Testimonials

22/11/2015
I went through this school not long ago, and it was an exemplary experience. The lessons are straight forward and very effective, and my instructor was very kind and very patient. It was a pleasure to take this course and I highly recommend it to anybody seeking driving instruction.

Duc L.
San Jose, CA

16/11/2015
Hi Don:
I felt that I need to write this short note to you to show our appreciation for the service that you provided to our son.

Francis passed the written test during the summer after a long …procrastination (thanks to your generous policy on the …grace period of the online course!).

The driving (behind-the-wheel) training with Jens was awesome! He took Francis to the freeway (SR-85) on the very first day! Francis is now confidently driving back home from his school in the afternoon and took us to the church on the weekends!

(if I was the trainer, he probably is still circling the car in the Cal Train parking lot near our home!!!).

Again, THANK YOU and please pass the word to Jens and to
other future students of your school.
Regards,
Duc Le
PS: Francis will take the DMV driving test in December.

Margarita Z.
San Jose, CA

16/10/2015
My teacher was Ravi and he was excellent! He was patient with me and helped me feel more confident in my driving skills (the most driving I did before the lessons was with my parents in a parking lot!). With more complex driving moves like parallel parking and the 3 point turn, he gave me tips as well as slowly moving me through everything. And when I finally went on the freeway during my 3rd lesson, he made me feel at ease. I truly feel prepared for when I take my test. I definitely recommend Ravi for your driving lessons!

Kelly B.
Los Gatos, CA

14/09/2015
Amy at Economic Driving School was the best! She took us at the last minute because another driving school was impossibly to schedule and my daughter’s driving exam was fast approaching. She made time in her schedule on short notice for the lessons we needed, and even gave my daughter some extra time to visit the area where her test was going to occur. She was proactive, on time, and a very good instructor. My daughter passed the test with ease and felt very well-prepared. Thank you Amy!

G. M.
Milpitas, CA

23/08/2015
Ravi was a great instructor. Very calm and patient and walks through what to do step by step. I felt very comfortable and confident on the road. Highly recommended. The way you schedule driving lessons with this driving school is that
it lists the instructors associated with the school on their website and
you directly contact the instructor and schedule lessons with him.

They also have online lessons and other services but we did not make use of them. Therefore, this is essentially a review of one driving instructor – Mr. Ravi Manrao. Scheduling appointments with Ravi was easy – he responded promptly to set up appointments and also was good about changing dates and times when the ones we had initially scheduled did not work out

The quality of driving instruction was also top-notch. He was patient, did not easily get flustered and most importantly, was consistent in everything he said. I have seen too many complaints about instructors who give conflicting advice and completely confuse the kid. This wasn’t the case with Ravi – my daughter came away from each lesson with a clear understanding of what to do.

I have no hesitation in recommending Ravi as a driving instructor – indeed, I have already passed his name on to several friends.

Kevin C.
Saratoga, CA

31/07/2015
Ravi is the best driving instructor out there. He never forces you to do anything and he always keeps a very positive attitude. When driving, Ravi keeps a very calm voice and he makes it very easy to keep cool. Even at the end he asked me of I needed to work on anything and he helped me out. I would defiantly recommend to a friend.

Abhav U.
Milpitas, CA

15/07/2015
I did try my hands with different instructors from various driving schools across states. However, I never felt prepared for the drive test. This time, I made sure to research for a good instructor, and I am pleased with Ravi Manrao ( I can’t vouch for the driving school). He made driving so simple that I really enjoy driving. Of course i did pass my test in the first attempt.

Ravi is a busy man, so make sure you call him well in advance to book your classes.

John D.
Los Altos, CA

9/06/2015
We highly recommend Jon, who was courteous, friendly, and always prompt. Along with being patient, Jon was very knowledgeable — our two boys felt comfortable and well prepared for the driving test. He took over in the middle of their instruction when their first driving school closed without notice, and was very professional and helped us with the transition paperwork. Both the students and the parents were impressed and we are very very pleased with the results.

