There are an increased number of vehicle users in India with automobile market flooding with manufacturers providing cars and bikes at affordable rates to large sector of people. This directly points to the fact that more number of people interested in learning to drive cars. This is good news to anybody planning to open a driving school. In certain states like Tamil Nadu due to severe shortage of driving schools the state government has decided to operate their own schools to fill the inadequacy.
Before starting schools evaluate yourself whether you have proper driving skills and you can pass on them to other novice drivers.
If so here are some of things you need to consider while starting a driving school.
Certification
Before starting to teach others, you need to become a certified instructor. Most states have a separate application process for the same apart from registering your company.
Finances
What are the avenues for your investment? Are you planning to take up a loan or have enough savings to do start your dream venture? Calculate all your initial expenditure like purchase of equipment and setting up an office space. If you take up loan remember you need to pay back every month and plan how much you can shell out every month. Compare all the loan plans and choose which suits you the best.
Equipment
The cars you buy for training should be well equipped to guide your students and must be the latest in the market. These vehicles need regular maintenance and changeover after few years. Vehicles and automobile technology keeps evolving therefore it is necessary to change vehicles regularly. The vehicles should be registered with the registering and licensing authority (RLA).
Insurance of vehicles
Get your vehicles insured; all the cars you would use for your school should covered by insurance.
License
Before you begin operations you need to obtain a license from the state transport authority (STA) in charge of your respective state. Every state of India has their respective laws regarding the license. Before license, you need to obtain clearance for registering the name of your driving school. To ensure no other business has the same name as yours.
Regulations
There are several regulations laid out for starting a driving school. Recently Delhi High Court ordered that only a person with a minimum educational qualification of class 10 is eligible to be an instructor. So keep yourself update with these guidelines and they tend to change with time. Some states expect them to hold at least a diploma in mechanical engineering.
Office Space
People choose driving schools which are closer to their residence so that they can come and take up their classes in ease. So the locality you choose to set up must be in a locality where there are lot people who own vehicles. Metros cities and second cities all have a good market for driving school since cars have got cheaper and affordable to the middle class of India.
Theory Classes
Apart from the practical sessions theory classes are must through which the student is taught the rules and regulations and common tips on road sense and traffic principles. These are compulsory and help in making the learners a sensible driver.
Fees for Learning
At the beginning when you charge students have a moderate price. Do not make it either too low o attract students or too costly. It should be profitable for both the learner and instructor.
Advertise your School
Get your business board hanged in local community billboards were people generally tend to look for services. And get your business listed in business websites. Google is the first place people go for when we are in need of any information.
Schedule
It is OK to have a pre-planned schedule for the conduct of classes. However your learners may be from various walks of life making it difficult for all of them to adopt for the same timeline. Rather you can let them choose the comfortable time slot which even you can accommodate.
Patience
Not everyone is a fast learner and you need to have the patience to deal with it. There will be people from all walks of life, students’, rebellious teenagers and home makers, so you need to master the art of being patient with them.
Some of the rules which are commonly violated
The school should have a valid license and registered office.
Students need to have theory classes before the practical classes and the offices are supposed to have proper classrooms for theory sessions.
Vehicles should have dual driving mode.
Failing to follow any regulations listed out by the state authorities will lead to severe penalties.
Recently in Chhattisgarh the government started checking the license of driving schools and of the 33 operating schools only 9 of them has proper authority to operate. As a result the rest of the schools were heavily fined.
Don’t give up
All the business come with little bumps, you may not taste success at the very beginning. But if you are dedicated enough you will definitely be able to make it to the top.