Traffic Police will allow driving schools to hire foreign instructors amid shortage of Class 4 lesson slots

SINGAPORE: The Traffic Police (TP) will allow driving schools to employ foreign instructors to address the issue of long waiting times for Class 4 driving lessons, Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said on Monday (Nov 11).

Class 4 licences allow drivers to operate heavy motor vehicles such as buses and large trucks.

CNA reported last month that some private bus operators and tour companies have been affected by delays in securing overbooked driving lesson slots, with their foreign employees unable to take to roads in Singapore without converting to a local licence. 

In a written parliamentary reply, Mr Shanmugam said that between October 2023 and September 2024, the average waiting time for an applicant to start their Class 4 driving lessons was about five months.

“The recent increase in waiting time is attributed to an increase in foreign workers applying for Class 4 driving licences, and a shortage of instructors in the driving schools,” he added.

“Traffic Police (TP) will allow driving schools to employ foreign instructors, to supplement the local pool and alleviate the shortage of driving instructors. This will increase training capacity.”

Mr Shanmugam was responding to questions from Member of Parliament Melvin Yong who asked about the average waiting time, whether demand has exceeded supply significantly and how the ministry plans to resolve the backlog of applicants.

Currently, the Singapore Safety Driving Centre, located at Woodlands, is the only driving school that provides facilities for Class 4 training and testing.

Mr Shanmugam said the TP is prepared to license more driving centres to provide Class 4 lessons.

“In addition, TP will prioritise applicants who require Class 4 driving licences for occupational purposes,” he added.

CNA has contacted TP for more information on the employment of foreign driving instructors. 

One tour agency told CNA in October that about 30 per cent of its bus drivers are in limbo as they wait to take lessons and pass their tests.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, it took about four to five months for foreign employees to obtain their driving licences, according to a spokesperson for WTS Travel. 

It now takes about six to seven months – and this has cost the company about 20 per cent in lost revenue.

There have been long waiting times for other types of licences as well, at other driving centres.

Amid a post-pandemic surge in sign-ups, some students are using internet bots to book practical lesson slots, prompting driving schools to warn against such actions.