Wilfin is a patient teacher and excellent with the students. My daughter passed her test on the…read morefirst try! She said the best thing I did was have her take a lesson a day or two before the test to review one more time with Wilfin. Thank you for an incredible experience!

We have only positive things to say about Bay 1 Driving School! We met Wilfin a decade ago when he…read morewas driving my kids on the school bus in Menlo Park. He was always such a kind, warm, helpful driver and so good with the kids. I immediately contacted him when I needed driving lessons for my son. Wilfin is quick to respond and his pricing is reasonable. We went on lessons with Rosa and Mike and both of them were great. He accommodated our schedule and the instructors were punctual, friendly and patient with my son. They took him on the routes for 2 of the local DMV's, and he passed his driving test on the first try. Thank you Wilfin and Bay 1 Team!!!

We had a great experience with Long and LT Driving School. He explained the DMV test procedure,…read moresimulating what would happen step-by-step. He was also pointed out the top mistakes that people make, and how to avoid them. He helped us understand what the DMV evaluators are looking for, and what will trigger an instant fail. He was also knowledgeable about the typical test routes that they take, which helped us become familiar with the roads. Of course, he also did a great job explaining things in a way that was easy to remember. Highly recommended! Note: we had previously taken three lessons (six hours) with another driving school, well known in the area. Long and LT Driving School were MUCH better!

(10 stars if I could!)…read more Passed my first try, thank you so much to Long at LT Driving School!!! My life was put on hold when I got hit by a reckless driver (a hit and run) as a pedestrian soon after moving to the Bay Area. I carried so much fear and emotional baggage around driving and honestly never imagined I'd actually be able to do it. But Long knew his stuff and taught me everything I needed to know to pass--not just how to pass the test, but how to think, see, and act like a strong driver. He's an excellent instructor: lessons tailored to me, very open to feedback, a good listener, respectful, patient, honest, and an all-around good guy. He really understands people--he could be a therapist (that's coming from a licensed therapist lols!). I cannot thank you enough, Long, for helping me get back my life (I write, as I'm holding back years' worth of tears).

My child said: "Sandra was very friendly and thoroughly taught me the basics of driving."read more

Do not use this service if your DMV test timing matters…read more I booked Bay Cities Driving School's $349 3-Hour DMV Test Car Rental because the pickup time shown when I paid was 1:30 PM for a 3:00 PM DMV road test. That pickup time is the whole reason someone books this package. After payment, they contacted me and said they wanted to change the pickup time to 2:00 PM, with the test still at 3:00 PM. That is a major change to a time-critical service after the customer has already paid. Their justification was that the DMV test only needs to be "at least one hour" after the lesson start time. At least one hour does not mean only one hour, and it absolutely does not justify changing the pickup time after the fact. Anyone who has actually taken a DMV road test knows it usually doesn't take anywhere close to multiple hours. What makes this even more frustrating is that my home is about 17 minutes from the DMV, and they already had my address. After the test, they would have dropped me off nearby anyway. Moving the pickup later didn't benefit the student at all -- it only reduced preparation time while giving the company more buffer on their end. They did end up refunding me, but the experience itself is the problem. The pickup time you see when you book this $349 package is not treated as firm, even though it's central to why people choose it. If you are booking this expecting the schedule shown at checkout to actually mean something, do not use this service. UPDATE (after owner response): I want to address the owner's reply because it does not actually resolve the issue and, in several places, misrepresents both the booking flow and what was communicated to me privately. 1) "Warnings" or "recommendations" are not requirements. A recommendation does not override a booking the business itself allows and charges for. If a pickup time is truly unacceptable, it must be blocked as a requirement at checkout. In my case, the system allowed me to select 1:30 PM, accepted full payment, and only afterward did the business decide that this time was "too early." Taking payment for a selectable time and later saying it shouldn't have been chosen is not transparency. 2) "At least one hour" was later twisted into "only one hour." Privately, I was told that the DMV test needs to be "at least one hour" after the lesson start time. That wording matters. At least one hour does not mean only one hour, and it does not justify changing a customer's pickup time after checkout. If the service is strictly designed around a 30-60 minute window, that needs to be enforced before payment, not reinterpreted afterward. 3) The claim that DMV road tests take 1-2 hours after the scheduled time is exaggerated and unsupported. In normal practice, DMV road tests are brief. While delays can happen, tests themselves rarely run anywhere close to one or two hours past the scheduled time. Using extreme, worst-case scenarios to justify changing a customer's pickup time in advance does not reflect how DMV exams typically operate and shifts inconvenience entirely onto the customer. Planning every booking around hypothetical delays that usually don't happen protects the company's idle time while reducing the customer's preparation time. If an actual delay occurs, it can be handled then -- not preemptively by altering a paid booking. 4) Advance notice does not fix a post-payment change. Being notified ahead of time does not change the fact that a core scheduling term was altered after checkout. The problem is not when I was told -- it's that the pickup time shown when I paid was not treated as firm. 5) A "standard 3-hour flat rate" does not justify changing the start time. A flat-rate window does not excuse modifying the pickup time after payment. Customers book this package specifically because of the pickup time they select. If that time is flexible at the company's discretion, that needs to be stated clearly and unambiguously before checkout. 6) Practical context was ignored. The business had my address and could see that I live about 17 minutes from the DMV. After the test, they would have dropped me off nearby anyway. Using "possible delays" to justify extra buffer time in this situation makes little practical sense. To be clear, I was refunded, and that is appreciated. But the refund does not change the underlying issue. The owner's response confirms my original concern: the pickup time shown at booking is not treated as fixed, and customers only learn that after paying. If you are booking this service expecting the schedule you select at checkout to actually mean something, you should understand how it really works before you pay.

