CRAZY STORY... I couldn't recommend this place enough or more specifically Jim Gleason. You see in 2014 I had an AVM brain rupture and am considered mentally disabled . Well after not being able to drive for 3 years after my brain surgery i decided to give driving a shot with the "driving program" at a local hospital which turned out to be a SCAM because the "therapist" never even took me behind the wheel after a 6 month program (BEFORE THE DRIVE TEST). So at the time my parents helped me find this place , a place that would work with someone with a disability and it just so happened to turn out that Jim Gleason pulls up and we had a little reunion with my parents after literally not seeing Jim since I was like 17! I am 40 now. Anyway point here is that Jim is SO patient and motivating and more than that he's understanding . Just wanted to boast about this man because this is the 2nd time in a span of around 23 years that he helped me regain my freedom , confidence , a job and because of him I am able to drive to work church or where ever I need to be! THANK YOU JIM I'll never forget you. I came on here 9 YEARS later because someone on the SM community page is asking for recommendations for a good driving school and so I had to show some love. I'm SO appreciative! Picture was taken in 2017 when I passed my 2nd driving test (IN THE RAIN!) with the help of Jim Gleason at American Driving School. read more

American Driving School - Truck - Driving Schools Near Me - San Marcos, California

I left a voice mail and received a call back very quickly. I like that I can pay per each lesson and not all at once. The instructor Jim was very friendly and knowledgeable. He was able to clearly explain the subjects to my teen. We look forward to our next lesson. read more

Our son just went through this driving school. Easy to schedule and thorough enough to help him be a confident driver.

Our experience at American Driving School was amazing. My daughter took lessons with Mr. Dan. He was friendly, patient, and so full of knowledge to share. As a parent, I was encouraged to ride along with my daughter for her lessons. I was delighted to learn along side her and have a refresher on rules I had forgotten or overlooked in my teens. I am so grateful for this company and their services. I recommend ADS over and over. Thank you, Ally read more

My daugher got her license the other day on the first try and it's all thanks to Dan and the American Driving School. Dan is a phenomenal instructor. He is professional, patient and offers specific feedback for improvement. He repeatedly went over the entiere driving checklist before the exam and gave excellent advice on the DOs and DON'Ts to pass the test. I strongly recommend him and the American Driving School. To the entire staff, "Well Done'! read more

Dan has been an excellent driving instructor for our daughter. He is great at thoroughly explaining the rules of the road and the intricacies of what the DMV testers will be looking for. His kindness, patience and calm demeanor have helped to put her at ease, and his knowledge and attention to detail has given her confidence. I also like how he encourages parents to ride along so that we can hear how he teaches, and see first hand what still needs to be working on. Thank you Dan for truly caring about our daughter and for providing such a safe and supportive learning experience! read more

I reached out to the company asking for 1:1 help because I haven't driven in a few years and wanted to brush up on some skills to feel safe on the road. Instead of being supportive, I got an email saying they can't help because they only want to help new drivers. It's pretty disappointing when a driving school isn't interested in helping someone feel safe on the road. read more

The setup was easy and flawless. I appreciate paying per/lesson- makes the costs of meeting California-teen licensure much easier to accept! Alex, kiddo's instructor, was a freaking Rockstar! He was professional, patient, encouraging & funny. His whole demeanor kept me relaxed (-lol- he was completely sympathetic to my anxiety!). Not sure if he drove up from El Cajon but he met us at kiddo's School (North County, area) & he allowed me to ride along (which I strongly Suggest doing). I plan on using Alex again- you should, too! (Mahalos, Alex!) read more

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If I can give no star I will. We haven't even scheduled the appointment and it was phone tag all day getting a hold of them on the phone. Older lady on the phone Karen was rude and has an attitude, not accommodating. When asked for availability she makes it seem their are fully booked months ahead and she responds rudely because this is family owned she has an attitude and do not care if she is being rude to customers! If she has an attitude, I wouldn't want her or her family members teaching my kid how to drive. read more

Dan and Mark are both excellent indicators who are patient and extremely knowledgeable. My family has appreciated the time and effort both of these instructors have provided. Taking the time to explain the reasoning behind a driving concept is something that comes extremely natural for both instructors. Thank you! read more

This review is long overdue hired American driving school for my daughter while she had her permit couldn't be happier with the instructor. We got Mark not only was he patient and comforting for my daughters experience, but very knowledgeable and very patient. The school itself had great communication and was easy to schedule, the thing I probably was most impressed with is the first lesson I went on a ride along in the backseat so that I can learn the way the instructor would teach in order to best assist my daughter during her 50 hours if needed behind the wheel experience my daughter passed her test with flying colors and I'm proud to say is a very safe driver as a newly licensed person on the road read more

Dan is an amazingly skilled driver and gifted, soft-spoken teacher with more than enough patience to work with any teenager who wants to learn to drive. In his very limited spare time, and for more than 35 years, he has taught countless adult members of the BMW Club of America (all of whom probably already thought of themselves as good drivers) to be better drivers on both the street and racetrack. read more

