After 56 years of not driving I decided to get my license. I researched a lot of driving schools in the Santa Cruz County area and I felt comfortable with Sterling Driving School. I spoke to a gentleman named Micheal who was very nice and understood that I was nervous. Micheal was very accommodating with me. He assigned me my driving instructor who's name is Stewart. Now I can tell you how nervous I was but unless you saw me the first time you wouldn't understand how nervous I was. Getting in the car the first time with Stewart I was very nervous and he understood that. So he drove us to a large parking lot to get used to the car. After about 20 minutes he said let's drive the streets. To be honest I wasn't scared at all because Stewart made me feel very comfortable, he understood how nervous I was and made it fun.By the end of our lesson I was driving the streets and felt very comfortable, I drove all the way home. I was so excited that I had overcome my my fear of driving in just one session. when I got home I asked my roommate if we could take a little drive. My roommate tried to teach me before in her car but I was quite nervous and ended up not driving.I got in the car and we drove around she was so impressed and asked me where her friend went, you know, that one that was so afraid of driving. I had about 3 to 4 more lessons with Stewart and each one of them was great. I learned so much like little secrets and little acronyms on remembering what I needed to do for certain situations while I was driving. I was very grateful that Sterling Driving School was able to place me with the same instructor, Stewart to help me with the rest of my driving lessons. On the day of my test Stewarts reminded me of some important things that needed to be remembered .So I really wasn't surprised when the DMV driving instructor asked me the first five questions and they were the same first five questions that Stewart asked me. Needless to say I passed the test!!!!! Woohoo Who said you can't teach an old dog new tricks!!! Here I am a 56-year-old woman who was afraid of driving all of her life and now has a California drivers license. I will never know how to repay Stewart and Micheal but I do know that they've made this woman very happy. Happy enough to yelp and to let everybody know that is interested in a driving school that Sterling Driving School is the best!! You won't regret it!! read more

Stewart is amazing! He worked with me on my driving skills and nervousness with great patience, kindness and humor. From my initial conversation with Audry, Sterling's receptionist, I knew that this was an experienced, competent driving school. She understood my situation and scheduled my driving lesson for best results with a wonderful positive approach. Stewart knows and teaches what it takes to be a skillful, safe and competent driver. He explains the driving rules: the why and how to accomplish them. He helped me calm my anxiety, too. All in all, it was a great experience and I passed my test :). read more

I called Sterling when my 89-year-old mother flunked her driving test for the third time. They were wonderful. Discreet very polite and professional. Did a great job with her and she was very pleased. She just passed her test! Thanks, Sterling. Couldn't have gone better. read more

After not driving for a long while I was able to get re acclimated before heading to the DMV. The instructor was very helpful, giving more insight and assistance than I expected. Personable and informative and effective, I highly recommend! read more

As a new driver with zero previous experience, both of the instructors I had made me feel very comfortable and I was able to pass my test on the first try! I love how thorough they were in explaining rules and the differences in real life driving techniques vs driving to pass the dmv test specifically. And all the lessons were a fun time too, we drove all over santa cruz county on all different types of roads. read more

I am filled with gratitude for the gift of having Stewart Reade from the Sterling Driving School as my driving instructor for three days last week. I am in my early 80's and had been ill for several months. As I was becoming healthier and stronger in many ways, it seemed like a great plan to refresh my skills, capacities and driving wisdom on the road with Stuart's instruction. Having had instruction with Stewart two years ago for my license renewal, I knew he was the perfect guy for my new driving adventure. He was kind, courteous, with some humor thrown in, as he carefully and patiently reminded me of certain DMV requirements and common-sense suggestions given road conditions of late. He guided me to regain my driving abilities and confidence. He kept directing me over many types of streets and the Freeway with all kinds of traffic conditions, reminding me kindly and bringing in his wisdom as I drove. My grown children had been concerned about my driving given my age and my driving pause when I had been ill. So, at the end of my three days of regaining my capacities and becoming more comfortable on the road, my husband and I talked to Stewart about his experience of my "learning to drive again". He felt I had become more confident, and my driving had improved significantly. Now I am home, driving with my husband in the passenger seat with Stuart's voice in my head, and staying alert to all traffic conditions. I am so excited to be carefully and happily driving again. Thank you, Stuart for making my beginning to drive again possible. read more

My daughter passed her driving test 1 error. They really taught her well and I would absolutely recommend.

