I was looking for a driving instructor for my teen and saw all the positive Yelp reviews for Hawaii…read moreDriving Academy. Jay was a wonderful teacher! He has a "can do" positive attitude. He was extremely responsive and answered all my questions over the phone before the first lesson. He is very patient, always came on time and had a face mask on for every lesson. After each lesson, he would message me on my teens progress. Jay was very easy to work with and I felt he and I were able to work together to achieve our goals. It was also very easy and convenient to pay for our lessons via payment app. Our teen passed on the first try!!!

Jay is an amazing instructor for both beginners and experienced drivers…read more I had to take the drivers road test after having a drivers license in the US for 26 yrs in 3 States (NJ HI CA ) , during COVID my CA license expired so the quickest way to get a HI license was to retake both written and practical tests all over again I was shocked I failed the 1st time I took the driving test in Kapolei . Since I was desperate to get a drivers license ASAP since I needed a 2nd form of govt issued ID for passport renewal so I was referred to to Jay and only spent 1 (90min) session with him to give me tips on how to pass and took me to the exact route where I was testing in Sheridan (2021) and passed ! I actually learned a lot from him despite being a licensed driver since I was 16yo (took HI drivers test at age 49) My daughter recently passed her drivers test as well and Jay made her drive confidently having had a PTSD/ fear of driving due to a car accident we had years ago when she was in 3rd grade which stopped her from wanting to learn how to drive and Jay was very patient in teaching her and now drives safely, confidently and very courteous driver on the road ! Awesome job Jay! You're very good and patient instructor ! I have highly recommended you to all my friends!

Jacob is excellent!…read more Life is busy, and we thought it would be extremely difficult to get our 16-year-old licensed--especially with all the Honolulu Graduated Driver Licensing Program requirements, which felt intimidating to us as newbies. Thanks to Jacob, the entire process was smooth and stress-free. He was responsive, patient, and an excellent communicator, guiding us step-by-step through exactly what needed to be done. Our daughter attended six consecutive Sunday classroom sessions and, despite some initial apprehension, ended up really enjoying herself. Jacob made the classes fun and engaging with group assignments, skits, videos, and friendly competitions. He even bought boba for the winners--which alone would have won our daughter over! As an added bonus, she got to know students from other schools. The one-on-one behind-the-wheel sessions were just as wonderful. Jacob's car has a passenger-side brake, which eased a lot of our fear and helped our daughter progress much faster. Over the course of the required 50 hours of parent-child driving practice, we noticed a clear boost in her confidence after every session with Jacob. It was also incredibly helpful that he took her on the actual test route the day before her exam, which made her feel fully prepared. Our daughter "passed first crack," and we couldn't be happier! To top it off, Jacob highlights his students' accomplishments on Instagram, which is fun and motivating. We were so fortunate to have found him--Jacob is truly the best!

There are numerous driving schools to choose from, but we chose Driving Alliance School due to a…read morerecommendation from a friend whose son took lessons from Mr. Wong. And Mr. Wong definitely did not disappoint. My son first attended the required 6 weeks of classroom instruction with Mr. Wong. Then followed up with 3 (2 hour sessions) behind the wheel sessions with Mr. Wong. These behind the wheel sessions were definitely most helpful with my son gaining the confidence he needed to start driving. I know Mr. Wong was able to answer any questions my son would have had and Mr. Wong is definitely better equipped to teach my son the rules of the road more than I am. I know that it's because of Mr. Wong's instruction that my son was able to pass his road test on his first attempt. And even more so, he got as perfect score! Thank you Mr. Wong!

I should have look at the reviews In yelp before taking the adult program. This is my first time…read moregoing on yelp to review. Not recommended for beginners. I took the adult driving program with instructor Lenard Wong. While he might be a good driver himself, he is not a good instructor for beginners. I would only recommend him to people who already know how to drive and just need a refresher. For first-time and nervous drivers like me, I highly discourage choosing him. Every time I made a mistake, he would scold, yell, or sigh. This made me incredibly anxious and unable to focus. To make matters worse, he barely explained the rules or how to use the car's mirrors, mechanisms, and other essential functions, nor did he give detailed tips on how to drive well. By the second lesson, he made me drive on the main streets without proper, detailed preparation. Yes I made a lot of mistakes but everyone makes mistake and has different pace. I am trying to learn and that is what I am paying for but with him I am barely learning to drive. If you have zero driving experience, I strongly advise looking for a different driving school or instructor who is patient and thorough.

tried wong way 2 different times the first time i had leonard and thought i was the problem because…read moreof my lack of experience and was critiqued heavily the second lesson its like he completely forgot what we worked on and i just thought its okay maybe i can just sharpen what i already know. tried again a couple weeks ago in hope for a different instructor but got the same guy and i told him im okay with my turns and just wanted to work on parallel parking. He proceeded to ask where i learned from and i said my friend and he told me that they didnt know what they were doing even though they have been driving for 6 years. and i had my road test and on the way he FELL ASLEEP but i wasnt gonna let that stop me. when we got there he wanted to get some practice in so we drove the kapolei route and when driving pass a cross walk i slowed down which he asked me why i did so, i couldnt give an answer at the time i just thought its was right and he said there was no reason to and low and behold that was something i got marked down for because i was supposed to slow down incase pedestrians wanted to walk. do not recommend if you guys get leonard im not sure about any other intructor apart of this company i have not been introduced to anyone new.

