Customers of a Coquitlam driving school that suddenly closed last week are getting help from ICBC.
Bestway Driver Training, a family-run business located at 106-566 Lougheed Hwy. that has been in operation since 1986, failed to reopen following a Christmas break, leaving dozens of teachers without a job as well as new and professional drivers unable to complete classes.
The Tri-City News attempted to contact Bestway this week but no call or email was returned by today's print deadline. The Bestway website gives no notice of the closure but a note on its front door requests that students call ICBC to reschedule alternate lessons.
A Bestway instructor, who declined to be named and has since found another job, told The Tri-City News this week a Bestway manager texted staff at 6 p.m. on Jan. 2 — the day before classes were to resume — with the following message: “It gives me great sadness to announce that Bestway after a third of a century is no longer in business.”
Evan Kelly, a spokesperson for the Better Business Bureau of the Lower Mainland, said it has logged two complaints about the shutdown and said Bestway was in “good standing” before it shut its doors without warning. He suggested paid customers become secured creditors if the company is liquidated, or to make a stop payment if the services were paid on a credit card.
In a statement, ICBC said Bestway’s licence expired on Dec. 31, 2017. “This unexpected closure is not consistent with the driver training industry business practice and we apologize for any inconvenience this has caused customers or others impacted by the closure.”
The government insurer said it will honour all Bestway road test bookings, saying in a release: “Driver training schools are required to post a bond with ICBC under the Motor Vehicle Act Regulations, which means the bond provided by Bestway Driver Training will be used to assist students who prepaid for services."
Customers that have completed a portion of their driver training, had scheduled upcoming training with Bestway — or have been otherwise impacted — are asked to contact ICBC’s customer relations department.
jcleugh@tricitynews.com
