I consider myself a fairly digital and internet savvy person. I also like to think I'm a fairly…read moregood reader of information. I registered my daughter and paid the $350. When registering the website indicated we'd be signing her up for the April 6th class. Please note the screenshot. Upon registering her, we received an email again indicating April 6th. Note screen shot. What we didn't know, and what was never communicated in the class, was that April 6th was the first of 10 days of classes. I'm willing to own some of that. Maybe I missed something. But, repeated attempts my by my daughter to the instructor went unreturned. I had to engage someone else via email. What I learned was that she would need to makeup classes she missed, that she didn't realize she missed. Ok, it is what it is. When do could she make up those classes? In 1 month, but we'd have to drive up to St. Michael for in person. We could also wait 2 months for another virtual class. The back and forth communication left a lot to be desired. I can say, Rob (not sure of his role) called me twice. One to try and help clarify the poor communication from Beth. Even he was confused by her email. He also called again after we withdrew from the program. Yes, you read that right. We withdrew and ate the $350. That's how I'd characterize my experience.

I took classroom and behind the wheel with this company. The classrooms were full to the max and I…read moretaught myself out of a textbook with packets each day - the instructor only went over the answers for the packets during the last 15 minutes. They were hot and stuffy and in a sketchy building. My behind the wheel experience was awful too. This man's car was filthy - covered in food wrappers and Mountain Dew bottles and smelling like cigarettes. We had to stop THREE TIMES my first session for him to take bathroom breaks. I only got about 40 minutes of driving in each 2 hour session because he would bring 2 people and expect us both to get 2 hours of driving in the 2 hour block of time. I most certainly did not get six hours of behind the wheel instruction as required by law - at the most, I got 2. My mom followed his car the entire time my first session because she thought he was so sketchy. It was so stressful for me and not informative at all. He had to micromanage my every move - if I stopped, he would tell me to keep on going for like three inches - I am not exaggerating. If I did something without him telling me to do so, it was stupid. During my last session with parking, I did a great job. I got in the spot without hitting anything or even going in any imaginary car's spot. If I do say so myself, it was stellar. He looked at me and told me I did the totally wrong thing. He actually laughed at me and told me that was so wrong. He made me feel guilty for learning the "wrong" right thing. I also asked him what equipment I will have to find during my test, and instead of answering me, he went on a rant about how they just added the gas gauge to the list in March because too many kids didn't know. That doesn't help me. When he asked where I was taking my test, I said Arden Hills, and he looked at the other student in the car and said (seriously), "oh, look who thinks she's so good at driving". Oh my gosh!! I don't have my license obviously if I'm taking this course, which means I'm clearly a new driver and know nothing about the courses individually! That's simply where I got an appointment! He was also on his phone the majority of the time while we were driving - Facebook. Yeah. Not even business stuff. He clearly didn't care about being there. I get he has long days, but really? At least pay attention to what I'm doing. I am so so glad to be done there, and I know for a fact my 2 siblings will not be using Total Control. I advise you against it too. It was an awful experience.

The process for scheduling behind the wheel lessons is beyond frustrating and extremely…read moreinefficient. For reference I had two other children go through their school's behind the wheel program. They were contacted and all 3 behind the wheel sessions were scheduled at once. They communicated with us when one of my children hadn't scheduled yet, to let us know they'd expire soon. However, at Safeway they let my sons expire, without communicating this. I had to call and pay $50 to extend it. I then tried to schedule these lessons online but as soon as they're released, they're gone. I called to explain how tedious and inefficient this process is and was told he could get on the schedule for a Tuesday at 12:15 during school. I explained how ridiculous that is and was offered one more appointment for a month later a few cities away. I took it and then wanted to schedule the other two lessons. I was told no, I would have to wait until the end of the month again and try to get in when everyone else is and the appointments are gone fast! And then I would have to do that again the next month! I requested a refund so I can do behind the wheel lessons elsewhere. Supposedly I'll be getting a check for $150 in the mail. I will be reporting this scam of a business to the better business bureau as well. Not only do they have a ridiculous process: they also don't apologize for it and just repeat the same information without hearing the issues for what they are. Do not go here for behind the wheel lessons! Save yourself the hours I spent trying to get what I paid for.

This isn't a location specific review, but a review of how the company operates overall,…read morespecifically related to the scheduling and completion of behind the wheel "lessons." We had no problem with the classroom portion, and I would consider that route again for my next teen when she's ready to begin. The company takes on far more students than they have driving instructors for, which ends up requiring you call to try to schedule a lesson, then drive an hour to a lesson site. If you need to reschedule a lesson you are required to give at least 24 hours notice (which doesn't include weekend hours, so you'd need to cancel Friday for a Monday lesson) or pay an extra fine. However, they can cancel last minute without hesitation. We received a cancelation notice 2.5 hours prior to a lesson. If you don't want the inconvenience of driving an hour away for lessons because your area fills up, you will be charged a fee for extending the time it takes to complete the three behind the wheel sessions if it takes longer than a year from the day you sign up for the classroom portion. One might think a year is plenty of time, and it may be for families with two parents, one job, one kid, and no after school activities. However, if you juggle multiple kids/jobs/schedules/sports/after school activities, you may be putting a LOT of time into trying to make it work with Safeway. Also, know ahead of time that the lessons are evaluations, there is no instruction happening. Make sure your driver is proficient and able to pass their behind the wheel test before you start scheduling the behind the wheel sessions. All they do is go down a list of skills and check off whether the driver is proficient yet or not. I'm told by the person in the office that it's left to the individual instructor how they conduct a session, meaning there is no consistency, and no expectations from the driving instructors--may the odds be ever in your favor. If you have ANY other option for driving lessons, I would choose those. If you have no other option, love frustration, and you're ready to make getting your teen their license a part-time job, go with Safeway.

