I purchased package #3 from AMB Driving School for $665, which included 20 hours of in-class training, 15 hours of in-car lessons, certification with MTO and use of the instructor's vehicle for the G2 road test. Unlike the majority of students, I'm in my early 30s, did not have access to a vehicle and planned to rely solely on the in-car lessons to gain sufficient skills to pass the test.
In-Class Training
I took the four-day course with Fahim Malik in April 2017. This is the standard course developed by the Ministry of Transportation (i.e. would be the same course material at any certified driving school in Ontario) and overall Fahim was a good instructor who kept the class engaged and offered lots of helpful tips along the way.
In-Car Lessons
From April-November 2017, I went through 3 instructors with AMB. As noted by others, AMB requires their students to schedule their own lessons directly with their assigned instructors.
My first instructor Shah was decent, but was not punctual and very difficult to get a hold of. He would either be late for lessons or sometimes not show up at all.
I complained to the school and was assigned to a second instructor, Nasim. Again, very difficult to schedule lessons with. I had one lesson with Nasim, and was a nervous wreck by the end of it. He was impatient, condescending, short-tempered, and expressed extreme frustration that I didn't already know how to drive. AVOID NASIM!
I complained to the school again and this time asked for a refund. AMB's management apologized for my experience and offered to assign me to a more experienced instructor instead, which I agreed to. This instructor, Bob Karmakar was the very best! He is easy to communicate with, organized, punctual and professional. His expertise, patience and calm manner helped me get the skills and confidence I needed to pass my G2 road test (on the first try). I really don't think I would have passed with the other instructors, so I would highly recommend Bob!
Review
I'm giving AMB an overall rating of 3/5. Although the location was convenient, the price was competitive, and I ultimately passed the G2, I think this rating is fair given the negative experience I had with their other instructors, and the fact that it took over 6 months for me to complete their program. However, if this review was solely for Bob Karmakar, my review would be 5/5. He was an excellent in-car instructor and I wish I would have had the chance to take the classroom course with him as well. read more