Training helper to drive

Hi all


Was wondering if anyone can share their experience if they trained their helper to drive.


I recently interviewed a male helper who has a driver's license. He said he could drive and is comfortable driving. However, our driving test with him proved otherwise. He was really nervous, didn't really know how to steer and barely made it out of our parking lot.


I really liked him CV and experiences. I'm wondering how feasible is it for us to train him how to drive?


If anyone can share their experience of training helpers to drive, that would be great. tks!!

The important thing is, has he got experience driving in HK, and is the licence he holds valid in HK. He may have to take a HK test, and also get clearance from immigration to be employed as a driver.

To be honest I wouldn't like to drive in HK, the roads are so busy, and you have to have a good knowledge of them to drive confidently and safely.

A few things to keep in mind. As other posters have noted, check he is licenced to drive in HK as he may only have a fillipino licence.


I have had friends who have taught a helper how to drive, one allowed the helper to use their beat up old car and she was forever having minor accidents. Bear in a mind a helper is not allowed to be sued for the cost of any accidents they may cause - as in the contract even for driver helpers it is explicit that you can only claim up to a maximum of 300HKD from them for any problem. Also I have been told (but this may be urban myth as it has never occured to one of my friends) that if a huge accident occurs with loads of damage the helper will usually disappear.


The same friends also ended up having to foot the bill for parking infrinegements at the beginning as the helper was not sure where she could and could not park legally, which a local helper ususally knows i.e. there not a being a sign saying you can not park doesn't mean you can park.


Also once the driver becomes more confident and gets their wings they usually will want more money or else will leave, so although you may be able to start with 7000 per month or so, once they have confidence, the price is likely to escalate to 11,000-12,500HKD in a very short space of time.

There are loads of helpers out there who drive, most with not too much experience. My girl frined put out the word she was looking for a driver amongst friends last week, she had a slew of fillipino drivers turn up, some with nearly zero experience and only 2 local drivers. All the fillipino drivers were demanding 12,000 or up!


Persoanlly I would save the hassle and the illegalities (i.e. helper not allowed to ferry you or husband to and from work) and employ a local driver. For 12,000HKD they will pay for their own accidents, speeding, parking fines, and there is no need for tixs back to the phillies every 2 years or so.

Tks for your comments. He says he had about 1 year of driving experience in HK, but like I said, his driving really proved otherwise.


I've been driving since I'm 16 and I drive in HK. But if I haven't gotten behind wheels for a few weeks, I still get nervous when I have to drive in HK. So yes, it's tough and training someone to drive here seems even tougher

check with immigration first if he can work as driver with his working visa. If yes, send him to local driving school for extra road lessons . Local Chinese driver earns about HK$15000-20000 monthly. And Philippino cost about HK$8000-10000 depends if he is living full boarding with you.

Not true, depends where you live. One friend living in NT has driver for 10+ years on between 10-11K per month.

HK side drivers ask for more but 13.5K is the going rate over here.

I have a question regarding this as well. Our helper has been a driver in Sth Korea and has lots of driving experience (though not in HK). I am going through the process of getting his license and have just realized that he will be given a probationary license. When I go to change his domestice helpers contract to one that includes driving (the children to and from school and to extra curricular activity) will a prbabionary license be regarded as a valid license? If a probationary license is not considered a full valic license it will be hard to change I think. My last driver had been driving with a HK license so I am not familiar with how a "frist time" HK license will work.

I am considering getting a local driver to save the hassle, are there any companies or agencies that anyone can suggest for drivers?

midwife, I would ask those who have local drivers to put the word out that you want a driver, that is the way we have always have found our drivers, there is a robust word of mouth network out there. If you don't know anyone with a driver, ask parents with 2 or more children, they usually have a driver if they work as logistically its a nightmare without one.


Just to clarify, my previosu post I was talking about local drivers, 10-11K on Kowloon and NT sides and 13.5K on hong side. I would not bother with the hassle of a DH driver if the cost will be 10+ per month as you need to add in their vacation pay, flights and also factor in any accidents they have in your car they are NOT liable for unlike the local drivers (and this can add up to be quite a lot - my previous excellent, very experienced driver had an accident with a large bus, both at fault, the cost of repairing our van was 8000 but he only paid the excess which was I think 2000 - to my memory). You are NOT ALLOWED to ask the helper drivers for this excess even if it is their fault they have an accident. Something to keep in mind.