Some lawmakers and private driving schools aren't very happy about a bill that will let public vocational schools offer driver training courses.

The bill was passed last month. Gov. Bob Taft is expected to sign it, and it will become law as soon as it is signed. It will let the state's joint vocational and comprehensive schools offer truck driver training as part of their adult education offerings.
However, the prospect of competition between public and private schools doesn't set well with some. According to a report in the Akron Beacon Journal, Rep. Charles Calvert argued against the bill. Calvert told the paper that he saw no reason for public schools to compete against existing private schools, and that the cost of trucks and training would be prohibitive.
Brit Killinger, owner of the Career Driving and Learning Center in Akron, told the Beacon Journal that he's concerned the bill will water down the quality of the state's truck-driving instruction. He also said that because public programs will be partially subsidized by the state, the new law will result in unfair competition. He expressed hope that schools considering such a program would consider hiring outside contractors like his school to handle it rather than trying to build their own training program from scratch.