E. B.
Sunnyvale, CA

2/06/2015
VERY happy with our contacts with Economic Driving School. My child had scheduled to take the 4 day class so she could test for the permit. The night before she came down with the flu. This was during the holidays so I couldn’t get in touch with anyone at the Sunnyvale Community Center where we had signed up. I left a VM and then emailed Economic Driving School. Don worked with us to get the tuition transferred so that she could do the on-line course instead. When we got to the end of it she finished the test on a weekend. They mailed the certificate on Monday morning. Her permit test was on Wednesday and unfortunately our mail delivery runs late in the day. Don allowed me to pick up a duplicate certificate so she could still take the test on the day we had scheduled the appt. Soooooo appreciative of his flexibility in both of these cases. Only reason I gave four stars instead of five is because my child says the on-line course is boring… but I think that would be the case no matter where she had taken the course 😉 Thanks Economic Driving School!!!

Malak Z.
Santa Clara, CA

25/05/2015
I have had 3 sessions with Ravi, and I can honestly say he will not move on until you feel you are satisfied with what you have learned. When I mentioned this to my sister, she signed up with Ravi. Just like me she favored the way he was patient with us when things were getting complicated. Ravi let’s driving be fun and less stressful, throughout his lessons. Ravi is in addition to very funny, intelligent, and polite when it comes to having a student who needs a lot of help driving. He will make sure that after his lessons that you will be able to drive on the road safely. Thank you Ravi for the lessons, the laughter, and the courage when it comes to driving behind the wheel.

Delina K.
Azusa, CA

23/05/2015
I went through this driving school a while ago, and it was fantastic! The instructors were friendly, knowledgeable, and prompt. My instructor, Jens, was very good at making me feel comfortable and prepared for my first time driving. I passed all of my driving tests on the first try with ease. The company is very professional. They are organized, respond quickly, and show up on time. I recommend them without reservation.

Deb K.
San Jose, CA

23/05/2015
Both my kids went through Economic Driving school and had very positive experiences with the instructors. They always showed up on time and went out of their way to make them feel comfortable. They never felt stressed or pushed beyond their capabilities. And the proof is in the pudding: they are both excellent drivers!!!

Sanjana D.
San Jose, CA

22/05/2015
Ravi Manrao is one of the best driving teacher I’ve ever met. He teaches with a lot of patience and simplifies tough things like parallel parking. I learnt that in 5 min and this is my first driving experience ever. With just 3 classes, I’ve learnt how to drive on highways , change lanes and take turns with confidence and full control. He also reiterates the importance of safety first and he’ll make you practice which ever maneuver you are weak in til you gain confidence doing it. I would always suggest Ravi Manrao, when you decide to learn driving the correct way!

Atul V.
San Jose, CA

30/04/2015
I called Ravi for my daughter’s driving behind the wheel training and i got prompt response. We went through few different dates and timings and after deciding it was great. He comes on time always.

Atul

Sabrina C.
San Jose, CA

6/02/2015
With the positive reviews from the other Yelpers about Economic Driving School, I decided to give them a try. My son needed a driver’s training instructor for his 6 hrs of behind the wheel instruction since he’s under 18. We called a couple of instructors from the list but their schedule did not work for my son. We contacted Ravi, and he took my son out. Ravi always showed up on time, was super courteous and my son learned a lot. At the end of each day, Ravi told my son what he needed to improve on. On the last day, Ravi took my son on the freeway. Whew, better Ravi than me. Ravi signed my son’s permit and gave him a certificate of completion on the last day.

The cost and list of instructors are located on Economic Driving School’s website. You contact the instructors directly to schedule a time. The response from the instructors to my calls/email inquiries
were super quick; even from the instructors whose schedule didn’t work with my son’s. Would definitely use Economic Driving School again in a couple of years for my other child.

Suren V.
Bayonne, NJ

11/10/2014
The response for my initial query was super fast and I got introduced to Ravi Manrao – who is such a nice gentleman and has become such a influencing factor in my driving now – he not only tells you what has to be done for a DMV test but preps on why it as to be done and how it will affect the day to day driving.

My driving where horned by him as I drove in India where anytime any turn and any type of driving is possible – he understood my strengths and concentrated on what I need to improve for the US roads and YES I got my license with the DMV with 5 days of my driving course with just two lessons

HE is such a gentleman and a thorough who I would recommend if you want to learn real driving.

