What are the differences between formal and informal driving schools?
1 Answers
Here are specific methods to distinguish whether a driving school is formal or not: 1. Business qualifications: A formal driving school should have a "Training License" approved and issued by the local competent authority's Automobile Maintenance Industry Management Office, a "Business License" issued by the Industrial and Commercial Bureau, and a "Tax Registration Certificate" issued by the Tax Bureau. When students register, formal driving schools will sign a "Driving Training Contract" with them to ensure the rights and obligations of both parties. If a driving school neither has the above three certificates nor is willing to sign a contract with students, then it is a completely fake driving school. 2. Teaching facilities: A formal driving school should have its own classrooms, models, teaching tools, and training grounds. Many affiliated driving schools, however, arrange for students to practice directly on roads with fewer vehicles. Additionally, the number and grade of training vehicles owned by the driving school are also a standard to distinguish between "genuine" and "fake" driving schools. Formal driving schools can generally provide various types of vehicles such as trucks, cars, and jeeps for students to learn, while most affiliated driving schools always use a limited number of simply refurbished vehicles to cope with students. 3. Fee standards: A formal driving school should have reasonable fee standards, which are clearly marked prices supervised by the local price department, specifying what certificate to learn, what vehicle to use, and how much to charge. It is understood that due to the large scale of formal driving schools and the high cost of various teaching expenses, the fees cannot be particularly cheap. Moreover, before registration, be sure to ask clearly whether the tuition fee includes other miscellaneous fees. If it does, the driving school must clearly state it on the issued receipt so that there will be evidence for future reference. Generally, affiliated driving schools appear to charge lower fees, but after registration, they will charge under various names, making the total cost possibly higher than that of formal driving schools. 4. Coach quality: According to relevant regulations, only coaches with a "Driving School Coach Qualification Certificate" can train students. Coaches in a formal driving school must also pass theoretical, road, and pile tests like students to obtain the qualification certificate. On the contrary, coaches in informal driving schools are mostly temporary arrangements to fill the facade, lacking both qualification certificates and comprehensive knowledge. Before registration, students can verify whether the school's coaches have formal qualification certificates to infer the authenticity of the driving school. 5. Driving school reputation: When choosing a driving school, check its reputation online to see how many complaints there are. Additionally, ask the school office if there is a complaint hotline and corresponding rules and regulations. It is best to choose an AAA driving school recognized by the transportation department. AAA refers to driving schools that have reached A-level in integrity, service quality, and teaching equipment. 6. Service quality: The transportation management department conducts an annual qualification review and certification of driving schools. Currently, there is no government-organized evaluation. Therefore, when registering, attention should be paid to the quality of its services. Do not just listen to one side; choose a driving school with high credibility carefully. It is best to choose those driving schools that have passed the quality management system certification.