I have known Dan Tackett, the owner of American Driving School for many years. He is an amazing person, and the best driver on the road. He taught my son how to drive recently, and the experience was wonderful. I have referred him to many friends who have had excellent experiences with him. The staff at American Driving School is friendly and helpful. I highly recommend them! read more

Recommend American Driving School for your Teenager Daughter/Son, very patient, explanatory and overall great driving instructors. Highly recommend American Driving School ! read more

I witnessed a very disturbing situation today involving one of their employees/instructors. Sitting in McDonalds parking lot in San Marcos and there were 2 Sheriffs Deputies talking to some homeless there. I know there's always homeless in the area and know there are car break-ins and things. So the deputies are talking and this American Driving School car pulls up and the guy driving starts going berserk. Yelling, cussing, flipping off the deputies. There's no way he had any idea what they were talking to the homeless guys about. Bizarre. I wouldn't want this guy teaching my kids how to drive. Sad situation and I hope the company does something about it. Heavy set white guy with glasses and beard. We need to have some respect for law enforcement. read more

Dan Tackett was awesome! My son quickly developed safe driving habits with Dan's patient and gentle, but highly informative, approach. Scheduling was a breeze with clear and concise time and location. Dan allowed me to ride along to observe his instruction so I could keep a consist approach during those 50 hours of driving with my son. My son passed his driving test on first attempt. Nothing but positives. I highly recommend American/El Cajon Driving schools and Dan Tackett. read more

We were having a hard time scheduling lessons with AAA with my second son so I decided to try someone new. I called several places who didn't have appointments available but Karen at American Driving School was amazing helping us get an appointment that worked for us. For our second lesson we had a last minute conflict that could not be avoided and again, Karen found a solution so that my son could have his lesson and take his driver's test the next day. Our instructor, Jim, was absolutely incredible. He was patient and knowledgable and helped my son easily pass his driving test. I could not recommend Jim as an instructor highly enough! The other thing I really loved about this driving school was the opportunity to ride along with the instructor and my son so that I could help reinforce the information he was learning from Jim. This was priceless. Thank you, American Driving School, for working with us to meet our crazy schedule and helping my son pass his test! You are the BEST! read more

My oldest son was the first of our kids. We had Luke as our instructor. From the very first meeting I felt at ease. He is great. So friendly and makes the kids feel at ease. We liked him so much we recommended him to my cousin and his son. Then came time for my daughter, we requested him again. I then recommended Luke to my neighbor and her daughter. I just called again to request Luke to teach my youngest son. Thank You Luke!!! read more

My 18 year old daughter never got her license because of really bad experiences with previouse driving instructors. Additionally, I was terrified of driving with a new driver until I contacted American Driving School, they were patient with me on the phone and helped me set up lessons with Dan that put us in the right position for my daughter to be able to take her exam over the course of the Summer while she was home from college. Dan was patient, understanding and an amazing teacher. He put both my daughter and me at ease and made the process an enjoyable one. If I could give 10 stars I would do so! read more

Had my son take the driving classes, Karen was great when it came to scheduling and Jim helped my son tremendously, my son learned things that i as an adult wasn't even aware of, he passed his driving test in his first try. Thanks Jim!! read more

To Karen thank you so much for being so patience with all the confusion at the beginning. So my son Edward passed his road test he is so happy and proud that he passed it in one try with the help of your instructor. I sure recommend American driving school to everyone that wants to drive. Thank you from me and my son. read more

Unfortunately we had a very bad experience with this school. The instructor Alex was usually 1/2 an hour late and dropped our son off 20 minutes early. So a 2 hour lesson was 80 minutes. Many times the office called and cancelled the lesson forcing us to reschedule. My son booked his last lesson with a new instructor (not Alex) and that person did not show up even though we had an email confirmation. Sadly that was the lesson before his test which is scheduled in a week. We will not be recommending this company to any of his friends and will call a different company to take care of his last lesson. read more

I wanted to extend my heartfelt thank you to Karen and Jim at American Driving School. They are an amazing company, easy to work with, accommodating and very compassionate. My daughter, Mary, passed her driving test with flying colors and she learned so much from Jim. Thank you! You guys are the best. I highly recommend this company read more

American Driving School is great. I've used them for both my kids. The teaching takes all the guessing out of driving, with precise technical training that makes driving easy. My son is very confident after training with Dan. We had mistakenly signed up with another institute, and immediately noticed the difference in quality (having had ADS for my daughter before) and we caught the mistake and switched to ADS. I recommend it for every new driver. read more

My daughter passed her drivers test first time. Thanks to the knowledgeable instructor. Will use for next child and the one after that.

