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I’m writing this letter in frustration and anger. In early summer my wife applied to be a driving instructor. She has sacrificed her summer and time with her step son (whom we only see once a year) to study and to better herself. When it came time for here road test, she failed. She was told she could try again, but this would be her last chance to be able to be and instructor. Unfortunately, she failed again. She was very upset, but decided it just wasn’t meant to be. Now yesterday she had her third road test to get her license again, regrettably she failed again. Needles to say this has caused some devastating outcomes. Until this summer she has held a standard Manitoba license approx. since 1986. This latest out come has caused her to undoubtedly give up her job, as she has been relying on someone else to giver her a ride to and from work. Unfortunately, in my job I cannot rearrange my schedule to accommodate her. This is putting a huge strain and tension on our marriage. I’m frustrated at this whole outcome and its repercussions. I think she is being treated in a horrible and unfair way because of some bureaucratic policies and procedures. Thank you.

There are unfortunately other means to transportation within Brandon. City bus, taxi etc... I know these options aren't exactly what you are wanting to hear, but it's options. I'm just slightly confused.. is she striving to get her license or to be able to teach other's to drive? You keep mentioning "to be an instructor!?" ... If it's only in regards to retaining her license, then those rules are in place to not only protect your wife, but also me who's also driving out there. I'm sorry that it's not working out, I failed my first time too.. I personally think a lot of people fail their first time, even second.. If your someone who does have a license (the weather isn't so great now) but I would practice with her, set up some pylons and do parallel parking.. my dad use to do this for me when I was a teenager and it really helped. She just needs to be given the tools to be able to achieve what she's striving to get. Don't give up, I can imagine the frustration that it affects all aspects of both your lives but those rules are there to protect everyone.

When you apply to be an instructor you have to retake the road test.  
-You only get two tries. if you don't succeed you can no longer study or strive be an instructor.  
-she now has only a learners license.  
-prior to her road she held a valid license.  
-she has held a valid license since 1986.  
 
-my issue is that she has to retake her road test until she passes.  
-I don't think that's right. She previously held a license with no prior issues.  
 
Edited by Gabriel2006, 2019-10-10 13:42:30

that's a tough one. I'm assuming going in that she knew the risks that she was taking if she didn't pass the road test. Hopefully she can retake the test and pass. It's definitely an unfortunate situation to be in, especially if you don't live in Brandon and don't have access to public transit or taxi's...  
 
Edited by J27, 2019-10-10 13:52:00

Hmmm  
Can’t pass a road test, should not be driving.  
If she has been driving since 1986, she should have no trouble passing the road test.

To the op do you really think that people not capable of passing the driving test should be driving? Failing a relatively easy test three times is a sign she needs some instruction herself before being out on the road. Tough one for her. But have to say I am glad someone that can’t pass the driving test is not going to be an instructor. Got to wonder what made her think being a driving instructor was a good idea in the first place.

What specific part of the test is she failing? Maybe she should go to a driving school and take a few lessons focusing on that part she has difficulty with.  
One of the problems is that over the years we all develop a way of driving that is not necessarily correct.  
Without us knowing the full details it is hard to give an answer.

With the information provided, that sounds fair to me.  
In fact, I wholeheartedly think that EVERYONE should have to do written and driven test renewals every five years.  
 
I do understand why it would be frustrating to you, but I think it's the correct choice by MPI

Seems fair to me as well. It doesn't matter that she's been driving since '86. She failed the test that she wants to teach rookie drivers how to drive. You seem to think she should get a free pass to be an instructor? I wouldn't want an instructor teaching me that wasn't qualified either. There are a whole lot of drivers on the roads now that would fail the test again, guaranteed.

Confused as to how she’s failed three times? And wow on the dropping from class5 reg to learners ..yikes .. but as others have said, if she keeps failing there’s a legit reason to be concerned. Having a license since 86 doesn’t mean hit a good driver it just means nothings happened yet.

