Professional Driving School

I am 23 years old and had never driven before in my life. I signed up for a package of 10 lessons and by the end I was driving better than most of the people I know. I passed my test on the first try.\r \r Melvin is extremely professional and patient. He gave me the confidence I needed to drive in Manhattan. He has a great personality and always makes the lessons enjoyable and fun. He is very punctual and when I needed to change my pick up location last minute he always accommodated me. \r \r Book lessons with Melvin in advance because he is one of the more popular instructors and his schedule fills up very quickly. \r \r If you cannot get Melvin ask for Patrick. For one of my lessons I had Patrick and he was great too. Pros: Professional, punctual, patient Cons: Melvin's schedule fills up quickly- book lessons in advance more

I passed my road test on the first try thanks to this school! My teacher knew his stuff and taught me what I needed to drive and park well and pass the test. Everyone from the office staff to my teacher was very professional and put me at ease (a very nervous first time driver I was!). I recommend this school to anyone needing to learn to drive. I signed up for the 5-hour package but did feel the need for one additonal lesson which I scheduled with no hitch whatsoever. My teacher, Leo, was the best. He was always on time (often early, even!) and very courteous. Props to this school & staff! Pros: Good Teachers, Accommodating Staff more

Without any driving experience whatsoever, from the first minute of my very first lesson I was driving around Manhattan! My instructor, Leo, believed in me even when I didn't, and that really made a difference for me. I looked forward to each lesson, and each one was pleasant and fun. I learned a lot, and after going through the lesson package and passing the road test I really felt I had gained the confidence and competence needed for driving. The staff members at the school are all very calm and professional, and good at handling scheduling and communication. My only problem was that a few lessons got canceled, one at the very last minute, but that is not surprising given that they were scheduled well in advance, and life is not always predictable. The rescheduling was very smooth. All in all, this is a great driving school, with instructors and staff that want you to succeed. I enjoyed the lessons so much that I might take additional ones to improve my skills and learn more about defensive driving. Pros: great instructor, professionalism, efficiency more

Professional Driving Schhol Stands By it's Name.\r \r Before I took out my package at Professional Driving School, I took one lesson with an instructor at the Grand Prix Driving School (Ed) to determine my driving skill since I had not driven in many decades. My experience with Ed was very disappoinitng because: : \r 1-the car was dirty and cluttered, \r 2- the instructor talked about himself and his family throughout the lesson, \r 3- He yelled (loudly!) at me twice, on this first lesson, for using too much gas on the U-turn.\r To be fair and to his credit, he did throw me into driving in trafic on a busy street in Manhattan from the get-go - a sink or swim situation - which I appreciated. I did well.\r However:\r 4- the desk person never called to tell me the date of my road test even though he promised to do so. I had to call him for two days to get the date only to find out he had scheduled it not only for the wrong time (Am) when I wanted a PM appt., but at a site other than what I asked for because it was easier for them to get to. .\r I later found out the site I wanted WAS available because Professional Driving asked if I wanted that site!\r Because of all all the thngs mentioned above I decided not to go to Grand Prix for any further lessons, cancelled my road test with them and went to the Professional Driving School for my package/road test.\r \r From the minute you walk into this school, you get the feeling it's very well organized, calm and together. The man who booked my package, Richard, was very organized, and reassured me that even though I hadn't\r driven in so long I'd be fine. He specifically chose an instructor, Jerry, who he felt I would work well with.\r \r I have nothing but the upmost praise for Jerry who is an incredible instructor. A consumate professional, he is calm, patient and of course knowledgable. No matter how many times he had to repeat something he did not get impatient, yell, or make you feel unqualified. His aim was to teach you what you needed to know to be a qualified driver and pass your road test. (I passed my road test on the first try!!)\r \r Jerry has very specific techniques to prepare you for all the things the road test inspectors look for.\r Again, his manner is what made the lessons go so well for me. Even though i felt I could use more lessons before the road test, he felt I'd do o.k. and as above, I did pass on the first try.\r \r The office staff, too, was very polite and together. and always left messages at both my home and office numbers to make sure I was aware of any changes in my schedule (thank you Gretchen)\r \r All in all, I would highly recommend Professional Driving School.. I have signed up for (advanced) driving lessons even though i got my license today.\r \r \r Pros: Extremely professional school from A-Z more