We are still in the "learners permit" stage. I have liked working with this company at every step. But I am reviewing specifically to share one thing, as a parent. I have instructed kids before, from scratch, but kids who were old enough (18) that they weren't required to have the driving school instructor time. Once my under-16 child got the permit, he did his first two hours driving with a Sterling instructor. (So, he had never done any driving at all before this instruction .) This was my first instructor experience. The instructor picked him up at our house and for two hours my child drove around and was instructed. So, when I took him out for the first time after that, I was SO impressed! Surprised! He knew how to adjust seat and mirrors and start car. He had knowledge of so many things, and he was familiar with the nuances of driving in our immediate area (since that's where the instructor practiced with him.) It was so different from my prior teaching experiences! That first two hours with the instructor has made my parent-teaching easier and more fun because my kid learned so many basics. Thank you! (In addition, I had been confused a bit about the steps for under 16 year olds from reading online, and the person at the Sterling office totally clarified it all for me and was very friendly and cool. Just a nice business to work with.) read more

I'm a senior who needed to pass the behind the wheel driving test. Contacted Sterling driving school and went driving with Stewart for a couple hours. We went over everything I needed to pass the test including how to deal with bike lanes. Very important for the test. Went out a couple of more times before I had to take the test because I was very nervous about passing the test and I was able to pass. Stewart is a great teacher and a very entertaining person. I highly recommend Sterling school and especially Stewart. read more

Affordable payment plan, good communication, and great instructors. They have helped 3 of my 4 get their licenses. And we'll be back for number 4. read more

Excellent refresher course in preparation for my upcoming driving test through the California DMV. And I passed.

My daughter had a great experience. The instructor and the owners of the school were all very personable, professional and kind. The check-in with me at the end of each session really helped me to focus on how to support my daughter practicing in between sessions. She passed! read more

I had an amazing experience with Sterling Driving School! Right from scheduling the lessons, to my lessons with Stewart, everything was very well managed. I am a new driver (started learning in December 2023) and have a high amount of anxiety on the road. Stewart was extremely patient while helping me fine tune my skills and was very helpful in getting me to pass my driving tests. Would definitely recommend this school to all learner drivers! read more

I am so excited to write a 5 star review for Sterling Driving School. Although our daughter, Alyssa took a couple of driving lessons with another driving school, I decided to switch her to Sterling Driving School. Based on my initial telephone call, I was impressed by their receptionist, Kristin, because she explained that all of their instructors are parents and grandparents who love teaching new drivers. Kristin put me at ease. She scheduled our daughter with one of their best driving instructors named Stewart. From the moment that my husband and I met Stewart, we could tell that he is funny, patient and kind. Alyssa loved taking her lessons with Stewart because she felt comfortable with him. After her driving lessons with Stewart, Alyssa was always smiling. We could tell that Stewart is an excellent, knowledgeable instructor that knows how to use humor to teach important driving skills. For example, Alyssa told us that before she makes a right turn, Stewart told her to do a quick Ninja eye check to look for bicyclists and pedestrians. Based on Kristin's recommendation, we took her advice and paid for an extra optional lesson that was scheduled on the same day as our daughter's driving test. This morning I dropped off Alyssa at Sterling Driving School. We paid for Stewart to give her a one hour refresher lesson and then he took her to the Capitola DMV for her driving test. I am thrilled that our daughter, Alyssa, passed the driving test on her first try. I just wanted to thank Stewart for teaching our daughter to drive. read more

Sterling Driving School - Driving Schools Near Me - Soquel, California

We drove all the way from San Jose for this driving school, making a beach day of the trip each time. Both of my kids passed their behind-the-wheel tests on the first attempt with ample points to spare. My children felt very comfortable with the learning environment and were never made to feel anxious by the Sterling instructors. The instructors know the ins and outs of the Capitola DMV test route, which has had a worse-than-average pass rate in the past compared to places like Gilroy or Seaside. Definitely recommended. read more

Both of my kids went through Sterling and we couldn't be happier. Stewart was AWESOME! He made the kids feel so comfortable and always excited for their next lesson!! Thank you, Stewart and Sterling!!! read more

