Photo: JoachimKohlerBremen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Styrian Chamber of Commerce concerned by Austria’s driving instructor shortage

Karl-Heinz Stummer, spokesperson for the specialist group of driving schools in the Styrian Chamber of Commerce, has expressed concern over the driving instructor shortage in Austria.

You can read this article in 2 minutes

Speaking to Austrian broadcaster ORF, Stummer said that the lack of instructors had resulted in driving schools increasing their fees – thus making it even harder for Austrian residents to get standard driving licences as well HGV licences.

“Prices will probably have to be increased again, since we are currently negotiating collective agreements and there will be some blatant increases in the collective agreement,” said Stummer.

At the beginning of the year, training for a B driver’s license in Styria cost an average of 1,300 euros. After the current and the upcoming price increase, Stummer believes it will rise to around 1,500 euros.

Stummer also told ORF that there is a particular lack of staff to conduct truck and motorcycle lessons.

“Ten or twelve years ago, young boys simply took part in classes C, E for trucks and sometimes A, but due to cost reasons, young people no longer have this category of driver’s license and then cannot practice as a driving instructor because they would have to own this driving license class too.”

A planned amendment to the law is intended to make driving instructor training more accessible from next year and make the profession more attractive.

In the future, instructors should not only be able to start work after four to six months, but begin working as driving instructor assistants during their training, said Stummer.


Photo: JoachimKohlerBremen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons