Daniel was a great instructor! My son passed with 100% on his license test because of the wonderful driving lessons he received. Thank you

After much research, we used Referral Driving School for our son's online and behind-the-wheel driver training based on recommendations from others. His instructor was Daniel, who was absolutely fantastic. He was calm, positive and encouraging, and he kept us informed on how our son was doing and what he needed to work on. Our son easily passed his driving test today with the most difficult DMV examiner, thanks to Daniel. He was also wonderfully flexible and understanding when we had to reschedule a lesson. I highly recommend Referral Driving School and would recommend that you ask for Daniel specifically! read more

Thank you, My daughter just received her driver's license. Unfortunately, my daughter never walked, or took the bus before she was 18. We when to another drive school with no results. Once we contacted you guy's we all pulled together as a team to help her to her goal. We had two great teachers. The Instructor Michiah was more than we could have asked for. After the last session my daughter was excited. I was very happy about her feeling great. The plan was to buy my daughter a car before college started. We bought extra classes to prepare her. Now we can buy her a car for Christmas. When Michiah said she was ready, I trusted her. She was right, here we are. I give them as many stars as I can. Thanks to the school and Michiah for guiding us through this. read more

After being many years of being scared of driving and getting my permit the 2nd time, i decided to go with a driving instructor to help overcome my fear. I saw one of the cars with the website on it and decided to check it out. I had Stella as an instructor and she was super nice and patient. I had spaced out my sessions. I started in July and was putting things off a but was determined to pass the test before my permit would expire again in the first week of October. Stella made my appointment and I passed my behind-the-wheel test! Thank you again Stella, you're awesome!!! I don't think i could have done without her help. read more

We were so impressed with the instructor and all employees of Referral. Communication was very efficient and everyone was so helpful and accommodating. Our son learned a lot from his instructor and still refers to things the instructor said. His Instructor wanted us to let him know how the driving exam went today and we were happy to tell him that our son passed. We will be using Referral for our other sons too. read more

Drea is THE BEST driving instructor! My daughter just loved her and passed the behind the wheel test with a perfect score! If you are looking for a reliable, smart and experienced instructor, that your child will relate to and listen to, choose Drea! When my daughter started her lessons I felt sorry for whom ever her instructor might be but Drea has taught her so much and really given her the knowledge & skill to be an independent driver . read more

Referral Driving School - Driving Schools Near Me - Carmichael, California

See all

Sue is amazing! Reliably clear communication and scheduling. She even scheduled both my oldest and middle daughters' tests. She even takes them out for a drive to work out the nerves right before their test. My youngest will be going to her next year too. read more

Grant is amazing! My son took his driving test today and passed with a 100%! Highly recommend!!

Bonnie is the absolute best instructor a person could ever get. My son was very nervous and she actually was able to make him not nervous. This was amazing. Each lesson was very successful, she was on time, cheerful and very helpful. My son passed his first time! It is difficult to get ahold of the driving school directly, so my suggestion is to just cut to the chase and call her directly. 916-706-9571 read more

Referral Driving School - My son's driving instructor, Bonnie. The best. - Driving Schools Near Me - Carmichael, California

Registration and payment online was very easy. I bought the full package. The owner Brian was very friendly and accommodating to get our lesson started . The first two lesson went well. But when I tried to arrange the third lesson, I had a lot of trouble getting a hold of Brian. It turns out at some point Brian quit giving driving instructions and therefore was not checking or responding to the direct cell number that was given to us after the first lessons. After multiple failed attempts to reach Brian by the direct cell number, I finally thought to look up the company's general phone number and called that . Then I got call backs promptly from the office to get a new instructor. Brian did eventually get back to me and apologized. This unfortunate incident is reason I'm not able to give the COMPANY 5 stars. The new instructor that was assigned to us later, named Daniel Tran, was great. I'd give him 5 out of 5 stars. He was punctual, patient, and was extremely clear on all his instructions. He did mock driving test for our son and gave him very specific pointers on what he needed to work on. He checked our car to make sure everything was in order. He made sure we had all the right paperwork, car registration, proof of insurance to ensure that our trip to DMV would go smoothly without surprises. I was very impressed with Daniel Tran and will request him in the future when our younger son starts to drive. Thanks to Daniel and referral driving school I'm happy to report our son passed his DMV test on his first attempt. read more

Recommended by the neighbor and so far the most affordable I've seen online. We ended up getting Pam and absolutely love her. She not only patient with my daughter, she also talks to me every after lesson for updates and tells me how my daughter can improve her driving. She took 5 classes with Pam, passed and got her license on her 1st dmv test! read more

Referral Driving School for me is on No. 1 today & will always be, coz of Logan & Joshua my trainers who worked very hard with me, teaching me to drive & who seen to it that I could pass my driving test at my very 1st attempt on the given date I wanted to. I thank Maurice for assigning me to such good & well experienced trainers in such a short period of notice. I can't Thank Logan enough for genuinely being my guide along this ride since day 1. Thank you Guys without your'll I surely wouldn't be a certified CA driver in just 5 days. Thanks for all your time, effort & patience with me. I finally celebrate my Independence Day of being Independent only coz of Referral Driving School...You guys rock!! Thanks once again for all your understanding & co-operation...God Bless...Cheers... read more

The lessons with Daniel were great. Every lesson I got better at driving and if I made mistakes he corrected me very well. What helped the most is that on the last lesson it is the day of your test and they give you an hour to warm up and it gets rid of almost all of the stress from your test. All and all a great driving school. read more

Sitting here writing this review with my heartbroken daughter. She was supposed to be halfway through her first driving lesson with Referral Driving School, but no one showed up and no one has answered my phone call. We waited for nearly two weeks for the lesson after we scheduled it because we had heard good things about the school and now, no lesson. Guess we'll be looking elsewhere. What a disappointment.... I called again at 4:55 and someone answered the phone to tell me that there was an instructor in my area finishing another lesson. He said they had my daughter on the schedule for 4:45 and that he would call their instructor to see when/if she would be working with my daughter. It's now 5:25 and no phone call. Unbelievable. 10 of 30 yelp reviews are 1 star. I guess I should have read those before I relied on the reviews I got from friends whose older kids took lessons years ago. read more

What a wonderful experience this was for my daughter! Larry was great and my daughter was comfortable and she got some real behind the wheel confidence with Larry. Passed her drivers test first try and we are thrilled! read more

We have had a great experience with Referral Driving. Stella is an amazing teacher. My son felt super comfortable and her communication with the family was great. Thank you. Tara W. read more

My daughter completed the course with Larry who taught her with patience and kindness. Larry eased her into driving by adapting to her pace from day one. My daughter never felt rushed or pressured. By the last lesson, she felt completely at ease. Larry is professional in manner and was always punctual. Highly recommend Larry!! read more

This company has provided instruction for our family for four kids over a 20 year period. This time around, we had a terrible experience with an instructor who I won't name. Constant 'miscommunications', scheduling difficulties where the instructor failed to show up on the correct date and/or time, my daughter didn't feel like she was really learning much and there was no real rapport, I could go on. About halfway through the program, I decided we'd had enough. I called the main office and spoke to reception (Ruth, June? I'm sorry I don't remember her name!). I briefly explained the situation and asked for a new instructor and she was super helpful and got us scheduled for our remaining lessons with Daniel at that time. It was like night and day. It's the little things, like SHOWING UP, that can make the lesson, lol. Not only was Daniel reliable and communicative, but my daughter enjoyed her lessons and felt more confident and at ease with Daniel. Four stars because Daniel, office staff, and former instructors were great, can't let the one loser instructor ruin the review for everyone else. read more