I've had my permit forever, but was always too afraid to take lessons or schedule my road test. After just a few lessons with Leo, I had the confidence I needed to pass my road test on the first try! He is incredibly knowledgable about what you need to do to pass the road test, and I was comfortable during the test because I knew exactly what to expect thanks to him. He was patient, flexible, and you could tell that he really cared about his students. He was the best, and I highly recommend him as an instructor! Pros: great instructor, flexible lesson times more

What made my experience at Professional driving school a success (passed exam on first try) was my driving instructor, Melvin Garcia. He is patient and offers the feedback you need to pass the test but also to enjoy driving (even in Manhattan!). He is a great teacher who understands how to critique without making the driver unsure or nervous. Pros: Efficient with good teachers Cons: 5 hour class with a 1980's film more

There name truly says it all. This Driving school was not only professional but patient especially for a gal like me who has never been behind a car wheel before. Melvin is the best instructor ever! Not only is he truly skilled at teaching you how to be an expert on the road but his comedian style helps to calm all the nerves that comes about on that first try. All in all I passed my test on the first try! I found this driving school by chance and it is the best thing that could have happen to me. Thanks again Melvin and the staff at Professional Driving School. Pros: The Best of the Best Cons: There are none!! more

I am 36 and a native New Yorker. I had a learner's permit for a long time but never got my license. About 10 years ago I went to a different driving school and took the road test but I didn't pass. In part because I was busy and in part because I was anxious, I hadn't tried again until now. My learner's permit was due to expire later this year and I decided now was the time. I found the professional driving school by doing a google search and then decided to use them after reading many of the reviews from this site. Maria handled most of the scheduling for me, and I found her to be both pleasant and patient with my requests and working with my schedule to set up lessons. I signed up for a package with the 5 hour class, 10 lessons, and the road test appointment. After reading the reviews from this site I requested Leo as my instructor. I needed to do a number of lessons on Saturdays due to my schedule and Leo is not free on weekends, so some of my lessons were also with Noel. The 5 hour class was nothing special but is mainly a requirement to get through for the certificate. I'm not sure I learned anything great from the class but I have to say I had fun watching the video from the 1980's with a pre-injured Christopher Reeve, Lorenzo Lamas, Meredith Baxter, and even a young Sara Gilbert. My lessons were the more important part. Noel and Leo have slightly different styles but both were patient instructors that encouraged me to relax. They were helpful in reviewing the key elements for passing the test such as how to handle stop signs, 3pt turns and parallel parking. They pointed out the important details that often cause people to fail the test, even if in general they can drive. Some of the negative reviews I saw spoke about cancellations and long waits to schedule when calling. This was not my experience with the school. There were a couple of cancellations. Leo was sick once and got a flat tire once before my scheduled lessons. I think anyone has to be prepared that these kinds of things can happen and the school was responsive in rescheduling. I also became anxious about whether or not I was prepared enough for the original date for the road test and the school moved the date 2 weeks later and waived the fee for moving the date (I think in part because one of the lessons was canceled and had to be rescheduled). One of the really nice aspects of the lessons was that the instructors will pick you up for your lesson anywhere in the city. This made the lessons convenient for me and my schedule. Both Leo and Noel reassured me that I was driving well and would be ready for the test. Leo was the one who took me for my road test which was on Staten Island. The school usually has you drive to the test and then they leave an hour and a half lesson time (from the 10hr package) before the test for you to practice. I have to say this is a key element that I think helped me pass compared to the time I took the test 10 years ago without a practice the day of the test. As I practiced with Leo before the test, he actually stopped me earlier than the hour and a half and told me I was ready and we should go. Later he explained that it is good to practice before the test but not too much if the person is ready. You need to have a balance because sometimes people get worn out with the practice before the test and then run into trouble. I appreciated his advice and expertise. The test seemed to go very quickly and I passed. The examiner was familiar with Leo and happened to share that she had examined at least 10-20 other people before me and I was the first one that day to pass. (Thanks again Leo!) So in summary I highly recommend the Professional Driving School as worth the money and would recommend both Leo and Noel as instructors. Pros: Friendly staff/patient instructors/ they pick up for lessons Cons: 5hr class is nothing special but fine nonetheless more