I would give this driving school a 10 star if possible! I signed my daughter up with ease and she was placed with an amazing instructor named Desiree. I highly recommend her! She was very professional, courteous, and just a pleasure to work with. My daughter is more than ready to pass her DMV driving test with ease after the excellent training she received with Desiree. She made her training fun and engaging. If you want your child to feel greatly supported and in places in the best learning environment, choose Sterling Driving School and ask for Desiree! We will miss her :) read more

Had a lovely experience with Deseri! She was the sweetest and really took the time to make sure I understood what to do, even having me pull over and drawing a visual for me when I didn't understand. She's super nice, and has a warm welcoming attitude. Would highly recommend her for anyone doing driving classes :) read more

I strongly recommend the driving school. I had three classes with Alicia. She is super nice and teaches all the points you need to care during the test. She talks to you to mimic the situation that in the test you hear the command from the examiner. read more

Both of our children went through Sterling and we were extremely pleased with their service, their response time and the driving knowledge imparted. Desiree was particularly patient and helpful. Highly recommend. read more

I was in an an accident this year after 50 years of driving , with no accidents. The CHP claimed it was my fault and notified DMV, which was the start of a formal hearing process to determine whether I could keep my drivers license. After flunking the DMV driving test, I ended up at Sterling for my second attempt, which I passed, due to the knowledge, experience, patience, kindness and good humor of my instructor/coach, Stewart. I thought I knew it all, going in, but I was really nervous. I had lost my self confidence and was very traumatized by my accident and my first failure at DMV. Things have really changed over the years, particularly with respect to bicycle lanes, roundabouts, and traffic lane changes. Stewart did a great job with me, and I am forever grateful. read more

The student is learning how to drive and is being taught all the rules and regulations you need to know to become a confident and safe driver. He will be on his 3rd lesson, and is very happy with Sterling driving school. read more

Let me just add my 5-star review to the list. The process for getting your kid permitted to drive is not so simple anymore. The very kind and knowledgeable staff at Sterling are able to walk you through the whole process. My son completed the online driving course and we had to get a signed copy of the completion certificate (electronic will not work, needs a wet signature) and they had mailed them but we did not receive it so they completed a second copy and made it available for us to pick up the next morning so we could get to the DMV for the written test. After my son completed and passed the test, we learned that he had to have one physical driving lesson before the permit was valid for driving. This was a big disappointment for my son as he was looking forward to being able to drive right away. Since we had the time and were close, we went back to the school and they had a cancellation for a driving lesson the same day! My son then completed the lesson and was able to start driving right away. That was amazing! And, even more amazing, the school dropped him off at home after the lesson because I had an appointment to get to. My son was very impressed with his instructor as well (thanks, Gabe!) who was calm and careful and helpfully repetitive with the instructions as they went along. Happily recommend the school and the people! read more

These people know what they are doing. Kind curious and professional! As someone who is learning to drive at an advanced age, they have taken the time and care to make sure that I am comfortable, learning and properly preparing for the driving test and to be a good driver. Instructor Jeff is awesome! Highly recommend! read more

A few weeks ago I tried to apply for a driving test on the Peninsula but the closes city was Capitola where they have only one appointment before my driving permit expired. So recently, right before my test appointment I took driving lessons with the Sterling Driving School after choosing them because of the good reviews. I was not disappointed at all. I got Deseri as my instructor. She is an amazing teacher! I was pretty nervous when we started my lessen but by the end of it I felt so much more confident behind the wheel. She pointed out my mistakes and told me how to correct them without making me even more nervous. I passed the driving test and I could not be happier. I highly recommend the Sterling Driving School and Deseri to anyone ( even if you are not from this area, like me) who wants to learn how to drive, or just want to take lessons to refresh their driving knowledge. read more

I had my first lesson today and it went great! I have very bad anxiety when driving and the instructor did amazing. I feel so much more comfortable to get behind the wheel and am excited to hopefully get my license soon. read more

All of my wife's driving instructors gave up on her until she enrolled in Sterling Driving School. Mr. Stewart was very patient and all of his driving tips were put to use during the actual road test and she passed. read more

Initially, I had no idea what I was getting in to. Riddled with fear and anxiety, I tend to hyper-focus when on the road due to a late autism diagnosis at 28. Driving was an immense struggle for me having previously held 4 learners permits. But I was determined to experience the joy and freedom others do by earning my license. So I made the decision to contact Sterling's driving school. And if I could give this review 6 stars, I would! The driver instructor, Stewart (or perhaps Stuart), is one of the most skilled driving instructors I could have ever come across in America (and if you know American driving...lol). He made driving a very relaxing time while helping cement the rules of the road. Genuinely one of the nicest, coolest people I think I've ever met on the planet. And yes, I am now a proud licensed driver! Thanks soo much for changing my stratosphere! Please don't hesitate to make one of the best decisions you could ever make in your life by enrolling with Sterling's Driving School *crying tears of joy* You'll definitely get way more than you pay for! read more

They taught BOTH my kids to drive (and drive well) so I didn't have to white-knuckle it myself. LOVE these folks!

