Learn-Rite Driving School

I must say that I thought that the 5 hour class was going to be torture. However Learn-​Rite really kept it interesting. Elizabeth was informative, kind and witty. The 5 hours flew by. The drunk driver simulation goggles were something that I’ve never heard of before and was pretty cool. Not to mention funny and scary at the same time. Puts things into perspective. She also gave us a lot of tips on what the driving inspectors look out for on the road test. I asked for a few lessons and an expedited road test. They we able to get me a road test within 2 weeks. AWESOME!!! The lessons were very helpful and Carlos took me to the road test. He too gave me many tips. All and all I had a GREAT EXPERIENCE at this driving school. Both the Manhattan and Queens office I found to be very professional. I would recommend this place to everyone. I’m bringing my wife over there next. THANKS for all of your help guys!!!

My review is based on my lessons in Manhattan with my instructor Wendy.
I passed my road test earlier today (first try), and Wendy is a phenomenal instructor. She was never late, and in every session she always had the perfect balance of making things fun, but also being serious enough so business was always taken care of. So it’s fun, but if you’re not doing something correctly because of a misconception/​misunderstanding of the rules, Wendy will identify it for you.
Learning to drive in Manhattan can be very anxious, but Wendy was great. Highly recommended.

I had a 5-​star experience with the people who are running this driving school, but I did not have the same level of satisfaction with my driving instructor. Here is the breakdown of my experience:
The 5-​hour class: The class instructor was informative and fun. There was a dinner break in between, which was very considerate of them. However, we were left by ourselves watching educational videos for the last hour and half when they were finalizing everyone’s paperwork.
Scheduling: Scheduling with the school was an easy process. They have a website for you to check your schedule, and they would call me two days in advance before each of my lessons. Any last minute cancellation/​change made by the school were at least 48 hours in advance. My driving instructor, however, would often text me the night before our lesson (less than 24-​hour in advance) and changed the time in order to work better with her schedule. I wanted to be a cooperative student, so I worked with her schedule with no complains. In fact, I even agreed to meet her in Queens since it was an easier commute for her than in Manhattan. However, there was one time when she decided to change our location last minute (10 minutes before our lesson), and I missed her text because I was on the train. She yelled at me for not checking my phone, and now she had to come pick me up from the original location. Again, I wanted to be a cooperative student, so I apologized to her and went on with the lesson.
Driving Lesson: Unlike most students, I was great at parallel parking from day one. However, I had trouble finding the right angle for turning. I asked my driving instructor for advice when she criticized me, and she said, «there are no tips. You just have to figure it out yourself with practice.» During our lesson, she would text and/​or talk on her phone for scheduling other students. Though I felt secure enough behind the wheels, it would be nice if she did not deal with other people’s business during my lesson time.
Day of the Test: I scheduled my last lesson before my road test. The night before my road test, my driving instructor texted me to change to a practice location closer to the road test site. I thought it was a good idea, so I said okay. However, I only found out the next day that she was not familiar with the area of the test site. Instead of practicing and giving me last minute tips, we spent that hour trying to figure out our way around the area. She told me that I chose a bad test site because the last 5 students she took there did not pass the test. I was nervous enough about the road test, and that comment certainly did not help. Not surprisingly, I did not pass the test. The things we practiced in our lesson went pretty well during the test, but the thing that got me was a step that we never practiced before– pulling over to the curb with good distance between the car and the curb. I was asked to do that 3 times in a row until I got it right, which made me panicked and made stupid mistakes that eventually failed me.
Final Thought: The reviews on Unilocal rate this particular instructor very well, and I am sure she’s great for some students, just not for me. 5 Stars for the school, and only 2 Stars for my experience with my instructor.
*Update: Passed my test on second try with another school and a great instructor that did not have any of the issues mentioned above.

I contacted a couple other driving schools and Learn-​Rite was the only one who was able and willing to work with my schedule. Their friendly administrative staff made me feel good about my choice, and I was ready to get started.
I purchased the 5 lesson package which included the 5 hour pre-​licensing course, 5 one hour lessons on the road and the road test (appointment and car.)
The 5 hour class went by very quickly. The instructor Elizabeth was nice and funny and definitely made the time pass by.
But the real treat were my actual lessons with Rebecca. Rebecca was truly amazing. She made me feel comfortable behind the wheel, gave great instruction and would point out when I forgot to do something so i could fix it next time. But best of all was how I never felt scrutinized or pressured– we talked about what was going on in our lives, the day we had that day, etc. All the while she would casually point out what I needed to improve upon, and give me instruction where I needed it. Her laid back attitude but yet attention to detail and instruction was truly an amazing combination.
I should also mention that I took the lessons in Manhattan, which definitely made it a bit harder, but prepared me not only for my road test, but for all sorts of driving situations.
On top of the lessons themselves, Rebecca was always very responsive to texts, we would coordinate on location and time if there was a last minute change, which was extremely helpful due to my hectic work schedule.
I had 5 lessons with my package, and purchased a 6^th one right before my road test, which was great because I was able to get some last minute practice in before my test. Because of that, i am pretty sure I did the best parallel park of my life on my test!
I passed my test on my first try, and felt really great about it. I would have never been able to pass on my first try without Learn-​Rite or Rebecca. I 100% recommend them, you will pass on your first try if you stick to your lessons and practice, and if you have Rebecca as your instructor.
THANK YOU!!!

I’ve searched for the right driving school for about a year, before I settled with Learn Rite Driving School, because they were the only ones who truly cared about me. I purchased their Level 2 Manhattan package (10 lessons, 5 hour class, test appt, car & instructor for the road test), and I can confidently say that it was worth the investment considering how I PASSED MY ROAD TEST the first time I took it, all thanks to Rebecca!!!
Let’s start with the classes. Rebecca was my instructor who picked me up from home in Manhattan. Our one hour lessons flew by because not only was she teaching me how to drive, she was also giving me helpful tips about the road, because she wants you to be safe for the rest of your life behind that wheel.
I was given the opportunity to practice what I felt were my weaknesses (ex. turns, parking,) and it was good to have my voice heard during the lessons, because no other instructor really cared about what I was anxious over behind the wheel. Rebecca took the time out to get to know me and my driving style, and then she put her own finishing touches on me to ensure that I was a safe, observant driver, who passed her road test on the first try. She gave me the confidence I needed to feel comfortable behind the wheel and kept me on my toes.
From the administrative side, I liked the fact that the school kept checking up on me and ensuring that all of my lessons were going well. They worked with my schedule and I even combined some of my lessons together and did 2 hour classes with Rebecca. Rebecca will also always work with your schedule to make it convenient for you and ensure that you get the most out of all your lessons.
The 5 hour class flew by. The classroom itself was very modern and beautifully furnished. Elizabeth, the 5 hour teacher, made it interactive, fun, and educational — so do not dread it. You’ll end up wanting to sign up for another class afterwards!
On the day of the road test, I had a lesson with Rebecca beforehand, which really helped me, as she gave me last minute advice and calmed my jittery nerves. She pinpointed the areas where I needed more improvement and kept reminding me not to make the same mistakes again! So, of course, I passed! How could I not?! Not after all the hard work Rebecca and I put into this !
With polite and professional receptionists, a fun 5 hour class teacher, and the best driving instructor in NYC — you are bound to Learn to Drive! You’ll pass your road test on your first try, no worries there; but you’ll also learn to be one of the safest drivers out on the road for the rest of your life. All thanks to Learn Rite Driving School and Rebecca H!!!