working week with your first session at 8am and your last at 6:30pm, without lunch break and you're charging £11 per session (no idea what the average fee is these days) then that makes £528, this is before any of your own costs are taken into account.
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Lessons are £23.50 in my local area for 1hour, or they have a fee of £21 if booking 10 or more lessons in advance. so lets say minimum £21 for 6 hours aday 5 days aweek looking at £630 - car £205 fuels a tough one to call.. but I'd say £150 a week??? so looking at £275 on a 6 hour 5 day week. but then I have the added bonus as such by doing a few hours on weekends, 2 maybe 3 for a little extra cash.
 
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AJK said:
Clearing £450/week only working 25 hours is fiction.
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umboma said:
Yep I agree, thats why I turned to here to get thoughts on the matter, as it all sounded like salesman talk.
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Just think about it....

25 hours work could translate into 5 lessons a day for 5 days..

Going rate is about £20 per hour lesson, therefore over 25 lessons you earn £500... Obvoiusly then some of the £20 per hour may need to go to the company or whatever...

Though i think the misleading thing is the hour you'll work.. Yes, 5 lessons at 1 hour long is 5 hours but then you have to get between the lessons fitting around the learners hours (work,ect).. You could easily work 8-7 and only do 5 lessons.
 
There was a good thread in the Motor forum with a guy documenting his progress to becomming a driving instructor. It sounded very difficult so you may be worth checking it out.
 
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