Driving students currently rely on driving schools to get a license. (Photo : www.scmp.com)
An innovative online platform was launched this month, providing services for prospective drivers in Shenzhen and enabling driving students to book classes directly with instructors, the China Daily reported.
According to the report, students can simply log onto the WeChat account "myJiaKao" and choose car instructors and book classes by themselves.
An employee at Shenzhen Tian Yi Hui Tong Technology, the company that developed the platform, told China Daily that more than 100 driving instructors in Shenzhen have registered on the platform.
"Similar to the car-hailing app Didi Kuaidi, our platform acts as a bridge between driving students and instructors," the employee said. "It can help solve difficulties in booking classes through driving schools and reduce tuition fees for students."
Based on the pricing on "myJiaKao," a complete driving course costs 5,180 yuan ($810), while at traditional driving schools, it normally costs more than 7,000 yuan.
The report said that for driving instructors who want to register on the platform, they need to provide their driving and teaching qualifications, including their qualified teaching vehicles.
As part of reforms, some driving schools in Shenzhen are renting their teaching venues and vehicles out to instructors, who, in turn, pay a management fee to the schools.
"Instructors who receive students through our platform are able to earn the majority of the tuition fees, higher than the amount they get in driving schools," Liu Wanjun, executive general manager of the company, said, adding that the platform charges only 10 percent of the fees as commission.
Liu said that through the online platform, many driving students have more freedom in the learning process.
"They can arrange for classes according to their own schedule. Moreover, they can give ratings to the instructors, helping them improve the quality of their teaching and attitude," Liu said.
The report, however, said that some Shenzhen residents doubted the new service. Wang Tian, a 33-year-old housewife who got her driver's license last year, said that she would still register at a traditional driving school despite the difficulty in booking classes because of the large number of students.
"Compared with the online platform, studying at traditional driving schools is more systematic and reliable. I know whom to talk to if I meet any problem or difficulty," Wang said.