Thank you RDS!! Drea was an amazing instructor. She was amazingly patient with my daughter (17). My daughter enjoyed her time learning from Drea. Drea provided the necessary feedback on each lesson so we know what we needed to focus on. I have referred all my friends and family to RDS specifically for Drea. Thank you Drea for helping my daughter get her driver's license. You Rock!! read more

I just have had the worst experience with Referral Driving school. 1) I called to schedule lessons for my daughter. I only received a text back from SEAN. That should have tipped me off to how unprofessional this company is... to deal with customers via text. 2) I asked via text about driving on the freeway and shouldn't that be included in a normal set of lessons. He told me that with Program 2 it normally isn't included but if I spoke with the instructor, she could add in some freeway time. 3) DREA showed up this morning to pick up my daughter for her first lesson. She argued with me that she isn't allowed to take my daughter on the freeway and would not accommodate my request (even though SEAN told me she would). She told me that SEAN'S father is the owner and he should know better. 4) NEXT, she asked how experienced my daughter is driving. Um, this was her first lesson and the permit from the DMV says that she isn't supposed to drive until she has her first lesson. Again, she says that SEAN should have explained that Program 2 is more intense and not really for beginners. WHERE DOES IT SAY THAT ON THE WEBSITE OR THROUGH SEAN OR ANY OTHER EMPLOYEE? The website does not include a syllabus for PROGRAM 2. This is a driving school. Of course, this is all for beginners to start and learn to drive. This is why we are paying all the money to help the kids become comfortable behind the wheel and teach them to drive. 5) If I had the courtesy of a phone call from SEAN to explain these things, maybe things would have worked out better for all of us. But seriously, to say that my daughter should be more experienced before she even had a lesson is ridiculous! The permit states that she isn't supposed to drive before this first behind the wheel session. 6) DREA rudely tossed my my daughter's permit to me and said she was leaving. Well, good riddance. Referral lost a customer and our money. I hope that this serves as a warning to anyone else wanting to use this unprofessional company. BEWARE! read more

Bonnie is the best instructor! She always shows up on time, gives great advice, and is very nice and encouraging. She prepares very well for the driving test and I passed with no errors on my first try. I have referred her to all of my friends and family members who are learning to drive. Just call her directly and she will respond promptly. read more

Do not use Referral Driving School. We wanted to use a local company however on the 4th & 5th lessons we kept calling and texting to get an appointment - NO RESPONSE. They were supposed to set up our sons drivers licence exam didn't do it until multiple attempts. My son had to wait an extra 2 months to get his license because of their lack of response and not setting up the final appointment in time. I told them as a customers we should get the last appointment discounted. Guess what... Nope nothing. They basically held my son's certificate hostage. DO NOT USE REFERRAL! USE ANY OTHER BUSINESS. read more

Grant is an excellent driving instructor. He cares that the students learn all the importance skills to be safe and skillful drivers and prepared for the driving test. He goes the extra mile and is responsive with parent and student questions when you reach out to him. He is professional and passionate in his role of preparing new drivers for the road. read more

Larry with Referral Driving School is the Best!! My first child went through the program and now my son just completed the program and obtained his license. I highly recommend this program as they thoroughly prepare their students with the proper tools to be responsible, safe, & prepared drivers. I will be signing up another child shortly! read more

After doing research on the various driving schools, I chose RDS. The cost is very competitive and our experience has been fantastic! My son had his first lesson with Rashelle who was knowledgeable and very kind. The ease of this process- setting up a convenient time and location to meet, and the payment arrangements- truly made for a positive experience. read more

My son's first appointment was scheduled for a Friday afternoon at 4pm. The instructor texted the night before to confirm (good). The next day, as my anxious teen waited, 4pm came and went (bad). I texted the instructor at 4:10pm: "Are you still coming?" A couple minutes later my phone rang. It was the instructor: "Um, I'm having car trouble. I can come at 6:45pm." Me: "Um, no my son's first lesson can't be in the dark." Him: "Ok, I will call to reschedule." That was one week ago. Never heard from the instructor or the business with any kind of apology. I guess I should be grateful that he didn't have car trouble after he picked up my son? ‍ read more

How does this place stay in business? I've been calling them for two days straight and no answer. Frustrated!

