Longer Waiting Times and Higher Costs: Challenges Faced by Learner Drivers in the Kassel District

Longer waiting times and higher costs: Driving licenses are becoming more and more of a hurdle for learner drivers in the Kassel district. What are the reasons and what does attempted fraud have to do with it?

Kassel district – Weeks of waiting times for the theory test, high failure rates in the theoretical and practical tests and the associated ever higher costs: In the Kassel district, too, getting a driver’s license is increasingly becoming a hurdle for many learner drivers.

“In the Kassel area, we comply with all inspection requests, although allocations are naturally delayed before the holidays and during the four-day weeks,” explains Uwe Herrmann, head of the technical testing center for motor vehicle traffic at Tüv Hessen.

Kassel district: Driving licenses are costing learner drivers more and more time and money

“We will be able to fulfill everything there in 2023 with an allocation rate of 99.5 percent.” However, the high failure rates would result in longer waiting times because an examinee would take up several test appointments.

According to TÜV, in 2023, 45 percent of all examinees nationwide will fail at least once in the theory test for the class B driving license – the classic car driving license. The average failure rate for practical driving tests is 37 percent.

“In addition, we continue to notice that learner drivers are increasingly missing the playful experience of traffic – like when traveling with their parents or on a weekend trip. This reduces intuitive, correct decision-making in traffic situations, which then requires special training,” says Herrmann.

Driving license in the Kassel district: costs between 3,000 and 3,500 euros on average

However, one reason for the high failure rate in the practical test is the extended test times, explains driving instructor Angela Rehse from the Güde driving school in Wolfhagen. “The duration of the practical driving test has now been increased from 45 to 55 minutes.” A massive increase, as most mistakes are made by learner drivers towards the end of the test – which often leads to failure.

Today, driving training is often no longer as important to young people as it used to be.

“Today, driving training is often no longer as important to young people as it used to be,” says driving instructor Hendrik Berndt from the “Die Zwei” driving school in Calden. And this despite the fact that the average cost of a Class B driving license would now be around 3,000 to 3,500 euros.

The reason: higher costs for fuel and vehicles and the realization by many driving schools after the Corona pandemic that excessive internal price wars would be to the detriment of driving instructors. In rural areas, young people’s desire for a driver’s license tends to be higher than in the city, also due to the less developed public transport, but students generally take significantly more time with driving training.

High failure rates, long waiting times and a lack of staff

“Very quick people can do it in three or four months, most people need six months and some even over a year before they get their driver’s license in their hands,” explains Berndt. In addition, the industry, like so many, is suffering from a shortage of skilled workers – also because one of the largest trainers of driving instructors, the Bundeswehr, has failed.

“Driving instructor training is expensive and usually has to be paid for privately,” says driving instructor Michael Nolte from Kaufungen. “The costs put many young people off.” The working hours are also unattractive for many, as classes often take place in the evenings.

Udo Sellner from the Hesse Driving Instructors Association and the Sellner Driving School in Kassel points out that an increasingly larger proportion of driving students now have a migration background and driving instructors are increasingly having to struggle with a language barrier. “Comprehension problems often arise in everyday working life.” (Raphael Digiacomo)