The number of driving schools in Ukraine decreases.
To get a driver’s license in Ukraine will be more difficult, as this process conceals many pitfalls. In recent years, the teaching quality has been steadily declining, and at the beginning of 2016, many schools and turned out to be on the verge of closing.
According to the Ukrainian Association of driving schools, as at the end of 2015 in Ukraine there were more than 2,800 schools of different ownership forms. Of these, nearly 60%, or about 1600 educational institutions belonging to the Society of assistance to defense of Ukraine (CCA, formerly DOSAAF), all-Ukrainian Union of motorists (ICA) or created on the basis of the training center and vocational schools. The rest are private driving schools operating under their own brands.
To go out on a national level and to open branches throughout the country could only TSO and ICA, but among the “name brand” private schools no no nationwide: most companies are limited to one city, and only a few private driving schools of major have branches in the neighbouring towns, says the “TOP-100. 500 largest companies in the services market of Ukraine “.
In Kiev, the most branched network can boast of such a driving school, as “Onega” (30 branches), Signal (16 branches), TSO (eight branches) and “Carat” (five branches).
No new car — no students
The crisis of the past two years has experienced a substantial decline in new car sales, the logical consequence was a decrease in the number of students of driving schools. In 2015 the cadets even flow estimated was reduced by half compared to the previous year.
Interestingly, the share of corporate customers of the driving schools “tends” to zero. “Companies make a choice in favor of courses of improvement of qualification of the driver with in-depth training econodyne, protective, defensive driving,” explains the head of Ukrainian Association of driving schools Ilya sherbinin.
But those who still need a driver’s license, when you choose a driving school are guided, as before, three criteria: it is a popular educational institutions, the opinions about it among friends and acquaintances and, of course, price.
Driving schools often attract low “promotional” price, which may differ significantly from actual: quickly turns out that the cadet will have to pay for the gas for practical classes. Do so, for example, in schools the network TSO.
Driving school in Ukraine for a long time is mandatory conscription, without the passage of which is not to obtain a driving license, it does not matter whether you are to the point of learning to drive a car or saw the steering wheel. So, of course, to pay no desire. But I will, because the cost of training in driving schools is constantly growing. Take, for example, the most popular category “b” (passenger cars with GVW up to 3.5 tonnes). In 2012 the standard course duration 2.5 months was worth an average of 2,800 USD. But next year the average price rose to RS 3500, but now it is 4500 USD.
However, in dollar terms, the picture is opposite: the cost of training for this category fell from $ 350 in 2012 to $ 180 in 2015. the Reference to “hard” currency is no accident. Fuel, spare parts for cars school, computers for the classrooms — everything is getting more expensive with the devaluation of the hryvnia. As a result, today a driving school mainly working on the verge of profitability and therefore are trying to reduce operating expenses. And this means primarily the reduction or even freezing of programs, upgrade teaching equipment and vehicles. Moreover, many schools are now trying to completely abandon their own transport — hire driving instructors with their own cars. The costs for depreciation of equipment fall on the shoulders of the instructor.
“Driving schools have reduced revenues to a minimum, which can not but affect the quality of service,” admits Ilya sherbinin.
But “to be right” and for an amount almost two times less than the average — UAH 2200-2800. In Kiev the training at a reduced “rate” offer a lot of driving schools, including Onega, one of the top 5. How is such a dumping price? The shorting is due to the reduction in the volume of services rendered: instead of the standard program of 40 academic hours (category “B”) cadet skated only twenty.
It is no secret that driving this sin before, but over the last few years the number of such cases has increased significantly. Here a clear violation of the curriculum (standard program of training approved by the CMU resolution No. 229 dated 02.03.2010), but the owners of these driving schools doing this consciously and even openly. The paradox is that to date none of the relevant government agencies do not have the authority to check the driving schools.
Autumn 2015, in addition to the crisis, brought to market and the other to attack, put most of the driving schools on the brink of closure. The fact is that in 2010 Ukraine introduced a mandatory five-year accreditation of such schools and the time came for their re-accreditation. The trouble is that today no single state body of accreditation of driving schools does. Previously, it said the state traffic Inspectorate (GAI), and after starting work in summer 2015 the National police formally this function is moved to the Central service center of the Ministry of interior. But there is a shrug: “Without appropriate changes in the orders of the Ministry of interior, the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Ministry of education we have no normative reason to engage in re-accreditation of driving schools”.
When there will be changes? In the Central service centre of the Ministry of interior assure that it will happen in may. However, by that time in most schools over the period of accreditation, and the sector will enter into a steep drift.