Adam F.
Saratoga, CA

11/09/2014
I had Mr. Ron Pierceall as my driving instructor during my three 2 hour driving lessons. From what I’ve experienced, Economic Driving School is as good as it gets in the Bay Area. My instructor was very experienced, always friendly, and had a great sense of humor). The driving lessons were each valuable in their own way, and I felt like I had the experience and knowledge to start driving on my own (or at least with someone 25 years or older). The instructor offered me help if I needed to ask him questions after my lessons, or if I had failed the driving test (haven’t taken it at this point yet).

The instructor was clear, concise in his wording, and dependable, making the lessons worth every bit of my time.

Lisa K.
San Jose, CA

9/09/2014
Our daughter took the in-class training for her permit as well as the 6 hour required time behind the wheel with Economic Driving School. Our instructor was Jens Holmgren. He was great for our daughter who was very anxious about her time behind the wheel. He was able to make her feel comfortable and relaxed behind the wheel. We honestly thought she would not do well, but she felt comfortableafter their first lesson and the other two were a breeze. Jens was always on time and always came in to talk to us before they left. As the session was completed he also gave a nice summary of things that went well and things that she needed to work on. We were very to anyone looking to go through the program.

Jane B.
Los Altos, CA

8/08/2014
Over the past 10 years, we have used Economic Driving School three times- once for each of our two teenagers and once for my mother, who is an 88 year old driver. I think this is the best driving school in the area. The teachers are screened and work well with all ages- teens and seniors. We used Economic Driving School to reassess my mother’s driving and they were superb. They came on short notice and were very patient and provided excellent advise.
Don Meyer runs the school and is very attentive, professional and reliable. The instructors have many years of experience and know the material well.

Richard K.
San Jose, CA

20/05/2014
I sent both my son and daughter through Economic Driving School, including both the classroom course and the behind-the-wheel instruction. The classroom experience was quite detailed and included practice tests, instructional videos, and all kinds of practical suggestions. Both my son and daughter easily passed the written DMV exam.
The behind-the-wheel instructors were experienced, calm, and practical. They covered everything….freeway merging, parking, parking-lot driving, u turns, proper following distances, etc. After their six-hour driving instruction lessons, my kids both had increased confidence in their driving abilities. Also, dad was much more relaxed in our own practice driving sessions.
Economic Driving School has been around for thirty-seven years. I did my homework on them. They are fully certified, with tons of experience. Their prices were reasonable, and most importantly, the quality of instruction was great. Dealing with them was easy. Overall, Economic Driving School did a fine job preparing both my teens for the road, as well as helping lower anxiety levels for their dad.

Rosalee N.
Mountain View, CA

20/05/2014
My daughter recently completed the Online Driver Education class with Economic Driving School. She had a great experience and it worked well with her busy high school schedule. The online course provided her the flexibility, convenience, and ability to work at her own pace. At the same time of taking the online class she had the ability to communicate with other students and had a variety of learning experiences with multimedia. The graphics, driving tips, quizzes, and practice tests that were part of the non-verbal presentation of teaching material kept her interest. This prepared her well to pass the permit test at the DMV.
After completing the course my daughter lost the state completion certificate we received from Economic Driving School. I called up, explained the situation and Mr. Meyer the owner immediately sent me another one in the mail. We were very satisfied with EDS and the online course.

Dominic C.
Sunnyvale, CA

23/04/2014
I can’t say enough good things about my driving instructor.
I drove with Donald who was patient, kind and generally just a nice guy.
I understand he has many years of experience as a driving instructor as well as a school teacher which I’m sure is where his patience comes from.
I have 20+ years of driving experience, but that’s also 20+ years of bad habits that I had picked up, and Donald helped iron those out and prepare me for the test.

I have some disability and he was very flexible with the help he gave me there, as well flexible with the driving lesson times.

I’m trying to think of a negative to make this a more balanced review, but honestly I can’t.

Anyway, I’m very grateful to Donald and I highly recommend his driving school and don’t hesitate in giving 5 stars.

K K.
San Jose, CA

9/12/2013
A reliable, professional driving school. My older son sailed through the on-line course and permit test and passed his driving test on the first attempt. The instructors are patient and good humored – essential when dealing with teenage boys!