Okay, so you're learning to drive, or your teenager is learning to drive. Gotta pick a driving school! What to do!!??!! Well, you can trust me. I have no ties to Sterling Driving School, and a family member used their services, so I have quite a bit of knowledge about them. I'll go over the pros and cons: PROs: 1. Alan, Steward, and Daniel are their three instructors. My family member has received training from all three of them, during one lesson or another. All three are excellent! These guys are patient, funny, helpful, and great instructors. Alan (the owner) is also a very positive, upbeat guy, which is helpful in giving new drivers an extra boost of confidence. Don't take the lack of extra praise as a knock on Stewart or Daniel - those guys are also really great! 2. Their cars are quick, small, turn well, and brake well. This makes it exceptionally easy to practice driving, because the car is very responsive. This is a big plus when practicing and when taking the driving test, because Sterling Driving School lets you (for a fee of $120 for 2 hours) take the test in their car. Granted, most driving schools have similar cars, so this isn't really a decisive factor in choosing a driving school. 3. These guys work hard. Out of the several lessons that my family member received, most of the time they started EARLY! Once we started a little bit late, but that was due to my scheduling and not their fault. Overall, you get a little extra bang for your buck, with these guys. 4. They know Capitola well. These instructors know the flow of traffic there, and they know what you need to know in order to pass the driving test. They will go over everything you need to do in order to pass the test in Capitola. This isn't Los Angeles or NYC - they train you on what you need to know to pass. This is helpful, because although they also teach highway driving and other types of driving, they focus a little bit more on what you need to know to pass, which is nice, because no one wants to fail their driving test! So those are the pros. Here are the cons: 1. As I mentioned above, they did start a little bit late, once. But that was fine, because my family member still got in some great practice, and then passed the road test that same day! 2 They could use some more instructors on weekends, possibly. Except for a federal holiday, these guys are completely booked on weekends! I was only able to schedule appointments during weekdays and on the federal holiday. So my suggestion to them is to consider adding additional excellent instructors so they can have more scheduling availability on weekends. Other than those two minor things, I would say without a doubt that this is the cat's meow of driving schools, and I recommend this school to you 110%!!! read more

My daughter and I were discussing driving school options. Her friends had nightmares at Advantage like trainers stopping at their house and getting stuff taking like 10-15 minutes out of their scheduled training classes. The trainers talking on their cell phones... We decided to call Sterling, at the time they had no reviews on Yelp but we figured that might be a good thing as no angry reviews. We had the best experience. They were professional and accommodating even when we asked if they could scheduled an extra appointment for the next morning as my daughter had her appointment at the DMV the next afternoon. (Do not know if people will understand the last sentence...) Sterling was a great experience. My daughter felt comfortable and the instructors, she had two, were thoughtful and made her feel extremely comfortable. She is usually shy with adults so this was exceptional. When she voiced concerns about her driving or things she wanted to work on they took extra time with those items and took her to the area around the DMV for her last lesson on the morning of the test. Can not say enough good things about the owner and his staff as all were and went above what we expected. read more

I was in an accident couple years ago and developed a fear of driving because of it. I have a driving license from another country but needed to take the behind the wheel test to get a CA driving license. Because of the trauma from the accident I decided to take a couple of classes until I would feel comfortable behind the wheel again. My first lesson was with Stewart and he was an excellent teacher and made me feel very comfortable about driving. He gave me handy tips about parking and the lesson was very pleasant. Merging on the freeway was especially challenging for me because of the accident I was in and Stewart made me feel comfortable enough to go on the freeway on my first class. I made my second appointment to take the driving test and had my class this time with Alan. Again, I had fun knowledgeable instructor who made the lesson fun and helped me to trust in myself and my ability to drive. The Capitola DMV staff knows both Stewart and Alan really well which is very useful because then the person who's evaluating your test will know that most likely you are a good driver. I passed the test on my first try with flying colors. Thank you Stewart and Alan! read more

