Driving license chaos in the Starnberg district: registrations are collapsing!

Driving license chaos in the Starnberg district: registrations are collapsing!

In the Starnberg district, demand for driving licenses has fallen dramatically. Registrations have fallen sharply after the federal government announced it would reduce the cost of driving licenses. Thomas Schubert, owner of the Schubert driving school, speaks of a significant drop in registrations and notes that currently talented students rarely pay less than 3,000 euros for a car driving license. The average costs are currently between 3,500 and 4,000 euros, which is a tough sell for many aspiring drivers. Mercury reports that the owner of Manni's driving school, Manfred Fechter, criticized the previous pricing as unfair for the driving schools.

But it's not just the prices that are causing dissatisfaction. Driving schools are also struggling with rising costs for insurance, fuel and repairs as well as a noticeable shortage of skilled workers. Schuler points out that reforms like those that took place in 2018 often take a long time. However, the planned reform by Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder is intended to give driving schools more leeway. Time reported that The key points of the reform should be implemented in the first half of 2026, even if reality shows that we have to be prepared for longer waiting times.

Future reforms and their effects

Patrick Schnieder has made it clear that there will not be price reductions immediately and advises prospective students not to wait for prices to fall. The reason for this is that the reforms could not take effect until the beginning of 2027 at the earliest. The question for driving schools is how they will make ends meet until then. The increases in prices and changes to the regulations are putting small businesses in particular in a critical situation. Süddeutsche reports that Schnieder believes the current costs are too high, especially in rural areas where a driver's license is often a basic necessity.

The reform envisages offering theory lessons entirely online, which could significantly reduce rental costs for driving schools. Removing VAT on training costs may be considered in order to provide noticeable relief for the industry. At the same time, there are fears that publishing failure rates could lead to driving schools rejecting socially disadvantaged students.

The challenges of digitalization

A significant innovation includes the abolition of compulsory attendance for theory lessons, which means that driving students will also be able to learn via apps in the future. At the same time, the travel time for the practical test is reduced to the minimum required by European law of 25 minutes. This introduction of more digital learning offerings could provide a solution to the challenges driving schools are currently facing. The ambitious plans also include the use of simulators for special trips, but these are associated with high costs. Time highlights that the planned reforms are intended to help make driving licenses more modern, safer and, above all, more affordable, without endangering road safety.

Overall, driving schools remain in a tense position as they wait for long overdue reforms. Acceptance and understanding among learner drivers will be crucial to how the coming months and years are shaped.