Driving instructor Tariq Musaji is an ADI on a mission and has had to overcome many obstacles on his quest to make Essex’s roads safer.
With a background in the civil service, working for HM customs and Excise and the Essex Police, Tariq made the move into instructing in 2008, realising a life long ambition to teach the next generation of drivers – as well as start a campaign to make Essex a safer place to drive.
What’s your favourite part of the job?
It’s meeting people from all walks of life, teaching novices and coaching international licence holders. At the end of the day, it’s about imparting my road safety knowledge to ensure that my pupils will become safe drivers for life. The worst part? Well, that you can’t please everyone in this profession. For instance when pupils try to cut corners by taking a premature driving test when they are not ready; my policy is to never send a pupil if they are not at test standard and this approach can sometimes upset a minority of students.
What motivated you to start on your road sign campaign?
For years, nothing had been done about the incorrect signs in my area. Remember, my learners have to be taught properly why road signs exist and what priority should be given if there is more than one signed hazard approaching. So having contacted the Department for Transport, I was informed that it was up to individual council authorities to interpret the rules.
As the road signs were funded out of tax payer money, I knew that something ought to be done. I spent time researching, built my own website and challenged Essex Highways and Transportation. I did approach my local ADI group for support and to back me up, but I was told that I was simply trying to further my driving school business. So I was left to my own devices.
What have been some of the big breakthroughs you’ve had with the campaign?
The biggest breakthrough was when I got my story highlighted in my local paper. I then approached my local MP and he agreed to back me up. Subsequent meetings were conducted by Essex Highways and remedial action was taken. So thanks to my local paper and my MP, the council finally listened to my plight and began to rectify the road sign anomalies.
Just one of the many anomalies that Tariq has fought to get rectified by the council with the help of his local MP.
What has made you push beyond the normal career path of an ADI?
Self-motivation. I am a firm believer that I should always strive to give my best in my chosen profession. I have a strong passion for road safety and wish to do my bit to reduce road casualties especially among the younger generation. That’s why I am improving myself through CPD training so that I can always pass on the latest knowledge, skills and thinking to my pupils. My role models are Muhammed Ali, the late Steve Jobs and late Bruce Lee; these guys gave 110% in their pursuit of excellence.
What’s your view on lesson discounting?
I do offer discounting but nothing on the scale of what is happening in my own area. A small discount is a good marketing strategy for an ADI to show their teaching/coaching skills and for the pupil to experience the lessons – it can be a good selling point. However, offering four hours of free lessons or heavy discounting will only attract the wrong type of clients in my view. These clients could end up not being your regular customers, not turning up for lessons or having no motivation to learn. So in all, such offers and discounting simply mean more problems for the ADI, especially for those of us who are independent.
What’s been your biggest professional learning experience and why?
Obtaining my DVSA Fleet badge; this has opened up a new stream of clients for me as I have expanded into the Fleet market. Successfully completing the BTEC level 4 in Coaching for Driver Development has further enhanced my skills too. The two courses have boosted my coaching skills and allowed me to teach the principles of Roadcraft to training qualified drivers.
As a longterm user of Theory Test Pro, how do you find the system helps your students?
Theory Test Pro has been integrated into my website to help my pupils pass their Theory Test first time. As an advocate of quality, I needed a theory system which was robust, up to date and reliable. My pupils have found Theory Test Pro to be very beneficial and I never had any complaints. So it’s been money well spent!
Finally, what advice would you give to someone starting out on a career in driving instruction?
Being an ADI requires dedication, passion and self-motivation if you are going to give it your best. There are opportunities out there for dedicated, hardworking instructors to diversify into other areas. Most importantly, you don’t need to be teaching provisional licence holders all your life – committing yourself to continuous professional development will yield you dividends in the long term, so be proactive and give it your best shot.
Tariq’s Tactics For Combating Heavy Discounting:
- Offering a compelling driving lesson with a professional approach.
- Being punctual and on time or letting the client know if I am running late by, say, 5-10 minutes for my driving lesson.
- Offering a quality service and a quality theory package to help pupils.
- Investing in a good website with excellent SEO rankings plus writing relevant good quality blogs.
- Continuously updating my knowledge by attending relevant seminars and courses.
- Linking reviews to my website; this does get me customers.
- Offering reasonable terms and conditions so the client knows what to expect from my business.
- Replacing my car every three years.
- Not answering any calls while I’m on a lesson.
- Keeping to a five-minute lesson brief and not boring the pupil at the side of the road with a lecture. People learn best by doing things, although listening does help!