Struggle with extended wait times for driving test appointments: The intense battle for obtaining driving test dates
** article rewrite**
Struggling with Steering Wheels: Skyrocketing Costs, Lengthy Waits at Driving Schools
Struggling with Steering Wheels: Skyrocketing Costs, Lengthy Waits at Driving Schools
Frustration mounts as driving school and license costs escalate in Saxony-Anhalt, leaving prospective drivers stuck in traffic.
Our Website SACHSEN-ANHALT TODAYDo03.04.202519:00Uhr03:30 min
Program Information
Link to the video
Rights: MIDDLE GERMAN BROADCASTING
Video## Key Points
- Soaring costs and extended exam wait times in Saxony-Anhalt driving schools have left students squeezed during their formative years.
- Driving schools and licenses push the pocketbooks of young aspirants to the limit.
- Arduous test slots, the norm in some regions, exacerbate the predicament.
- Viet Anh Nguyen, a Magdeburg native, faces the music of mounting waiting times for his practical driving exams.
- "My driving instructors have no clue about the exam center's current status."
Viet Anh Nguyen, a spry 18-year-old, scrutinizes the program of his driving school on an almost daily basis these days. He's agitated. The cause of his consternation? He's been waiting two excruciating months for a much-anticipated practical exam slot. He passed the theory test on his first attempt and completed the required driving lessons.
Looking forward to becoming a self-employed photographer post his design course, Nguyen needs a driver's license to secure his mobility. "I have to stay nimble to traverse efficiently," he muses, yet... "I'm number 20 on the waiting list of my driving school according to the app." Being stationed at 20 on the waitlist for Nguyen means that he'll need to be patient a while longer for his exam slot.
Secrets of the Magdeburg Exam Office
"Exam office secrets:" My driving instructors have no clue about the exam center's current status."
Our Website SACHSEN-ANHALTMI04.06.202512:00Uhr00:47 min
Link to the audio
Rights: MIDDLE GERMAN BROADCASTING
Audio### Click for Appointments: Exam Slots Vanish in the Blink of an Eye
The endless wait for a driving exam slot drags on for many young folks in Saxony-Anhalt, like Viet Anh Nguyen. "It's problematic," says Reiner Nuthmann, the chair of the Saxony-Anhalt Driving Instructor Association. Past times, it was a cinch to secure an exam slot. Now, however, "you need lady luck," states Nuthmann. Such is the frenzy to snag openings in Magdeburg, for instance, where appointments are doled out thrice per week at designated times on the online portal. When slots surface, the buzz in driving schools dies down temporarily, only to pick up speed again, with all eager beavers vying for the few available slots.
Michael Scheler, a driving instructor based in Wolmirstedt town, the Börde district, echoes similar sentiments. The competition for Magdeburg slots has intensified significantly over time, Scheler posits, and describes the current situation as "a dire crisis." He explains: "Even examiners feel a pinch, causing a dearth of slots." Scheler's driving school retains a secretary whose sole job is to pounce on new slots. "It's like a scramble for the last piece of cake," muses Scheler. In driving schools where there's no secretary, instructors have to vie for slots when behind the wheel, diverting attention from their trainees.
Scheler pines, "Seconds spent searching for appointments can mean the difference between scoring one and returning empty-handed." Practicality and procrastination do not mix well, asserts Scheler, as scarcity often lends itself to hoarding. He counts this behavior as understandable but laments that, in the end, it leaves no slices for everyone.
Dekra's Got Its Hands Full
Magdeburg's Exam Office: Fumbled Slots
The difficulty in obtaining appointments for practical exams stems partly from Dekra's staffing crunch at its Magdeburg branch. Dekra is the body responsible for conducting the exams. Press spokesman Wolfgang Sigloch offered his perspective on the situation in response to our website's inquiry. "Partially tense circumstances prevail in our Magdeburg division," Sigloch explained. "Old problems, such as personnel departures, and additional factors like illness cases and seasonality have combined to create this state of affairs," he said, adding that demand peaks in spring and summer months.