My driving instructor Leo was great. I had never been behind a wheel, I didn't even know which pedal was the gas and which was the break, but within a few weeks I passed my test and was comfortable in the drivers seat. more

My Vespa instructor was Jerry and he was excellent. I'd never ridden a bike before and he was very clear with instructions, maintained safety at all times, and answered all of my banal and basic questions! He was very polite and patient. Once I got a feel for the bike he was able to recommend that I could take my drive test - he was confident enough in what he saw that I was ready and wasn't pushy with extra lessons...if he did that it would have turned me off anyway....I felt ready. His pre-test lesson was excellent, very thorough, and gave me just the right preparation for the drive test (he knew the route and what each individual tester would want/be looking for). He couldn't have prepared me better. Top marks. Pros: Excellent preparation for drive test Cons: I needed at least 1hr lesson, not just 1/2hr,a little pricey more

At the beginning of the week, I had never been in the drivers seat of a car. However, after a week of lessons with Leo, I passed my drivers test. Leo was an absolutely amazing instructor encouraging me to perfect every aspect of my driving before my test. He is patient, but encouraging and a pleasure to have as an instructor. I would recommend Leo to anyone, without a doubt. The school was also very helpful in scheduling the test and the 5-hour class. All-in-all, driving school with Leo was a blast! Pros: Fantastic instruction, flexible hours, and friendly staff. Cons: Absolutely nothing. more

My expereince with PDS from the phone operator (think her names Janice) to driving instructor Rey, has has been great. I read the reviews and thought I'd give it a shot, and here I am writing one myself! They are extremely courteous and do a good job prepping you for the test. Pros: Example: best croissants in town Cons: What are the drawbacks? more

I had a great experience with my instructor Ray, he was very patient with me, I had never driven a car before and he gave me the confidence I need it to drive in the city and in the city there are a lot of distractions sooooo it makes it a lil bit more complicated.. but good practice :0) , I took a 5 hour class and I pass my road test today, first try!!! the staff and the instructor are outstanding. Pros: Polite and on time lessons/ real life practice Cons: I will say maybe the location of the 5 hr class is ok :0' more

These guys really know what they are doing, I passed on the 1st try. I would highly recomend this school to everyone. Great place! more

today march 6 2009, i pass my driving test with ease. i couldn't be more thankful for Professional Driving School. from the moment you start take your 5 hour driving lesson , asking questions at your 5 hour class, and taking your road test ,the Professional Driving School makes you feel relax , i recommend taking a 5hour lesson with them cause they will show you the safey in driving and things that you thought you knew. the Professional driving teachers handle their students so well. they make sure your fully comfortable with the road. even if you have to do 100 parking test in one lesson , they make sure you get it right. and don't think after you pass your diving test you don't have to do more lessons, i think i going to still get even more knowelge of the road, its doesn't hard to be a better driver!! more

I was ready to give up before I met Leo, but his patience, calm, confidence, perseverance and technique really allowed me to build my confidence and learn. Fun to be with, always respectful and mindful of how difficult it can be at times to learn to drive, especially in NYC, Leo is a gem of a teacher and a rare find. After failing my test twice before at 2 other schools with two other teachers, I found in Leo someone I could finally really learn and succeed with. I couldn't have imagined the difference before experiencing it! \r \r I highly recommend Leo as an instructor, the school, the practice tests, and all the helpful practical suggestions along the way. I couldn't have hoped for a better experience, just wish I had known about it earlier on!\r Pros: Thumbs WAY UP! Leo comes to pick you up, knows the best techniques, the best places to practice, and the best place to take the test; Cons: None... really! more

