At the start of the new year, the implementation of the so-called "strictest ever" new traffic regulations has brought major changes to driver testing. Instead of driving schools improving their teaching methods, the first thing the new driving test brought was a sharp surge in training fees, with the highest increase exceeding 50%. Since the introduction of the new test in Shanghai, the cost of learning to drive a small vehicle has surpassed 7,000 yuan, while in Beijing, driving training fees have generally crossed the 5,000-yuan threshold.
In the face of the grim reality of low pass rates in the early stages of the new driving test, many regions' driving training sectors have fallen into an awkward situation where training quality fails to keep up with the rising costs.
Reported by Xinhua News Agency, and reporters Xie Gongmei and Dai Heqing
Price Hike Phenomenon
Shanghai breaks 7,000 yuan; Beijing surpasses 5,000 yuan
Starting this year, the revised "Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driving Licenses" came into effect, and the new "Motor Vehicle Driving Training Teaching and Examination Outline" was officially implemented. While simplifying some training items, the new driving test has introduced new requirements for traffic regulation theory, practical operation, and civilized driving habits. The first thing the new driving test brought was a chorus of rising training fees, with some increases being downright "outrageous."
As one of the cities with the highest driving training prices in China, Shanghai has seen the cost of learning to drive a small vehicle break 7,000 yuan since the new test was introduced, with the highest quoted price even reaching 7,500 yuan. From November to December last year, training prices were generally around 4,500 to 5,000 yuan.
In Beijing, driving training fees have generally surpassed the 5,000-yuan mark. A customer service representative from Beijing Public Transport Driving School said that for the C1 license weekend class suitable for office workers, the quoted price is 5,600 yuan.
In fact, in recent years, it has not been news that driving schools across the country have been "holding back on price hikes," often using any slight change as an excuse to raise prices. For example, in 2010, Beijing added seven training hours for learning and taking the driving test and increased the difficulty of the exam, prompting many driving schools to raise their tuition fees. In 2011, some driving schools in Shanghai targeted the "business opportunity" of a large number of out-of-town people coming to Shanghai to learn to drive and unilaterally raised prices for non-local students.
"The changes in the exam process, increased requirements, and higher difficulty levels have undoubtedly led to increased costs for driving schools," an industry insider from Shanghai’s driving training sector who wished to remain anonymous told reporters. "The only way to make up for it is by raising prices."
However, some insiders also admitted that the monopolistic and dominant position of driving schools is quite evident, and costs are not transparent, which inevitably raises suspicions of price collusion and artificial inflation.
Local Focus
Changsha driving training fees have not yet risen, with driving schools voicing grievances
How has the Changsha driving training market responded? On January 9, reporters learned through interviews that although driving training fees are subject to government-guided pricing, although Changsha driving training tuition fees have not yet risen, training institutions generally report that the increased difficulty of exams has correspondingly raised training costs. If profit margins disappear, training institutions will definitely not be able to survive. Meanwhile, a relevant official from the Changsha Transportation Bureau’s Driving Training Division stated that whether Changsha’s driving training fees will be adjusted will depend on research and cost accounting conducted by the pricing department.
Driving Schools: Increased Exam Difficulty Raises Training Costs
"Of the more than 100 students we sent for exams on the 9th, only 40% passed. The low pass rate will definitely lead to increased training costs," said Fang Wei, principal of Changsha Mechanical and Electrical Driving School. According to the new traffic regulations and examination outline, the low pass rate among students means that training time will have to be extended in the future, and the amount of practice time and distance for students will also increase, which will correspondingly raise training costs. "For example, in the past, one training vehicle could train about 10 students a month, but now it might only be able to train around 5 students. The training cycle is extended, and training costs will definitely rise," Fang Wei said. As a training institution, to survive, a reasonable price margin is essential. With significant cost increases, if training fees do not rise, it will be very difficult for training institutions to survive.
In response, Tan Zuyi, principal of Changsha Xianglu Driving School, also believes that although driving training tuition is subject to government-guided pricing, driving training is now a market behavior. Asking training institutions to operate at a loss is also unrealistic. Tan Zuyi said that taking the C license as an example, currently most driving training institutions in Changsha charge over 3,000 yuan, which is far lower than in cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. "If training institutions cannot bear the costs, they will definitely submit reports to raise driving training tuition. Of course, the final tuition standards must be approved by the pricing department."