I have to mention, first of all, that the instructor was one the biggest reasons I was able to…read morefinally get my Driver's License at 28 years old, and on my first try at the road test, too. Each session was about an hour long, and was well worth the time and money spent. The instructor was never late, and the courses we took always had us finishing on time (something very important in my busy schedule). We only drove places that I felt comfortable with, starting off on the surface streets, then proceeding to the main roads and finally the freeway. The instructor teaches good driving habits in terms of turning, changing lanes, controlling the speed of your vehicle, etc. Yes, he did take the wheel and readjusted my course a couple of times in the first session, but that's because I was veering off center! It's comforting that he pays enough attention to do this, and his vehicle is also equipped with a brake on the passenger side, just in case. It didn't take me the amount of time that I thought it would to get comfortable enough to take the road test, and the instructor was kind enough to recommend cutting the number of sessions. You know you're dealing with a good guy when he willingly sacrifices paid sessions because he knows you no longer need his services. Overall, I'd recommend Haskell's to anyone learning to drive, at any age (teens or adults). The instructor and his wife are both great people and extremely easy to work with. No complaints here.

Great experience with Haskell's. Donna was great for the class instruction at St. Mark's and Kapa…read morewent above and beyond to fit us in for scheduled driving. Would recommend in a second.

Brian was my instructor and he was AMAZING. He was very patient and his instructions were clear and…read morethorough. Thanks to him I was able to finally pass my road test. In 2 lessons he helped me adjust my driving habits to be ready for the test and it worked! I'd previously had friends and family work with me but I failed each test I took and their advice didn't seem to help me, so I decided to try Akamai Driving School. I 100% recommend to anyone looking for a teacher or wanting to improve their driving for any reason. Thank you Brian!

He is the best !!! I inquired about the youth driver's license. Although he did not have this…read morecourse, he still patiently explained the entire course in detail on the phone.

Highly recommend using Hoku Driving School. Jesse helped my daughter pass her drivers test with…read moreonly a few sessions! She is going to college on the mainland and needed to get her driver's license fast. She had not driven a lot, but Jesse gave her the tools and confidence that allowed her to pass the test on the first time and with a perfect score! According to my daughter, Jesse made the experience very fun! He made her feel comfortable by telling funny stories all while giving super easy to understand instructions. He created a non-judgmental environment and focused on things she needed to improve on. This was a 10 out of 10 experience, and I would strongly recommend using Hoku Driving School if you want to learn how to drive correctly is an efficient timeframe.

I'm absolutely thrilled that I had the experience of working with Jesse. It helped me so much to…read morefinally get my U.S. driver's license. I have a license from another country, but it is not convertible to American driving license, so I had to basically go through the entire process again. I honestly thought it wouldn't be a big problem... until I faced the reality. There were so many technicalities on the driving test that I couldn't pass it. To the point that I started to doubt myself and developed driving anxiety. That's when I realized I needed to try something different. I needed help from a professional. And that's how I found Hoku Driving School. That was one of the best decisions I've made. Jesse is everything in one person. Super positive, encouraging, and also very informative. After just the first lesson, I felt a big shift in my confidence. I stopped doubting myself. And it wasn't just feel-good talk -- he gave me very practical, helpful info that actually made me a better driver. But what really made the difference were all the little tips and tricks on how to pass the test. On top of that, he's just a great person to spend time with in the car. We talked about different things, he kept my nerves down. He was cheering me on till the day I had a test. I really felt like someone was on my side, rooting for me. It was absolutely worth the investment, and now I'm recommending him to anyone who's going through this process. Don't struggle alone. Just hire a professional and save yourself the tears and the stress.

We are incredibly grateful for Keku's Driving Academy and especially for Scott Keku. Years ago, we…read morepurchased their driving course for our daughter when she was still in high school. The program included both a classroom component and a behind-the-wheel component. At the time, she was able to complete the classroom portion, which helped her successfully obtain her learner's permit. Unfortunately, due to timing and life transitions, she never had the opportunity to use the hands-on driving portion before graduating high school and moving on to college. Fast forward a few years--my daughter has been struggling to pass her driving exam, so I reached out to Scott to explain our situation and simply ask if there was any way he might be willing to help. Scott went above and beyond anything we expected. He graciously offered my daughter a complimentary driving session, even though years had passed since we originally purchased the course. During that session, Scott was outstanding. He took my daughter through the actual exam route, explained exactly what examiners look for, and gave her clear, practical feedback on what she needs to improve. He even ran the lesson as if it were a real driving test--playing the role of the examiner and scoring her--so she could truly understand the expectations and feel prepared. His knowledge of the DMV testing process is impressive, and his ability to explain things calmly and clearly made a huge difference in my daughter's confidence. Scott is the definition of a true professional: compassionate, patient, extremely knowledgeable, and genuinely invested in helping students succeed. My daughter walked away from that session feeling informed, empowered, and confident that she now has the tools she needs to pass her driving exam. We are so thankful for Scott's kindness and generosity, and we cannot recommend Keku's Driving Academy highly enough. If you have a child who needs to learn the rules of the road, build confidence behind the wheel, and be truly prepared for their driving test, this is the driving school you want. Mahalo, Scott--you made a real difference for our family.

After 40 years of not driving, I knew lessons were going to be key so I reached out to all the…read moredifferent driving schools and Keku's was the most responsive, by far. They're flexible and they had me scheduled quickly and were patient with my nervousness, but also great at bolstering my confidence. Jimmy was a great instructor and fun to chat with during lessons (1.5 hours in a car is a lot of driving!). Passed the road test on the first try! On a complete sidenote, they're also both just super nice. When we were there for my road test (I was using their car), another person taking their road test found out that someone stole the safety inspection sticker, which meant they couldn't use her car. Jimmy offered to let her use their company car, which def saved the day!