There was no question about where to sign our younger son up now he’s ready to take to the road. He completed the on line course independently and has taken pleasure in trying to catch us out on driving code questions! He’s definitely well prepared for the test.

The owner is very responsive and helpful, and went out of his way to get paperwork to us quickly.

You will have peace of mind knowing your son or daughter is in good hands.

Lara F.
Los Gatos, CA

1/12/2013
I was looking for an easy way to get my daughter training for her permit without having to sign her up for an onsite class.

The signup process was super easy, and my daughter could log in right away and get started.

She took about two weeks to go through the 22 modules, and learned a ton. She started asking me questions like if I ever hydroplaned (yes), etc. so I know she was engaged in the material.

What I thought was great was that if she skimmed the material, the quizzes would catch that, and send her back to studying. I didn’t want it to be too easy.

I called the owner with a question that I had, and he answered and was very polite and helpful.

This is a great and affordable way to get your kid ready for their permit.

Rich M.
San Jose, CA

15/11/2012
Economic Driving School is the most responsive of them all. Courteous and convenient. The classroom sections was terrific and my daughter actually liked it.
Her driving instructor, Caroline, was amazing. She was knowledgeable, patient and my daughter actually was excited about driving. Highly recommended.
Sherry G.

Sara L.
San Jose, CA

25/06/2012
As a sixteen year old, I was nervous about learning to drive. Jens Holmgren did a phenomenal job teaching me the behind-the-wheel section of the course. He was kind, patient, courteous – all important features in someone teaching a potentially dangerous activity. After my six hours of driving with him, I now feel extraordinarily prepared to drive – as well as very excited!

I didn’t enjoy the online section of the school – it was repetitive, boring, and contained so many grammar/spelling errors it was often difficult to read. I suggest a different online section, but use the driving instructors associated with the school. I have only great things to say about Mr. Holmgren!

Austin K.
San Jose, CA

26/04/2012
I went into drivers training a little nervous but as soon as my instructor, Jens Holmgren, came to the door and introduced himself, I felt relieved because he was such a nice guy. He really taught me to be a better driver. He and I got along well and he actually made drivers training fun. He preps you very well for the drivers test. He explains in detail what the instructors look for on the real drivers test and he gives you things that you can work on. Jens even directed me to the DMV that I will be taking my Drivers test at and gave me a small practice test. Overall, Jens is a great guy, knows the rules of the road, and preps you well for test day. Definitely a GREAT choice for your drivers training!

margarita k.
San Jose, CA

10/05/2011
My instructor was Sam Dennis. I made sure to research which driving school I was going to pick, and I am very satisfied with the choice I made. It had been more than six years since I last drove in Europe and I could only drive manual so everything was new to me. Sam was very patient and helpful, very easy to communicate with, and overall a very nice guy. He’s also always on time for appointments and calls to confirm in advance! I would definitely recommend him!

Inga L.
San Jose, CA

15/06/2011
I’m the first child in my family and my parents were immigrants who got their licenses over 15 years ago. I’m 15.5 and I wanted my permit, so I asked my friend where to go. Both of her older brothers went to Economic Driving School and got their licenses and permits by the time they were 16. So, I signed up and for $165 total, I received lessons from a qualified instructor, an actual certified teacher at a middle school in California who knew how to drive as well as handle a classroom full of teens. He was very emphatic and knew from personal experience what we needed to know not only on the permit and license test, but for real-life situations as well.
A lot of people these days take Driver’s Ed online, but I think it’s just not as interactive and helpful as taking an actual course with an actual teacher. You can’t ask a computer program specific questions and expect detailed, correct, and up-to-date responses, and it isn’t even that much cheaper to take it online.
For four days, we were at a nice well-conditioned conference room in Cupertino City Hall from 8:30am-4pm and watched videos about driving and studied road rules from worksheets and books. It was really rigorous and intense but it really helped prepare me for the test. Our teacher really drilled things into our brains but at the same time he didn’t overload us with useless random facts. At the end of the four days, we took a “final exam” similar to the one that the DMV used, and every student passed. Our teacher told us, only one student in all his years of teaching (many, many years) who fell asleep during the test, did not pass. At the beginning of the course, I knew nothing about driving, I didn’t even know what I needed to get my permit, but even on the first day, I became a lot more knowledgeable about the road, and an expert on the ways of the DMV.
They teach you step by step, everything you need to know to get a permit or become a licensed driver and more! I definitely recommend anyone seeking a permit/license to take this course.

