The Transport Department plans to issue 332 new private driving instructor licenses this year, with applications opening next month and written and road tests scheduled for July.
The move follows a recent department review showing that the number of valid driving instructor licenses across all three vehicle categories has dropped to below 90 percent of the benchmark level.
According to a proposal submitted to the Legislative Council yesterday (Apr 13), 248 licenses (about 75 percent) will be open to eligible members of the public.
Meanwhile, the remaining 84 licenses will be reserved for existing instructors, designated driving schools, and current instructors at franchised bus companies.
Among the new licenses, 214 will be allocated to private cars and light goods vehicles, followed by 68 for medium goods vehicles, heavy goods vehicles and articulated vehicles, and 50 for light buses and buses.
If the number of applicants exceeds the quota, the department will adopt a ballot system to determine processing order.
The documents also found similar pass rates for students taught by public-quota and instructor-quota instructors, indicating that teaching quality from both is comparable.
Authorities believe the increased public quota could draw new entrants to the industry, boosting competition and service quality.
The proposal also reported improved driving test waiting times, with the average wait for a private car combined test dropping from 298 days at the 2023 peak to 155 days in 2025.
However, the plan is not welcomed by all. Container Transportation Employees General Union (Driving Instructor Group) president Chan Dik-sau reported a declining business in the private instructor business.
Chan expressed concerns that issuing more licenses would likely make the situation worse, describing it as “rubbing salt in the wound.
He urged the government to show consideration for the industry and postpone the new licenses until business recovers.