According to the Hunan Price Online website, based on the "Hunan Province Motor Vehicle Driver Training Fee Management Measures" issued by the Hunan Provincial Price Bureau, the benchmark fee for training a small vehicle C1 license is 2,950 yuan. Including other related fees such as examination and certification, the current cost of a C1 license in Changsha is around 3,600 yuan.
Driving Training Division: Pricing Adjustments Decided by Pricing Department
Chen Ping, head of the Driving Training Division of the Changsha Transportation Bureau, explained that the city’s driving training industry currently operates under government-guided pricing. In response to the widespread concerns of training institutions about increased costs, the pricing department is already conducting research and cost accounting. Therefore, whether driving training fees will be adjusted will depend on the results of the research and cost accounting carried out by the pricing department. Chen Ping also mentioned that in terms of current charging levels, Changsha is relatively low compared to the national average.
Changsha Price Bureau: No Applications for Tuition Adjustments Received Yet
Reporters contacted a relevant official from the Changsha Price Bureau. The official responded that the Changsha Price Bureau has not yet received any applications from driving schools for tuition fee increases. The official also stated that, so far, the Changsha Price Bureau has not received any notifications from higher-level pricing authorities regarding adjustments to driving school training fees.
Regional Situations
Xiamen: Driving training fees nearly hit the 10,000-yuan mark, the most expensive in the nation
Reporters recently learned that currently, the fees for C1 (manual transmission small vehicles) at various driving schools in Xiamen range from 6,800 to 7,500 yuan, while the fees for C2 (automatic transmission small vehicles) can go as high as 8,500 yuan.
In fact, only one or two driving schools in Xiamen still charge around 6,000 yuan, with most having soared above 7,000 yuan. In addition, most driving schools in Xiamen stipulate that women over 40 and men over 45 must pay an additional 1,000 yuan for training. This means that for these two groups, if they are learning to drive an automatic small vehicle, the tuition per person is 9,500 yuan, nearly hitting the 10,000-yuan mark. Now, Xiamen’s driving training fees have become the most expensive in the country.
Haikou: One driving school raises training plus exam fees to 3,900 yuan
Reporters recently visited driving schools in Haikou and found that one driving school’s combined training and exam fees have reached up to 3,900 yuan. Staff members stated that the fees have gone up after the implementation of the new driving test regulations. However, at training schools like Peizheng, Junchang, and Jinpan, prices are around 3,500 yuan.
In response, a reporter called the Hainan Provincial Price Bureau to inquire about the situation. According to a staff member surnamed Lin from the bureau, the current driving test training fees and examination fees have not been adjusted and remain at the previously set rate of 3,600 yuan.
Yantai: Premium class fees rise by 1,000 yuan, with no regulatory constraints
On January 4, reporters learned from major driving schools in Yantai, Shandong, that the cost of obtaining a C1 driver’s license has risen to over 3,800 yuan, with some driving schools increasing their premium class fees by as much as 1,000 yuan.
Zhou, head of the Fee Management Section at the Yantai Municipal Price Bureau in Shandong Province, explained that according to regulations, the benchmark price for C1 small vehicle driver training is 2,600 yuan, and training institutions in Yantai can adjust prices within a 20% range—either up or down. That means the maximum allowable price is 3,120 yuan per person. In addition to the training fee, each student must also pay 710 yuan in examination fees to the traffic police department. As a result, the maximum total fee charged by driving schools for a C1 driver’s license is 3,830 yuan per person.
Hefei: Driving schools focused on exam preparation, with no immediate price hikes
On January 8, reporters inquired at multiple driving schools in Hefei under the guise of enrolling in lessons. Currently, ordinary class C1 license registration fees (excluding physical examination fees) at schools such as Changan, Xinya, and Bayi remain between 3,300 and 3,455 yuan per person, while VIP classes generally cost around 4,800 yuan per person. Compared to the period before the New Year, prices have remained largely unchanged. “Right now, our focus is on figuring out how to deal with the exams—we’re not considering raising prices for the time being,” representatives from various driving school registration offices stated. However, one driving school director was blunt: “Not raising prices now doesn’t mean we won’t raise them later.”