My daughter just completed all three of her driving sessions with driving instructor Mike M. He was an excellent instructor, and I have no reservations recommending him and American Driving School. As a matter of fact, my younger daughter will be taking her lessons from him in the spring! I rode along on all three two-hour sessions with my daughter and Mike, and can tell you from this experience that he is very patient, clear with directions, and had lots of helpful tips. He has nerves of steel, and I recommend riding along with your student as I did, so you can see the way he teaches- it's amazing! That experience allowed me to be able to encourage and direct my daughter the same way he did, keeping the consistency, while she and I did our practice hours in between our three sessions with him. On the last lesson, he gives them a mock driver's test, just like the DMV does, and then explains/ practices any mistakes that are made. FYI- my daughter passed her DMV road test 4 days after her last session with Mike, and only missed ONE point-for driving too slow! Obviously, he does an outstanding job! American Driving School's cars are in great shape, newer, clean, and in great repair. I do not hesitate to give them a great review, and I will be using their services again soon for my other daughter. They are competitively priced, will come to your location to pick up your student (and you, if you wish), will drop off at your location, and are very safe and reliable. For convenience, price, and most importantly for content, I whole-heartedly recommend American Driving School! read more

Very professional courteous friendly and made my daughter feel comfortable - highly tecommed

I have 4 girls and oversee Au pairs coming from international Countries and have used this driving school over the years. They are great to deal with in their office as well as the instructors when they come to your door. Professional and nice!! read more

Sonya Streicher was fabulous! She thoroughly prepared my son for the test. Great experience and I'll be using her again!

We were very pleased with all aspects of this business. I called with a thousand questions, and received all the answers I needed from Karen. They were great about getting back to me promptly when I left messages and were professional, patient, and kind. My son had 2 out 3 lessons with Sonya. She's great! She was very frank about doing things right for his safety. He felt prepared for his driving test and passed on the first attempt. read more

My daughter had Sonya for an instructor. It was an amazing first driving experience for her! Sonya was very thorough in explaining all the things my daughter needed to keep in mind while driving. At one point, about 45 minutes into the driving lesson, Sonya detected my daughter was starting to seem anxious. She had my daughter pull over take a break. Relax and then begin. So, in addition to being an excellent instructor, Sonya is very tuned into the students whole driving experience. At the end of the lesson, she had my daughter pose next to the car so she could take a picture of her first day driving. I highly recommend American Driving School. They were also able to book my daughter's first lesson within a week. read more

My teen just had her first lesson with Sonya. She is already more confident and excited to drive!

Great school and a great way to get your student ready for the test! Our instructor was Sonya and she was FABULOUS! Good luck to your student! read more

My son just finished his driving course with American driving school and I can't say enough about the program! The online class was efficient and helpful and he did very well on his exam. But my biggest praise goes to his one-on-one driving instructor, Jim Gleason. Jim was extremely polite and professional, offering helpful tips and ideas to help my son with hIs driving. He is extremely knowledgeable about driving, especially in the north county area. Jim is very positive and upbeat, always making my son feel comfortable behind the wheel. I highly recommend this program, and if possible, definitely request Jim Gleason...he's awesome! read more

I highly recommend Michael Manzi to any parents who are looking for a driving instructor for their teenager(s). He was always on time, courteous, and overall a pleasant person to deal with. Here's a first hand account from my then sixteen year old son Brian: "I am a former student of instructor Michael Manzi. My very first time driving was with him, and his calmness was very reassuring. It made learning driving easier without excessive pressures. Subsequent lessons were very constructive -- the mock test in particular prepared me very well for the DMV behind-the-wheel driving test, which I passed easily. I would recommend this driving school to any of my peers looking for driving instruction." read more

We had heard of Sonya from Mission Hill's High School and thought it would be a good fit for our child. First, she was late to the lesson and did not even bother to call and let us know. When the instructor finally arrived she was abrupt not offering any explanation for being late. After the lesson was over our child came home and would not say anything about how the lesson went. The only comment was a request for a different instructor for the next lesson. We won't be using this school again ! read more

Mike Manzi is a fantastic driving instructor! My two older children had less than desirable experiences with their driving instructor, so I was happy to receive a referral for Mike at American Driving Schools. He is professional, personable, and experienced. He was incredibly thorough and patient during my daughter's classes. So grateful that he made it a good experience for her. Mike is very committed to making sure that his students are well prepared for the DMV test and for independent driving. Thank you Mike! read more

Luke is a great instructor. He's great at making my son feel relaxed while learning and my son is having the best experience learning to drive. Luke has made such a positive impact on my son and given him the tools and confidence to be a good driver. read more

WORST driving school company I have ever dealt with!!!! My son did one lesson. Called back to schedule this second lesson and the receptionist hung up on me and never called me back. I gave it 24 hrs for them to call me back and so I had to call them. Got the same stupid employee, Lauren, on the phone and called her out on it and she responded with "I have so many calls to return in a day - it just is what it is!". Asked for the manager and Taren wasn't available. Tried to then book my son's appt and Lauren was only giving me 10am slots during the week when kids are still in school. Horrible company, horrible customer service! Would never send my son to them again and put his life in their hands. North County School of Driving was amazing with my daughter and going to now put my son through their school. read more

Coming from a teen driver myself, Michael was the BEST instructor there is. Be sure to ask for him. He really cares about his students and wants them to be better drivers. He's so wonderful and you won't regret it! read more