The number of people in Andalusia waiting to take their practical driving test has reached 81,683, a situation resulting in waiting lists that extend, on average, up to three months. In response to this scenario, the Union of Driving Schools of Andalusia (UFAA) has called for a regional demonstration scheduled for mid-July.
Rafael Cruz, president of the UFAA, has described the situation as a "record figure" for the autonomous community. Málaga province leads the list with 17,642 applicants, followed by Sevilla (16,110), Granada (13,800), Cádiz (10,256), Almería (7,993), Córdoba (6,689), Huelva (4,597), and Jaén (4,596). Cruz laments that "every year it gets worse," particularly during the summer season when student demand increases while examiner availability decreases.
Andalusian driving schools are demanding the implementation of an "interim service" to alleviate the staff shortage. Cruz has also criticized the implementation of the General Directorate of Traffic's PRO plan, designed for weekend exams, calling it "disastrous" despite being "a good idea in theory." According to him, it has only been applied in Almería with "limited results," indicating that the problem persists without a solution.
The prolonged waits have increased failure rates, as students experience long periods between training and the test. Driving schools, in turn, are suffering significant "economic losses" by operating with fewer students. The shortage of tests creates a "vicious cycle," particularly affecting rural driving schools, where 70% of their business is concentrated in the summer months. "If a student cannot take the test, they obviously don't take classes," emphasized the UFAA president.
The issue extends to obtaining professional driving licenses. Cruz revealed that "companies are calling us daily asking for drivers," demonstrating unmet demand. The "lack of examination capacity" is causing a "shortage of professional drivers" in the market, forcing companies to "rely on drivers from outside Spain," a solution he deems unsustainable.