My son, Dylan, had a great experience with Sue from the Referral Driving School. She is very knowledgeable, experienced and very straight forward. She also is extremely good at communication and scheduling! From start to finish, she helped us though the whole process, and helped us feel comfortable with a big milestone! I love that they schedule the driver's test for you and are there with you when you go through the test. Passed it first try! read more

Bret was my daughter's instructor, and we are all very happy with the service. Bret is extremely thorough and helpful. I would say he went above and beyond the call of duty, and my daughter was able to pass her driving test on the very first try! read more

BJ was super nice and after a week of driving under his supervision, I passed behind-the-wheel test! Thank you, BJ!!!

This driving school is sooo awesome! So easy to work with and wonderful teachers!! Our daughter went through driving school with them 2 1/2 years ago and now we are using them for our son too. He did the course in two days and even though they say they need 7 days to get the slip for your child's permit June ( who is wonderful) can work with you with the time frame!! We wanted to get our sons slip to get his permit on his 15 1/2 date and she was able to assist with that which we really appreciated!! They did this for our daughter also. Great teachers super nice and really reasonable prices. I recommend them for any parent searching for a good driving school. read more

Grant is amazing and taught both of my sons. Both passed the DMV road test on their first time. We've recommended Grant to many other families who have had him teach their children. Grant is clear, focused, and knows exactly what they need to know to not only pass their test but to be good, safe drivers. I highly recommend RDS and Grant! read more

this has to be one of the worst business i have ever dealt with prior to covid and during covid. if you expect professionalism paired with customer service this is absolutely not the place. the communication is non existence. to get any reply is like pulling teeth with dirty pliers. the owner on the company takes zero responsibility for his employees and his clients. he will never answer your phone calls instead will reply via text staying he's at his real job and can't reply to my question and for me to contact someone else if its important without providing me that someone else's contact info. they give no prior heads up or confirmation about appointments until the evening before. WTF? who does business like that? stay away from this business. your money and investment in your child's safety and learning should be spent any where but here. read more

We had a successful and positive experience with Mike when our son learned to drive two years ago. He was beyond calm and nothing but professional. It is now our daughter's turn to learn to drive, and without question we went back to Mike. We have been very pleased, and would highly recommend him...as would both of our kids! read more

DO NOT USE THIS DRIVING SCHOOL! ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE A DAUGHTER! My son had an instructor who really creeped him out. The man spent time ogling girls and women, making comments about their body parts and making sexual comments. He was looking out the window at the high school girls walking home and said, "Wow, I have a great view!" Isn't he supposed to be watching my son drive instead? So, I called and asked for a different instructor and no one picked up the phone. Some guy named Sean rudely texted me back that if I want another instructor I will have to wait! He couldn't even give me a date he would be contacting me back. Then I explained how uncomfortable my son was with Mike and his sexual comments and he texted back, "WE ARE CLOSED!" He didn't care about the sexual comments. I'm afraid of what would happen if that instructor is with a young female! I will contact the Better Business Bureau or find out how I can report this person/business because the business doesn't seem to care. read more

If you are looking for a an excellent driving instructor, Grant Mobell at Referral Driving School, is your man! A dear "older" friend needed some brush-up time behind the wheel before taking DMV's test once again. Grant's expert instruction and calm demeanor combined with compassion is the perfect combination for the job! He definitely goes above and beyond to make sure his students are ready for DMV testing, I definitely recommend him to anyone in need of driver training no matter whether they are getting a first license or a brush-up lesson down the road... Thanks again, Grant! read more

I would like to express my appreciation for Grant Mobell, an instructor for referral driving school. He was extremely patient and very helpful in regards to training my son for his driving test. I really appreciated Grant's demeanor and professionalism. I would highly recommend Grant as a driving instructor to any and all who need to pass a driving test. read more