Christina G.
Los Gatos, CA

8/08/2010
My instructor clearly explained the procedures and was very interested in our learning. When we asked him questions, he answered them clearly and simply. He was patient ant courteous and explained to us anything that we did not understand. He was also very knowledgeable and was able to fully explain everything. He was also very personable and made Drivers Ed very entertaining. The classes began and ended on time and our instructor made very good use of time, and stayed clearly on schedule. Overall, i had a very good experience with Economic Driving School. I would recommend this program to anyone interested in taking Drivers Ed.

Sarah J.
Santa Clara, CA

1/08/2010
My instructor was a high school teacher and was very comfortable teaching teenagers. He explained the class’s schedule every morning and periodically throughout the day. He encouraged us to ask many questions and he was enthusiastic to answer them. My instructor was extremely patient (although our class wasn’t really that rowdy) and he was very courteous of our needs. He knew what he was teaching practically inside and out and he delivered the information we needed to know through personal stories, videos, and worksheets. Lastly, my instructor made excellent use of his time. The class always started on time and ended on time if not earlier. Throughout the class period, each student completed what needed to be done in our teacher’s time limit. My instructor was a great teacher and I would suggest people to go through the economic driving school to receive their driver’s permit and license.

Simone C.
Sunnyvale, CA

21/06/2010
The instructor was clear, knowledgeable, and gave examples of both “book answers” and “real world answers.” He thoroughly explained the handbook in terms we could understand, and was also very patient with some kids who were misbehaving. He understood that an 8:30 to 4:00 class is not easy to get through in summertime, and kindly gave us small breaks to stretch. We did not waste any time in class. Everything was devoted to learning the material, and we started and ended on time everyday. Overall, this class was an excellent source of information about the rules of the road, and I highly recommend it to anyone wishing to take a Drivers Ed class.

Joseph W.
Cupertino, CA

18/06/2010
This class seriously prepared me for driving on the road. Initially, entering the class, every day I learned something new about how to drive defensively and how to pass the driving road test. Thanks to Mrs. O’Byrne and her passionate attitude about safe driving, I feel very prepared for Driver’s training. I’ll be continuing my preparation for a driver’s license with Economic Driving School’s comprehensive behind the wheel sessions. I recommend all of you to also go here to learn how to drive!

Isabel O.
San Jose, CA

2/02/2010
After having gone through 2 instructors from other schools and having failed the driving test 3 times (yes… 3…) I was really wary of the whole driving lessons experience.

However, I am very glad I called EDS! Specifically instructor Keith Adams, following the previous review here on Yelp. He was very patient, encouraging and easy-going. He explained things in a logical way and gave me more confidence to drive around.

Also, he was always on time, very important when you are paying hourly.

Highly recommendable school and instructor!

Inge B.
San Jose, CA

19/03/2009
First to Review
I approached the whole driver training thing with some anxiety – seemed like a bit of a sketchy business, and with my oldest kid that was around the time of several news stories about nefarious driving instructors.

I have to say, these guys totally assuaged my concerns. With first son we randomly chose instructor Keith (you call the instructor directly) and he was prompt to call back, reliable, and my kid even thought he was “cool.” I thought Keith was a saint, because that kid was the *worst* driver back then.

Three years later it was time for second son to learn to drive, and I was happy to find that Keith still works here. He is attentive and gives really good common sense instruction to the kids as they practice. He must have nerves of steel, because he takes the kids out on expressways and freeways. He encourages the student to spend the last of the 3 lessons with him practicing the common test routes at the DMV where they plan to take their test. This is great for the kid’s peace of mind.

The owners are competent and professional, too – we had a panic yesterday over a missing form that the DMV required, and they promptly returned our call and said they could provide a dupe. In the end it turned out we were OK with the DMV, but their turnaround time was appreciated.

So the end of this chapter is that second kid took his test this morning and passed, first time around.

I definitely hope Keith and EDS are still around when it comes time for third son to learn to drive!