(MENAFN- Gulf Times)
Driving schools have recorded a huge increase in the number of learner drivers. (File picture used for illustrative purposes only).
By Joey Aguilar
Staff Reporter
The number of learners in driving schools has surged over the last month despite the ban on 162 categories of workers an employee of a leading driving school in Doha told Gulf Times.
"The prevailing good weather and the influx of expatriates into the country are the main reasons for the increase in enrolment" he explained.
The training slots for January are fully booked. Those who have enrolled now can start lessons only in the second week of February.
In other driving schools it takes at least three months before trainees could start their theory classes and driving lessons.
The employee said they had also recently bought new cars and hired additional driving instructors without increasing their enrolment fees.
When the ban was first implemented in May 2013 by the Traffic Department most driving schools recorded a significant drop (about 50%) in revenues.
Some of the categories of workers who are ineligible to apply include labourers butchers hotel service workers welders cooks gardeners shoemakers security guards and others in low-income jobs.
However after a new list of non-eligible applicants was issued in August last year the number of leraners started to rise again.
The employee said the trend has continued due to the growing population contributed by an increase in the number of expatriates in the country.
He also cited the seemingly unending taxi woes which prompted many residents to enrol in driving schools.
“They tell us they want to secure driving licences and then drive their own cars even if it costs more” he added.
While the Traffic Department introduced some changes in driving tests a few months ago a staff member from another driving school said a huge percentage of student drivers (from various driving schools) passed the tests and secured licences.
Besides the theory test it also includes answering questions about situations involving critical thinking and presence of mind. Part of the test is identifying the parts of the vehicle’s engine.
Pocket parking was included in the driving test. Those who passed would go for the road test which is held another day.
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