== Note from my Wife I am writing to say a special "THANK YOU" to my instructor "Deseri" for all the help and assistance you give to me whilst I was preparing for drive test. As I passed my behind-the-wheel test in the first attempt itself after the 2 hour lesson with a fantastic driving instructor.I was extremely nervous Deseri encouraged me and gave me the confidence that I can do it..,I can't THANK YOU enough for all your patience and guidance which has helped me at the start of my long journey into happy motoring read more

I called Sterling for my 19 year old. She had a DMV appointment to take a her behind the wheel test, but needed a car. Sterling had an instructor, Stuart, available when we needed him. He picked her up, she drove for an hour with helpful instruction from him, then she used his car to take the test. My daughter enjoyed his humor and learned a lot in just a short amount of time and best of all, she passed! Well worth it. read more

Great instructors, special shout out to them for helping me stick up for myself at the DMV and getting another test only 2 days after I failed an unfair exam! read more

They were awesome and super flexible. They accommodated our schedule and prepared my son for his driving test perfectly!

I'm writing this review on behalf of my wife who recently passed her driver's test. My wife is a foreigner who came to the US with a foreign driver's license and needed to take the CA driver's test. After failing three times, she realized that she needed some help and signed up for a 2 hour and 1 hour driving adult instruction with Sterling Driving School. She got the best instructor, Alicia, who reviewed with her all the basic driving and safety rules, as well as the CA specific rules. She made her drive in all situations, highways, business areas, residential areas, roundabouts, made her practice all types of maneuvers and helped her acquire confidence. She not only prepared her for the DMV driving test but also taught her how to drive safely and defensively. We cannot thank enough Alicia for her patience, kindness and professionalism. Thanks to her my wife passed her driver's test but more importantly she regained confidence in driving. We thank Sterling Driving School for offering this type of driving adult instructions and hiring such skilled instructors. read more

Sterling Driving School has a great reputation in Santa Cruz county! They are good to work with and really care that their students are well trained not only for the driving test but to be responsible licensed drivers. Stewart does a great job of putting students at ease and goes the extra mile to help them succeed! read more

I highly recommend Stewart!!! He is an excellent instructor very Informative, calm and funny! My son who is very shy and was nervous to drive Felt comfortable with Stewart right away. After the first lesson he felt Confident and is now driving more. He's looking forward to his next lesson. I was also impressed with customer service and how accommodating they were with our Schedule. read more

I'm feeling pretty conflicted about leaving this review but feel I have to. I came to this school after reading yelp reviews. I'm 27 and I have been terrified of driving most of my life. I am giving the 2 stars because they did help me overcome my fear of driving, but I wouldn't recommend them to a friend. I'm not sure if this is true for every instructor there, but this was my experience with Stuart. The worst thing about the entire experience was that he has a tendency to say extremely racist things. (No, not even in a bad taste joke way, either.) I'm not sure if he said these things assuming that I'm white so I wouldn't take offence, but I did. He clearly hates Asians, on more then one occasion made comments about how awful they are, that they can't drive, once saying a guy was "ok, for an Asian." On one ocasion he pointed to a small Asian baby girl in a stroller and said "isn't it scary that she will be driving in 15 years?" He also said that the majority of mugshots were of people of color, and refurs to black men as "brothas" always saying "you don't see them much around here." He jokes in a racist Mexican accent a LOT. I'm actually quite shocked by his unprofessionalism. He was late to every apointment, and on one had me dropped off 20 minutes before my time was up, so I'm feeling like I paid for a lot of unutilized time. During one apointment he spent much of the apointment on the phone, which made me feel that he must really have confidence in me, but also I felt like he should have been focused on my session. I did 2 sessions of "2 hour" instruction and 2 test apointments for a total of 4 apointments and about $450 all together. I failed both test apointments, then went the next day to take the test by myself in a family car and passed only missing 4. The only other issue I had was that they seem to be so booked up that each test is scheduled weeks after your last instruction apointment, so it feels like you forget things. Like I said, I feel conflicted because I do finally have my license, but I just cannot ignore blatant racism. I really should have moved to another instructor after the first apointment. If racist jokes bother you steer clear of Stuart... please note that this review is based completely on professionalism. read more