Instructor Support Update – 3rd November
England Lockdown – Driving Lessons & Tests
As confirmed yesterday, we have received confirmation from the DVSA that both driving lessons, training, and tests (practical and now theory – as just announced at 12:30) will be paused in England from Thursday 5th November to Wednesday 2nd December. Full information from the DVSA relating to this announcement can be found on the following page, which will be kept regularly updated: www.billplant.ponderosa.digital/blog/dvsa-confirm-driving-lessons-tests-suspended-due-second-covid-19-lockdown/
As stated in the above blog post, the DVSA has yet to confirm whether lessons theory and/or practical tests can be undertaken by key workers. As soon as we have clarification regarding this from the DVSA we will update you accordingly.
Throughout this new lockdown period, we will continue to provide you with a fully insured tuition vehicle, which can be used for limited mileage (we recommend no more than 50 miles per week), alongside access to our Instructor Support Team, Accounts Team, Car Department and Training Support Team. These departments will continue to operate alongside the new Bookings and Customer Services Teams, to manage new inbound enquiries, provide you with students to teach after driving lessons resume and help assist with queries from your existing students.
We will continue to take bookings as normal for instructors based in Wales (who are due to resume from the 9th November) and Scotland where lessons are not currently suspended.
For those instructors who have upcoming in-car training that falls within this period, our Training Support Team will be in contact directly to rearrange these sessions for a suitable time and date.
England Lockdown – Franchise Assistance
Whenever driving lessons have had to cease, regardless of region, we have made concerted efforts to provide significant franchise relief to support our instructors as best as possible. During the first UK-wide lockdown, we reduced franchise fees by an average of 70% (to £65 per week) for 15 weeks.
It should be strongly noted that the operating costs of the driving school did not decrease by 70% during this downtime, and the management team made a huge financial contribution, to ensure the continued success of your businesses.
Upon driving lessons resuming, we offered each franchisee approximately £400 in further franchise fee reductions in the three weeks after driving lessons restarted. This support accompanied the removal of the first hour free and continuous record levels of pupil marketing spend, which ensured every driving instructor had the best chance of success and delivered increased earnings.
Alongside developing a comprehensive prepayment system, with 8 new members of staff, a record 63% of the driving school is now fully booked, with many others reporting very busy diaries in addition to a hugely significant reduction in cancellations, time-wasters and no shows.
We have always done our utmost, as sustainably as possible, to make certain that every driving instructor, trainer, trainee, pupil, and staff member has a successful driving school to return to – this will not change with yesterday’s announcement.
Based on the return date of 2nd December, for all affected instructors, we will be significantly reducing the franchise fee throughout this period, with the following payment schedule applicable:
w.c 2nd November – Full Franchise Fee
w.c 9th November – £65
w.c 16th November – £65
w.c 23rd November – £65
w.c 30th November – £65
No action is required, and you do not need to contact your Relationship Manager or Accounts department for this to take place. If you have any other questions, please contact your Instructor Support Team Relationship Manager directly.
We will continue to do all we can to support our Instructors, Trainers, Trainees, Staff and Pupils.
Kind regards
Tom Hixon
Head of Instructor Support