Scheduled two months out. The day came and the instructor was a no show. There was no answer during…read morelisted business hours. Finally got through to someone and they gave some excuse about the teachers being away, no apology.

Been taking driving classes with JJ frol ACE driving school. JJ is a remarkable instructor who is…read moreincredibly calm. I am a nervous student and hence it's very important to have a calm instructor. Would definitely recommend for anyone learning to drive. ACE also get better driving test dates than if you were to call the DMV and go on your own in a rental car. Strongly recommend going with ACE for a driving test .

Neil is awesome. Highly recommend his training for teen or new drivers of any age. Personable,…read morekind, compassionate and knowledgeable. I'm glad he's the out there teaching folks how to drive!

From the owner: I have flexible drivers training such as: 1. Virtual…read moreself-paced 30-hr online Class D training for active students take on your own time. (Under 18) 2. Trusted behind the wheel instructors who are subject matter experts in driving safely with extremely diverse experience in training and real-world experience.

great place with friendly staff always makes you feel welcomed great learning experienceread more

Michael was great to work with. Very easy to schedule the behind the wheel times. Calm and patient…read moreinstructor. Great price. Will be signing up my next teen driver for his class this spring!

From the owner: Safety First School of Driving has been running for over 7 years, teaching teenagers and adults the…read morelegal rules of the road at a very reasonable price. Mike Carlson (instructor) has over 16 years of experience as a licensed instructor and is determined to help you get your drivers license.

I took lessons with Paul 5 years ago. I was 30 years old. I had never driven and I was as scared as…read moreany new driver could be. Paul helped me from day 1 where we didn't even use the gas pedal, just coasting, to my driver's license exam. I did pass on my first try! He gave tips and tricks that would help for the exam as well as driving in real life. He was firm/assertive when needed but I also felt safe and comfortable as a terrified driver. He made me step outside of my comfort zone. He loaned me his sunglasses when I couldn't see. Because of Paul's help, I am able to work jobs that involve driving. I can now drive giant diesel trucks and haul trailers for work. Yesterday I drove 420 miles in one day. While I will never be a carefree driver, I attribute my driving success to Paul and First Pass Driving. I am eternally grateful for his help.

Changing my rating to one star just because of how the owner responded. It seems he would rather…read moregrasp for straws rather than just take criticism constructively. Also the fact that he refused to address any of the points I brought up, but instead decided to shift blame onto me in a somewhat generic manner. He gave typical responses for why someone wouldn't do well, but can't bring up specific examples. He didn't even pick pronouns when addressing me. It seriously makes me question if he even knows who he's talking to. Also how many students have had similar experiences. Is the problem truly them? Or is he just making up excuses to cover his rear?

I took a driving class with Ansari. He explained driving skills well and kind. The communication…read morewas clear, on time, and professional. I highly recommend this driving school to others!!

I hired an instructor at Sun*** Driving School before. Based on the reviews I read, he was strict,…read moreso I did at least 10 hours with him. I didn't realize until recently when I booked my driving class with Ansari that a strict instructor doesn't work for me. At Ansari Driving School, the instructor was very patient. I've been very forgetful since I had a baby, but he was very patient with me. He motivated me all the time, always reminded me to relax, and believed in me. Another thing I really liked about his teaching style was that every time we went for a drive and I made a mistake, we would do the same scenario again, and he would explain what I did wrong, especially on the main road. He also taught me many different scenarios, particularly with parking and making corrections. I booked a total of 8 hours with him. I am very happy with the way he taught me. I'm writing this review because I want everyone to know that he's one of the best instructors out there. Very understanding. I highly recommend him to anyone planning to book him and checking his website. Book right away. You'll get your money's worth.

Mez was a great teacher and really helped me hone my skills ahead of my test. I'm a very nervous…read moredriver who had previously failed the test, and he was very helpful in getting me to practice the skills I needed to work on the most! He was very available to schedule on short notice and provided great instruction. After 2 lessons, I have passed the road test and am now a licensed driver!

I had a wonderful experience with Sunrise driving school. I failed the driving test a couple of…read moretimes before enrolling in an actual driving school, but Mez helped me pass my test. He explained to me what my mistakes were and worked on correcting those mistakes. He was able to explain everything I needed to do for me to pass my exam. He was strict, but he was the best driving teacher. He helped me gain confidence and get comfortable driving on the actual road. I highly recommend Sunrise Driving School (especially if you came from a different state/country, as Minnesota has its own laws and regulations). It's a lifetime investment, and it's worth every penny. If you're struggling with your driving test, consider enrolling in a driving school like Sunrise. With the help of an experienced instructor, you, too, can pass your test and gain the confidence to drive safely on the road. Thank you so much, Mez!