A REVOLUTIONARY new app is helping to make Leeds one of the easiest places in the country for learner drivers to find and book an instructor.

Developed by two alumni of Leeds Beckett University, the Learnr app is bringing about a significant change in how driving lessons are booked, simplifying the process and helping learners to avoid lengthy waits to get on the road.

And learner drivers can receive £20 off their first booking through the Learnr app when they create an account until the promotion ends on August 31.

Marcus Worsley and Mickey Seymour, co-founders of Learnr Technology Limited, believe that their app can help tackle this. Instead of having to wait weeks or months, learners in Leeds are now able to find qualified instructors in a matter of minutes and get on the road the very next day.

There are currently 40 instructors signed up to Learnr in Leeds. Between them, they offer lessons in a geographical area spanning all Leeds and Bradford postcodes, with coverage steadily expanding to cover the whole of West Yorkshire. More than 400 hours of lessons were booked through the app in June, with numbers growing all the time.

Driving instructor Alan Cockerham, who runs Mad About Driving based in Guiseley, is one of 40 instructors offering lessons in Leeds on the app. He said:

“In over 20 years as a driving instructor, I haven’t yet come across an app that has the potential to disrupt my industry like Learnr can, despite efforts from other companies. This should be an essential tool for any driving instructor.

“The Learnr app has optimised my diary scheduling, resulting in a more efficient workload and higher profits. I no longer need to spend hours each day on the phone returning enquiries, now pupils simply book with me directly through the app.

All driving instructors listed on Learnr go through a vetting process and have to be fully qualified, insured and registered with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

Marcus Worsley, co-founder of Learnr Technology, said: “Having lived and studied here, we knew that Leeds would be the perfect place to launch Learnr. The response has been fantastic and it has been great to hear the positive experiences learners are having using it.

“It’s putting learners in the driving seat and helping them to make more informed choices. Instead of being stuck on a long waiting list, you can book a driving lesson with a qualified instructor in a couple of minutes and be out on the road the very next day.

“Some learners are taking advantage of the extra flexibility by trialling several different instructors before deciding who to continue with.

“The national shortage of driving lessons created by the pandemic reinforces the need to improve and modernise the process for people booking driving lessons, something we are making possible with Learnr.”

Mickey Seymour added: “Many driving instructors work independently and are out on the road all day, so it is no wonder that the traditional model for booking driving lessons has failed to keep pace with the digital age.

“When we came up with the concept for Learnr, we thought that it seemed crazy that you can book flights, order food and buy cars at the click of a button online but you still need to search the Yellow Pages and make a phone call to book a driving instructor. Even having done that, the chances are that they can’t answer because they’re out teaching.

“Learnr aims to change all of that. It has been incredibly valuable to have driving instructors working with us to develop Learnr. This app will support their business by helping to fill empty lesson slots and provide a more efficient way to manage bookings and take payment.

“The Learnr approach takes the hassle out of booking lessons and, in the longer term, we believe it can revolutionise the industry and people’s experience of learning to drive.”

Three months after launching, Learnr is already being hailed as a game-changer by driving instructors and learners alike.

Megan Barker, 21, a nurse from Headingley, recently passed her driving test after booking lessons with Alan through Learnr. She said: “I found out about the Learnr app whilst researching different driving schools online. I ended up passing my test first-time after only 20 hours of tuition."

The app can be found at: https://mylearnr.co.uk/