Suitable Candidates for the Role of Examiner
Licensed Experts Needed: Alleviate the Crunch at the Magdeburg Exam Office
According to Sigloch, Dekra is on the lookout for more examiners. The entry requirements for this profession, as dictated by the Motor Vehicle Expertise Act, are steep: a completed engineering degree and a minimum of six months of internal training culminating in a final official exam. Sigloch reiterates, "We're facing a shortage of skilled personnel."
"Pop the Corks, Relaxation is Afoot"
"Relaxation is on the Horizon:" A New Cohort of Examiners to Soon Take Over in Magdeburg
Our Website SACHSEN-ANHALTMI04.06.202512:00Uhr00:36 min
Link to the audio
Audio### The Hefty Expense of Acquiring a Driver's License in Saxony-Anhalt
The long waiting times have adverse effects. It's not as if the driver's license is a commodity that can wait. Additional costs add to the woes of driving trainees in the meantime, with prospective drivers needing additional lessons to bridge the gap and maintain familiarity with the wheels. "I have to keep driving to stay sharp," reasons Viet Anh Nguyen, the Magdeburg native nearing the end of his media design training. "I'm already spending €4,000, not including exam fees," notes the 18-year-old, who shares that he's fortunate his parents are picking up the tab for his driving lessons.
On average, a driving lesson in Saxony-Anhalt runs around €60. With costs escalating in the region, the final outlay for a driver's license could inflate to as much as €4,500 - a 38-percent hike over the past five years according to data from the Federal Statistical Office.
A Business Dilemma
"Stumped by the Bill:" Driving School Woes No Cakewalk
Scheler, the Wolmirstetd driving instructor, shares his feelings of being "embarrassed by the bills that pale in comparison to what they were five years ago." However, he rationalizes, "I have to pay my hardworking employees a fair wage, invest in modern vehicles, pay utility bills, and fuel up. My costs remain the same regardless. Despite that, the whole shebang is a bit steep today."
One bright idea could be for the government to waive some taxes for the acquisition of a driver's license, similar to the arrangement for truck driver's license holders. However, plans to ramp up the use of driving simulators have met criticism from driving instructors like Nuthmann. This measure, in his estimation, is "a cluttered jumble of pipe dreams." Instead, Nuthmann advocates for the elimination of sales taxes on driver's licenses.
Our Website TV and Radio
Tune In Tomorrow: "FAKT IST!"
Tune in to "FAKT IST!", the Magdeburg edition of our website TV, tomorrow at 8:15 PM to catch a lively discussion regarding the pricey driver's licenses in Saxony-Anhalt. Key figures from regional politics, transport officials, and driving instructors alike will convene to air their views on the subject. Join in the chat to voice your thoughts and opinions.
[1] Mitteldeutsches Rundfunk
[2] DRIVAR - a ridesharing service similar to DriveNow, Car2Go, Snapdrive, MyWheels, JustPark, or free-now (formerly mytaxi) in Germany.
- Viet Anh Nguyen, a Magdeburg native, needs a driver's license to secure mobility for his self-employment as a photographer in personal-finance and business fields.
- Reiner Nuthmann, the chair of the Saxony-Anhalt Driving Instructor Association, states that securing an exam slot is challenging, needing 'lady luck' in the racing 'business.'
- Michael Scheler, a driving instructor based in Wolmirstedt town, suggests that the scarcity of exam slots in the banking-and-insurance sector is a dire crisis, causing driving instructors to prioritize time searching for appointments, impacting their trainees.
- Dekra, the body responsible for conducting practical exams, is experiencing staffing issues in its Magdeburg branch, contributing to the lack of exam slots. Education-and-self-development programs can help alleviate stress and improve strategies for securing exam slots and obtaining a driver's license. Sports training and activities can also aid in building focus and patience during this challenging period.