Solidified why people need to get retested for licences. My daughter paid for drivers ed in high school and the instructor showed up twice over the course of the course and then passed my daughter. If it hadn’t been for her dad and I going out and making sure she knew how to drive safely and according to the rules, there would have been a inexperienced young driver on the road. After we inquired with some other kids that were in the car the two times with our daughter and they said they were given a pass as well. The instructor is still employed at the high school.Even after numerous submissions to the principal. Instructors MUST be held to high standards or they are simply collecting a paycheque. Unfortunately if the op’s wife is failing the test herself, she is NOT suitable to be an instructor.

I'm curious to know if the OP's wife took the actual course for learning how to be a driving instructor that's offered at Red River College. I find it hard to think she'd fail the test if she took the course, which i:ncludes 28 hours of in-car training and a 4-hour in-car certification (does that mean testing?). That's on top of the theory portion.  
 
https://catalogue.rrc.ca/Programs/WPG/Parttime/DRIIP-NA  
 
It's pricey, but probably would have been worth it as you get the in-car portion as well.  
 
Edit to add: Like someone else pointed out, if she's consistently failing on the same portion, maybe she should take some lessons to brush up? From what I'm understanding the third fail is just a regular class 5 test, which is very common to fail the first go. Perhaps one more try? I know it must be disheartening for her, but the priority right now is to get her class 5 back, unfortunately I'm sure it will have restrictions again. No fun.  
 
Edited by Abbysmum, 2019-10-10 18:44:50

if this is true then you should be reporting the instructor to MPI DE department because the students are supposed to get 16 hours of instruction, 1/2 behind the wheel and 1/2 observing,(that changed a bit this spring course) they also need to sign for the lessons to pr0ve they took them, the instructor would be fired if they "passed" a students driving portion with only 2 lessons unless they were very long lessons  
 
Edited by traveller, 2019-10-10 19:54:45

I assume the person in question took the MPI course which is offered to rural instructor candidates, a lot of the course work is done on your own and then with a qualified instructor. Their course is a bit condensed but it has all the relevant information  
 
OP- its a bit upsetting to find out you're not as good at something as you thought and after you take a risk but such is life, they would have told your wife before she took the test but as i understand it you just want her to get her class 5 back so you guys can move on  
 
I do think your wife probably wasn't ready to instruct by how many times she failed, you're allowed equivalent to 3 minor mistakes, 7 for normal driver, but i wonder what she is failing on? is she not doing her curb lanes right? thats the biggest change in interpretation of the rules that has changed since the 80's. Other items are not stopping at the unmarked crosswalk or stopping for a "pedestrian" thats is really a jaywalker (unsafe and auto fail BTW) , not handling one ways correctly or turn lanes or changing lanes in an intersection. If you tell us (or PM me) what she is failing on maybe we can give some tips  
 
Part of her course should have been a bunch of refresher lessons from an MPI instructor, did they teach her incorrectly, did not understand the rule changes, or is she just unable to train herself out of the bad habits we all have ? At this point tho she needs to go back and practice the mistakes she is making, when she fails she should have been told why so hopefully she remembers. Thankfully she does not need to go back to the start of the learners she only needs to re-pass her drivers test  
 
also not to be mean but you guys really need to find a way for her to get to work, sucks she didnt make it but if you wanted to better your situation making excuses that cause her to quit her job is really not going to help and sounds like that will just cause more issues  
 
Edited by traveller, 2019-10-10 19:55:54

Another thing I should say is the DE course is not supposed to be the only teaching the kids get, the kids are also supposed to be driving with a qualified driver (usually the parents) for at least 24 hours (recently changed to 48 I believe), which also needs to be signed for to pass the course, FYI

I took the instructor course and passed. WE were clearly told that we would have to pass the drivers test in order to not have to walk home. the drivers test says you meet the min standard, obviously she is missing something in her driving making her unsafe. I don't know why you don't hire an instructor to find out what she is doing wrong. turns, wrong lane, not stopping before the cross walk. it is always driver error. I don't care how long she had a licence, my 93 yr old father had one since he was 16 does not mean he is a safe driver and he was a driver instructor for another 30 of those years, still not making him safe. so the long and short of this is take lessons to get in shape to take the road test and give up being an instructor. When I took the course we had in class then in car driving, then a 3 hr in care exam with an instructor and then the final road test. you had to pass the road tests and other students in my class also flunked the road test and one had his class 1 with air. he too walked homex2