We had Mr. Lee teach our daughter to drive. He is very professional, and his teaching style is also…read morevery effective. Here is the comments from my daughter: Instructor Lee was always extremely professional and great at teaching! Before starting, he explained how RPMs work and how to lightly press on the pedals without overcompensating, and I always felt safe learning with him. If I ever made a mistake he would be very courteous and helpful. His explanations are very clear and easy to understand, which was important to me because I struggled with different aspects of driving. His breakdown of where you should stay in the road and how to leverage your momentum were very helpful! It seems like he cares about the success of his driving students, and he will go above and beyond. I would definitely trust this instructor and recommend him to my friends and families.

I just had to leave a review because I'm so happy right now lol. My son just passed his driving…read moretest on the first try and i honestly didn't expect that!! He only did like 10 hours of lessons with Mr. Lee and i couldn't believe how much he improved. As a parent i was really worried about finding someone who could actually work with a teenager you know how they can be lol. But Mr. Lee was super patient with my son the whole time, never got frustrated or anything. My son actually liked going to his lessons which is saying a lot haha. He teaches you in a way that's really easy to understand and my son said he always felt comfortable and knew what to do. The tips and techniques he showed him really worked because he remembered them during the actual test! Honestly if you have a teenager who needs to learn how to drive just go with Mr. Lee. I would 100% recommend him to any parent. So worth it!!

Our youngest daughter just completed classes with A-Z Driving School and we are -- as with our…read morefirst child that did it few years ago -- EXTREMELY HAPPY!!! :) Both Steven and Anita have been fantastic teachers -- big "thank you" goes to them!!! :) Thank you very much for helping her in her driving journey, Liza and Kirill

When I first contacted A-Z for my son's driving lessons, Erin was very helpful and answered all my…read morequestions and helped get my son set up for 3 lessons (6 hours). His first lesson was with Natalie. She was great. He was very nervous and she helped ease his nerves. After the lesson, she had wrote down the areas he needed to focus on. She went over it with both my son and me. He also got a checklist to prepare for the driving test. His next two lessons were with Steve, who was very professional and got him on the freeway and helped him with preparing for the exam including backing up. A few months later, we got two more lessons (4 hours). Erin again was a great help in helping schedule. He had another lesson with Steve. He also had another instructor Katie, also professional and helped him with parking and other areas he requested more practice with. My son passed his driving exam today on the first try. The foundations provided to him definitely helped. I've recommended A-Z to other parents looking for lessons.

Success driving school had great communication and efficiency over text as someone who prefers…read moretexts over calls. They answer any and all questions asap, and also send convenient text reminders of your appointments the day before. I had my behind the wheel instruction appointments with Keith and Phuong, and they were both incredibly helpful and concise with their explanations. Their patience with me calmed my initial nervousness about these lessons, allowing me to learn in a less stressful environment and I ended up passing the test easily! Could not recommend this company and both of my instructors more.

I had Raymond as my instructor and passed on the first try! He was super patient, nice and explains…read moreeverything in so much detail to make sure I understand the how and why behind each maneuver. He gives a lot of tips on not only how to pass the test but also be a safe and good driver. We practiced all of the routes in Redwood City multiple times just to make sure that I'm more than well prepared. He also likes drawing diagrams to explain things in the beginning to help me understand where to look when turning and where to look when parking/ pulling to the curb which was very helpful as well. He's also always on time as well as flexible with his schedule to fit mine. Highly recommend him and the driving school.

