12500 instructors for 1,000,000 pupils sounds good…but there are many, many more instructors out there. My ADI bage is badge number 2573** (last 2 digits left out for security) and I got that number over 8 years ago. I think badge numbers now are in 400,000 maybe nearly 450,000. Of course you would have to factor in retirement, people who gave up and natural wastage but I reckon a conservative guess of about 250,000 ‘active’ ADI’s wouldn’t be that far off the mark.
delboytwo:
1.000.000
x
2020.000.000
/
40500000
/
50so your answer is 12500 instructors for 1.000.000 new drivers per year
I got 10,000 
ROG:
delboytwo:
1.000.000
x
2020.000.000
/
40500000
/
50so your answer is 12500 instructors for 1.000.000 new drivers per year
I got 10,000
your right there Rog dont no where that came from
Way_1974, my ADI number starts 31**** I qualified 3 ½ years ago. I’m not sure how relevant that number is compared to the number of ADI’s on the register though.
I recently received the DIA driving instructor magazine which had an article on this subject. It quoted 45,000 registered ADI’s and a further 7,000 going through the training process.
My local test centre, Cheetham hill for 2007-2008 had a pass rate of 50.22 % (which is high). So at this test centre each pupil on average would have 2 tests. 1,000,000 tests are conducted each year so that is 500,000 people learning to drive, there are 45,000 registered driving instructors so each one would teach 11 people per year.
In 2007-2008, 50,000 fewer people applied for a provisional driving licence.
AG:
I recently received the DIA driving instructor magazine which had an article on this subject. It quoted 45,000 registered ADI’s and a further 7,000 going through the training process.
45,000 now! 
It was 27,000 when I was doing it. So an increase of well over 50%. It was difficult getting work then, what must it be like now?
migs69:
It was 27,000 when I was doing it. So an increase of well over 50%. It was difficult getting work then, what must it be like now?
(zb)###@@*(zb) 
Im ADI, well not doing lesson now but still hold my badge, and I could not agree more with the posts above. Just to add about the training side of things it’s about time they graded instuctors on pass rates not acting. (my pass rate from year to year was 85 to 100% pass). Most The instuctor in the Hinckly coventry way are just in it for the monies not for good drivers. That would soon thin the cowboys out
steverospa:
Im ADI, well not doing lesson now but still hold my badge, and I could not agree more with the posts above. Just to add about the training side of things it’s about time they graded instuctors on pass rates not acting. (my pass rate from year to year was 85 to 100% pass). Most The instuctor in the Hinckly coventry way are just in it for the monies not for good drivers. That would soon thin the cowboys out
[/quote]
That idea was bandied about at the DSA consultation in Leicester but there is a downside - an ADI who has the more challenging type of trainees will be penalised.
An instructor who has say, a lot of trainees that are of a very nervous disposition or simply do not put ‘all’ into it for whatever reason, would seriously affect the pass rates - would that be fair to ‘tar’ the instructor as not being as good
Maybe the way around the above would be to give potential trainees an assesment and if they do not look like being a good test pass candidate then discard them
ROG:
steverospa:
Im ADI, well not doing lesson now but still hold my badge, and I could not agree more with the posts above. Just to add about the training side of things it’s about time they graded instuctors on pass rates not acting. (my pass rate from year to year was 85 to 100% pass). Most The instuctor in the Hinckly coventry way are just in it for the monies not for good drivers. That would soon thin the cowboys out
[/quote]
That idea was bandied about at the DSA consultation in Leicester but there is a downside - an ADI who has the more challenging type of trainees will be penalised.
An instructor who has say, a lot of trainees that are of a very nervous disposition or simply do not put ‘all’ into it for whatever reason, would seriously affect the pass rates - would that be fair to ‘tar’ the instructor as not being as good
Maybe the way around the above would be to give potential trainees an assesment and if they do not look like being a good test pass candidate then discard them
[/quote]
the crap ones just take longer to get to standard
I have had some very very crap L drivers in my time (10 years) but they all still passed. I have only taken one person for five test very early on in my training and two for only 3 tests the most are 1st time
steverospa:
I have had some very very crap L drivers in my time (10 years) but they all still passed. I have only taken one person for five test very early on in my training and two for only 3 tests the most are 1st time
This is where car instructors have the advantage over LGV instructors - the car instructor can advise the pupil WHEN to go for test - the LGV instructor has no choice in the matter as the test date is set.
I do sometimes wonder if LGV training should be done more on a par with that of cars but perhaps instead of ‘by the hour’ could be done ‘by the day’ - that way the instructor could advise the pupil to go for test when they are deemed ready…
Sorry, can’t quote you all by name, but you know who said what:
To even try and do 9 hours teaching in one day would be absolutely crazy. You have to figure into this the time travelling between lessons, time for lunch break etc you would be working 13 hour days for 6 days a week!!!