I prepared the road test with a driving school in Queens, but my instructor only trained me in a narrow street, hence I took one 90 minute lesson from the professional driving school to learn the skill of changing lane, and Leo was my instructor. I am not only learned the skill, but after that 90 minute lesson I am no more scared of driving in a busy street. It?s amazing he has such wonderful ability of building up confidence! I didn?t pass the road test, and I wanted switch to Leo. Before to do that, I took another try lesson in a good school in Manhattan to be sure Leo is the best. The instructor in that school, who also has many good comments, requested me to do everything exactly same as his way, he also pushed me to take lesson almost every day. But with Leo, he let me keep what I learned before, and only corrected the things I did wrong. Leo always explained me clearly how and why I should do it; when I made a mistake, he wouldn?t simply ask me to redo it; instead he gave me a way to fix. Leo also doesn?t want me to waste money to take unnecessary lessons?? \r \r I took the test one week later. My road test this time was difficult. The examiner put me on a tough task on the parallel parking: I could see the curb in the beginning, but when I drove backward, the curb disappeared. Unfortunately I moved the car too closer to the curb! Leo already taught me various skills of fixing it. I know I could pull the car forward to parallel, but there is no enough space in the front. The confidence Leo gave me now helped me: I estimated the curb by lining up the front car with my car, and found I could move backward a few inches more??I did it! Even the examiner has to say ?good job?. However, I know very clearly without Leo?s wonderful teaching, I would definitely fail the test again. Thanks, Leo! I would recommend Leo to every one. \r \r The staff were also extremely helpful in accommodating with my arrangement. I am very pleased with them. \r \r more

Me and my wife are new in this country and have to acquire a NY Driver's License, a necessity. I delved into different driving schools in NY and noticed this school in its quite salient representation. Tons of positive reviews around which are an apparent repercusion of happy and satisfied customers. We registered with them in a face that we both have experience in driving back in our country. The office personnel, who was direct and very helpful and professional, proposed the minimum package with a 'within-your-means' cost. After taking the required classroom lecture and video, they secured a road test appointment for us. We did a 90-minute practice road test on the day of the test. The instructor, who was comprehensive and keen on our needs, put more weight on parallel parking and the k-turn, which are not applicable in our country. He said everything else was satisfactory. He was very efficient and orderly. He knows what he was doing. WE BOTH PASSED THE ROAD TEST! One review I read which says 'Win on a Venture' struck me. I totally have the same opinion with the reviewer. SPEND LESS FOR THE BEST! Pros: direct, professional, comprehensive, keen more

I never touched a car in my life. I signed up for the driving course after getting a recommendation for this school from a friend. Their selected packages are a convenient way to prepare for the driving test and they prepare you to drive in Manhattan. They sent the study material for the DMV theory test, I took it at your nearest DMV office and the very same day I had my 5hr class and scheduled my driving lessons. My instructor was Melvin (Hi Melvin!), who was an excellent match for me. He prepared me for the exam in a few weeks. More importantly, I learned to get around with a 4-wheeler in Manhattan. The classes are just right, it's safe but he lets you do your thing and develop your own driving style while teaching you how to handle aggressive taxis, busses etc in a safe but strong way. I passed my exam just 5 weeks after stepping into the DMV office. Thanks to everyone in the school! more

A few months ago I signed up for driving lessons for a Vespa and the driver's license package with the Professional Driving School. Just having passed my motorcycle road test a few days ago, I am looking back at a very pleasant and indeed professional experience. My instructor, Jerry, was more than up to the task and efficiently took me through all the handling and traffic management in a step-by-step program which turned out to be exactly what was needed to ultimately be legalized as a driver. He exactly knew his trade and pleasantly conveyed his wisdom thereby exhibiting the right amount of caution. The relative winter coldness was slightly deterring in the beginning but in the end became negligible in the face of mastering the scooter. Scheduling lessons with the school was a breeze and they took care of the road test appointment which included pre-test coaching and accompaniment by my instructor. This was the most effective and pleasant road to a license which will allow me to forgo the car many of a time in the upcoming season. I can highly recommend the services of the school and hope that they can help many more people discover the benefits and fun of Vespa/scooter driving. Pros: Efficiency and friendliness of the staff, very good instructor more