Driving school which only uses Mercedes-Benz cars welcomed by female clients

Mercedes-Benz training cars and driving instructors of the driving school in Shanghai. [Photo/english.cri.cn]

A driving school in Shanghai, which only uses Mercedes-Benz cars for training, has been welcomed enthusiastically by clients, particularly by female students.

A female client surnamed Chen is one of them. "Although the fees are quite high, it is reasonable and I am ok with it," she said.

Chen said in her impression, the cars in most driving schools are old and shabby, and the instructors have reputations for being rude and even cursing at or beating students.

The school, jointly run by Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy and Dazhong Driving School, just opened and has 31 students currently - 17 women and 14 men - and the majority of people who have come to inquire about the courses are women.

All the cars it owns are Mercedes-Benz executive cars, each valued at around 300,000 yuan ($43,265).

The fees at the school are approximately double the price that most driving schools charge, but some discounts are available.

It charges 16,800 yuan ($2,424) for those who choose to take lessons on weekends, 15,800 yuan($2,280) for students who decide to have lessons on workdays and weekends, and 14,800 yuan($2,135) for those who only have lessons on workdays.

Chen said she paid 13,200 yuan ($2,135), a discounted price, for the weekday driving lessons she bought.

There had been previous media reports about driving instructors, especially male instructors, being rude and lacking patience, with some even insulting or beating students.

The school currently has eight instructors including two women, and General Manager of Dazhong Driving School Chen Jinghai said it is anticipated that 40 percent of the instructors in the future would be women.

"The image of traditional driving schools and instructors is not very good. There are even instructors who would scold and beat students, which made some female clients scared of traditional driving schools and instructors," he said.

He said female instructors are relatively patient, have an eye for detail, and are better at communication.

Apart from general training, things like service awareness and emotional management are also on the school's training schedule.