Very impressed with Riva Davia driving school. My daughter just finished her 3rd and final driving…read morelesson with them and immediately passed her DMV license test. The instructors were really helpful in her journey. Some points I found particularly impressive: 1) they took her on the highway for the first time, this felt safest for us all (having someone who could take over if needed at high speeds!) 2) on one occasion they pulled over and instructor drew on paper how and where to begin a turn in an intersection. this visual demo really stuck with her and was helpful. 3) on her last lesson, they drove to the DMV test to get test day specific help including where to go, what roads they might be driving on, what are some areas others often get tripped up. there were other examples of really helpful lessons but I cannot remember. I also liked that this company in particular was incredibly easy to book an appointment with! others I found were booked out too far in advance. they also always showed up on time and used the full lesson time. All in all, I highly recommend!

I had an amazing experience with Yancarlos and passed my first behind the wheel test with him!…read more I'm new to the US and have a license from another country, but wanted to have a couple of classes before attending a test since some rules are different here and I needed to get used to it. Yancarlos explained all the rules thoroughly, took me to the test area to drive around to make sure I understand the possible errors and prepared me in every possible way. He's also great to talk to, and it was great to spend the test day with him while waiting in the Daly City DMV line. Highly recommend to all drivers, novice and experienced alike.

My daughter's instructor, Eric, was fantastic. We are very sad that Eric left, but we are very…read moregrateful to the owner, Evan, who issued us a letter that enabled us to finish out the remaining two hours at another school. Also, huge shoutout to the lady who works reception! She is very kind, professional, and prompt. Real pleasure to deal with.

Because of his anxiety, my teenage son wasn't motivated to learn to drive. The driver's ed scared…read morehim and he was content to be driven around. I wanted him to learn to drive and gain independence. My friend who used Strive Driving School for her son recommended we try Strive. My 16-year-old son gained confidence and knowledge in his four 1.5 hour lessons leading up to his driver's test. Yesterday he took his driver's license test for the first time and scored 96%. We're extremely happy and relieved. Thank you, Strive.

My daughter passed her driving test with only one mistake!…read more She had two lessons with Greg and her last lesson with Kenny. Their coaching, tips, and encouragement made her a confident driver in ways that an anxious and nervous parent can't . She felt very comfortable on the road with them and they both met with me after each lesson to communicate progress. Highly recommend!

Kenny was absolutely amazing supporting my daughter on her joy to become an excellent and safe…read moredriver. As a father of a teenage girl also looked for a driving instructor I am comfortable to have her go in a car Highly recommended.

Took a manual lesson with Jerry. Do NOT make the mistake I made and book a $140 2 hour lesson with…read morethis company. Jerry had his foot on the clutch the entire time, I couldn't even feel the "bite" mark because he was too worried about his clutch?? You are teaching students on how to drive a manual, of course your car is going to go through abuse. Taught me tips that were ridiculous, for example leaving your foot on the clutch ALL the time (never leaving your car on neutral at stop lights). Didn't learn much from this guy and he kept making subtle insults towards me. Believe the ratings, this company is money hungry with no motivation to teach.

**Buyer Beware**…read more Wow! I have a lot of negative feedback to give about this very unprofessional company. First off, my son was scheduled for 3, two hour lessons; 2 at 7:30AM and the last at 5:30PM. Gary the instructor typically did not do driver training this early in the morning (typically 9AM) and made it clear to my son that he wasn't happy about it. My son got through the first lesson ok with "Dude, push in the clutch", "now the brake" and "Dude, what are you doing?". No positive reinforcements, Gary just barked orders out and without any explanations at all. My son may as well had an older brother in the car! I pay them approx. $55/hour for this?? Hmmm... So, the next day (Sunday) is my son's 2nd appt. at 7:30AM. We had to drive down from San Francisco, which Gary was made aware of the day before. Gary shows up at our meeting point at 7:30AM and was advised that we were on our way from the city and would arrive momentarily. We arrived at 7:37AM and no sign of Gary!! Gary split 2 minutes after he had arrived! We circled around the neighborhood looking for him to no avail. This is Redwood Shores we're talking about... there are 2 ways in/out - no joke! He bolted out of there! We were never given a phone number to reach Gary and they had my cell#. No call. So, I called Monday and spoke with Jerry/manager and he proceeded to get defensive and basically not believe anything I was telling him about good 'ole Gary. Because apparently he or his staff would never do anything like I was describing and conduct themselves with such unprofessionalism or irresponsibility. They refused to refund my money for the day that Gary bailed out on our lesson! I proceeded to cancel the last scheduled day. Please be advised that this is not a professional and reliable company and I would strongly recommend looking elsewhere. Also, Gary is the only trainer that teaches manual/clutch driving. You've been warned! Good luck and happy driving! :)