In order to meet the needs of the people, recently, many driving training and testing facilities have been established in the area, creating strong competition. In the current context of supply exceeding demand, licensing driving training and testing for units and businesses is an issue that needs attention and consideration.

Teachers at Quang Tri Driver Training and Testing Center test students' practical skills - Photo: QH

Compete to grow

With just a click, phone call or text message, people can grasp the necessary information related to the recruitment work of the driving training and testing facility. The above information also appears more and more in public places, on billboards, posters, leaflets... At some driving training and testing facilities, teachers, officials and workers are encouraged and financially supported to go to communes, wards and towns to do recruitment work. The introduction of recruitment information is carried out by many teachers in conjunction with teaching courses. For people who are too busy, the registration documents are delivered directly to them by the training and testing facilities and teachers.

It can be said that never before has the recruitment, training and testing of drivers in the area developed as strongly as it does today. Solutions to promote recruitment and create favorable conditions for people in need are emerging more and more. This change probably stems from the fact that more and more training and testing facilities for drivers are emerging.

According to statistics from the Department of Transport, there are currently 4 units training drivers of motorbikes and cars of all classes and 2 centers testing drivers of cars. Of these, 4 units training drivers of motorbikes and cars of all classes include: Quang Tri Transport Vocational College; ASEAN Vocational College; Manh Linh Vocational Education Center; Quang Tri Driver Training and Testing Center. The training facilities are distributed quite evenly in Dong Ha City, Huong Hoa District and Vinh Linh District.

In the context of many driving training and testing facilities being established, in recent times, units doing this work have constantly innovated and developed to increase competitiveness. Although it was only established in October 2020, Quang Tri Driving Training and Testing Center has quickly affirmed its reputation.

To achieve that result, the center has implemented many solutions to ensure effective enrollment, training, and testing such as: teaching theory, centralized simulation in the traditional form combined with guided self-study of theory; providing documents and links for students to refer to on information channels, social networks, and phone applications; assigning teachers to be in charge of small groups to facilitate consultation and tutoring...

Driving practice is always taught in the correct order and with full lessons. Driving lessons must be performed in accordance with the regulations and general methods issued by the research center.

“In the past year, the center has enrolled and trained 1,399 students in the following categories: B1 automatic, B2 and C. Of which, 1,091 students have been tested and granted a driver's license, reaching a rate of 81.72%.

That result was achieved thanks to the efforts of the whole team, helping the center stand firm in the current competitive context," said Mr. Nguyen Van Ngo, Director of Quang Tri Driver Training and Testing Center.

Also implementing many solutions to increase competitiveness, in recent times, Quang Tri Vocational College of Transport has been chosen by many people who want to learn to drive. The school currently has about 60 staff, teachers, and employees, of which 50 are teachers of theory and practice. In order to improve the quality of training, in recent times, the center has regularly tested and evaluated the capacity of teachers. The requirements for professional ethics of teachers are always put first.

Mr. Tran Minh Trung, Principal of Quang Tri Vocational College of Transport, shared: “In the current period, competition is inevitable. Therefore, we have made great efforts to change and affirm the school's long-standing tradition. What we are most concerned about now is facing unfair competition.”

Supply has exceeded demand.

Compared to other provinces and cities in the country, Quang Tri is a small province with a small population and low per capita income. Although the demand for driving lessons has increased in recent times, it is not too high. According to statistics from the Department of Transport on training results in the past 3 years (including students trained in other provinces), the demand for driving lessons in the whole province fluctuates between 3,000 - 5,000 students/year. The fluctuation in demand for driving lessons is considered not large.

According to data provided by the Department of Transport, the training capacity of the 4 driving training facilities currently operating in the province is about 9,000 car students of all classes and 50,000 - 60,000 A1 students each year.

From 2019 to present, on average, each year, the facilities have only organized new training for nearly 5,000 car students of all classes (reaching about 50% of the capacity of 4 training facilities) and more than 8,000 A1 motorcycle students (reaching about 20% of the capacity of 3 training facilities). Through assessment, the capacity of 4 driving training facilities far exceeds the driving learning needs of local people.

The above fact partly explains why the competition among driving training and testing establishments in the province is getting bigger. The competition is increasing in the context that some establishments in Quang Binh and Thua Thien Hue provinces have also chosen Quang Tri to promote recruitment and training. In order to compete, some training establishments do not hesitate to "bend the law" in some stages. This is what makes training and testing establishments operating in accordance with regulations very concerned.

In this general context, if we continue to open more driving training and testing facilities in the area, supply will certainly exceed demand. Competition from here will become more fierce, even complicated. Supply exceeding demand will also lead to difficulties in management. This is also the "gap" that causes the waste of social resources.

Because opening a driving training and testing facility requires a lot of resources from land, facilities, equipment, vehicles... to human resources. When a licensed training facility invests a lot of resources but there are too few students, the first person at a disadvantage is the investor.

Looking at neighboring provinces such as Quang Binh, Thua Thien Hue and some other neighboring localities, although more favorable than Quang Tri in many aspects of driver training and testing, the investment licensing has appropriate limitations. Normally, each province only has about 3 - 4 training facilities.

In Thua Thien Hue, although there are nearly 1.2 million people with many universities, colleges and central agencies located in the area, there are only 3 training facilities and 1 testing center in the area. Therefore, it is necessary for relevant levels and sectors in the province to carefully study and consider before granting licenses to units and businesses to invest in additional training and testing facilities for drivers in the area at the present time.

Quang Hiep