Isn’t that what lorry drivers do?
Any pupils you had would soon go elsewhere when the standard of lessons dropped because the instructor is asleep next to them.
Not at all. We used to do first one at 7am, block of 4. home for lunch, another block of 4, home for tea, couple in an evening, finish about 9. I only used to do this occasionally, quite some years ago now, but my friend whom i worked for, who has one of the most successful schools in the area (very rarely advertises) used to do it 7 days a week if busy.
as a grade 6 instructor with 15 years experience, I am only able to charge learner drivers £22 per hour
maybe you should re-assess at your marketing? Any CPD done? Don’t forget to include that in your marketing material.
and the best one is a phone call just before you pick them up "oh sorry got no money this week see you same time next week " and you see them out at the weekend
Well it is in your T’s & C’s isn’t it that short notice cancellation is fully payable? They don’t tend to do that so much if you offer discount (or extra lesson?) for a block booking paid up front, because they know they’ll lose it.
With a lot of hard work and a bit of luck someone could make a successful ADI
quite so.
I have been doing this job for over 8 years and still enjoy doing it.
Over 20, (5 digit ADI #) never full time (apart from the odd few weeks hol cover from time to time) find teaching novices tedious now. Don’t do it. If staying in the industry would want to get into driver improvement training, race circuit, or emergency response.
I then tried to ‘do the sums’. ! Million divided by (average numbers of lessons per pupil) (20ish{hours}) based on a 40 hour week, over 50 weeks per year, and as to how many instructors that would require…
I think that figure is a bit light. Think 30 would be nearer to average, some have well over 40! Min recomended Hour and half for every year of your life. Don’t forget a few come back for Pass Plus also.
The problem with RED (which is part of the instructor college, who used to advertise til they got such a bad reputation) and other national training providers, is that they would tell someone that has no communicative skills at all and drives like a boy racer that they would make an excellent ADI, just to get the £3-4000 course fee’s off them. They know the person would never get through the qualification process and so would expect to lose them through the course.
Yes, training establishments are noted for this. Its very wrong.
Just to add about the training side of things it’s about time they graded instuctors on pass rates not acting.
What about instructors who hardly ever present pulis for test. For years my pass rate, (when the DSA used to send it to you) was 100% … because i’d only presented one pupil!
(my pass rate from year to year was 85 to 100% pass)
So was mine when i had my own tuition vehicle.
Some time ago i started a thread as a specific meeting place where ADI’s & others with an interest in Advanced Driving etc. could congregate to discuss just this type of thing. I now am unable to find that anywhere? Has it been pulled?
I do agree though that just now is not the best time to get into the industry. Too many new entrants all chasing the same number (or less:?) of pupils.
As I am currently a full time ADI I agree with a lot that has been said, but as Rog has said this affects the LGV market as well, the papers are full of ads for instructor training and LGV training and reading a lot of the posts on this site it seems a lot of the guys are doing their LGV training and then finding out that hang on there is actually no work for me ! an ADI forum that I also belong to reads almost the same except for cars !!
The only reason I am doing my LGV C training is that I have a guaranteed job when I qualify the truck is sat there waiting for me and the course is being paid for by my future employer else there is no way I would be doing it !, because it is a new business I can do a bit of both and see what the future holds, of course the climate we find ourselves in at the moment is not helping.
the last time I looked at pass rates bikes 55% cars 42% lgv 76%. That tells me the lgv drivers are all ready driving beter. The lgv tests you can book on block the car has to be booked by name and some bike compy book on block. I know a some of the examiners at Birmingham and even they say the lgv Ls do not have enough road driving. But it is crap two weeks in a truck then have a pass then off you go. When I passed my class one it was great 3 1/2 days driving then 1st time pass, looking back now it should not be dun like that. I have pass ADI now and have dun ADI training Rospa bike and car and bike L tests for friends on the 125 cc test , and some of the things they say about trainers is abizzmal
Driveroneuk:
Some time ago i started a thread as a specific meeting place where ADI’s & others with an interest in Advanced Driving etc. could congregate to discuss just this type of thing. I now am unable to find that anywhere? Has it been pulled?
I cannot remember such a thread and the site search faciity is not fixed yet - I may find it when it is 
One site I use that covers all this sort of discussion is advanced-driving.co.uk - it has a LGV/PCV section as well.
I hope that mentioning that site is not classed as advertising 
- a mod or site admin will delete it, if it is 
The answer to test dates Rog is simple, start off with a contract stating test only when ready to pass. The DSA only needs 3 days notice to switch test dates.
The test is too expensive to fail.
miketdt:
The answer to test dates Rog is simple, start off with a contract stating test only when ready to pass. The DSA only needs 3 days notice to switch test dates.
The test is too expensive to fail.
I think the problem is the way that LGV training schools have their courses designed and not the actual booking of the test itself.