Unical Driving School is awesome and affordable. Signing up for the teen 6 hour behind-the-wheel training was painless, thanks to the friendly staff. Instructor Edward Wu is a very cool and professional guy. He made me feel confident behind the wheel in just about every daily driving situation. You can often hear him telling you "No worries." Edward was also prompt to pick me up from home at the appointment time. Minus one star because like Helen D. mentioned in a previous review, he can be impatient at times. In my case, he wanted me to promptly take off from a stop sign as soon as I can to a stop (assuming it was clear, of course). Other than this minor incident, I would highly recommend Unical Driving School. read more

SHORT VERSION: If you wish to pass the driving test, I'd recommend Viva driving school in Pasadena. They will teach you everything you need to know about what the DMV will expect. If you wish for a cheap driving school, this school will do $60 per 2-hr session but you won't learn as much and you will probably get a lot of errors during the driving test. LONG VERSION: The overview of my scenario: I took two 2-hour driving sessions with 'Unical Driving School' and a 1-hour driving session + DMV servicing with another school called 'Viva Driving School'. 4 NOV 2013: Called to schedule my appointment, and the receptionist who I talked to wasn't rude, but didn't explain to me much about their programs either. All she said was "$60 for 2 hours". I made an appointment anyway because it was VERY cheap compared to other schools. 6 NOV 2013: It was the day of my appointment. The instructor was supposed to be here at 1:45pm, but he (Edward Wu) came 10 minutes late. He was very nice, so I decided not to mark him for being late. I told him it was my first time driving, so he drove around for 15 minutes, but he didn't really teach me anything while he was driving. It was my turn to drive, and I did "pretty well for a first time driver" (in the words of Mr. Wu). We drove around Monterey Park, and occasionally, he would tell me to slow down when no cars were around, and then tell me to speed up when cars started to line up behind me. It got pretty annoying. Occasionally, he would go on his phone and not really pay attention to how I was driving. At the end of the lesson, he wanted me to schedule another appointment, and I did it (which I knew I would regret) because I felt like I didn't really learn anything. 7 NOV 2013: This time, he was 20 minutes late... minus one star. He taught me how to change lanes, which was great, but he did the same thing as he did yesterday (telling me to slow down and speed up)... minus another star. That's all he taught me for that day... Same thing as yesterday, he was on his cellphone, plus, he would occasionally yawn. He wanted me to schedule another appointment, and that's when I felt that he was doing that on purpose to make more money. 12 NOV 2013: This was the day I had my DMV driving test. I decided to try 'Viva Driving School' in Pasadena because they had a special package where they do DMV Servicing (they take you to the DMV at the day of your test, and let you use their car to take the test) plus a 1-hr driving session prior to the test. They taught me a lot about what was expected on the test, things that weren't discussed from 'Unical Driving School'... minus TWO stars. I learned WAY more in 1 hour with 'Viva Driving School' than I did in 4 hours with this school. read more

The instructor is incredibly nice and helpful, and the price isn't so bad ($35 including cost of certificate). I tried to do some shopping before I chose a traffic school. Unfortunately, there are not many online reviews for TVS's in general. I chose Unical for 3 reasons: (1) They have superb reviews on one or two other websites, (2) They were cheaper than many of the other traffic schools in West Covina and Alhambra areas (cf. $40), and (3) they were so nice over the phone! I love nice people. Their TVS courses are offered on Saturdays (soon to be on selected weekdays as well). The atmosphere was very easy-going, cordial and comfortable. My instructor (Sunny) was very approachable. The classes are offered in English and Mandarin. I didn't see the other instructors, but I am guessing that the instructors may all be Asian and possess accents.. so if you can tolerate an Asian accent, then this place will fit just fine. After the 8th hour passed, I walked out of there quite satisfied. It was interesting enough to keep my attention (although there were others who were bored to tears) and I felt like I actually learned a lot. When I had first received my traffic school information, I was so angry because Orange County doesn't allow violators to complete their traffic course online (OC sucks!) and so I had to fork out more money, time, and mileage to go to an actual TVS. Argh. At least now I'm less pissed off about it. I cannot vouch for their Driving School, but other websites have reviewed it with similar enthusiasms. If their TVS is this good, their driving school is likely just as pleasant. read more

I am an older "yelp-er" who doesn't normally post..... But this business really deserves this post: If you are looking for a traffic school that directs this boring mundane subject to the interesting side this is your place. Sunny kept it light and yet still educational to our everyday actions. She, also, approaches driving with the safety and cost aspects of our driving decisions. In a nutshell, if you must attend traffic school and don't want to feel like you have lost 8 hrs. Of your life, I would attend class here. Thank you for interesting points Sunny. read more

I hated using this place for my driving instruction. No wonder drivers in SGV are so terrible. First of all, Edward doesn't teach you anything at all. He is SOOO impatient!!!! He puts you behind the wheel and tells you to just drive. No instruction at all. He just sits there and holds onto the "Oh shit bar." There was a time where I was going around the streets of Arcadia/Foothills area and I had to merge with oncoming traffic. Of course, I had no idea how to merge. I had just gotten my learner's permit! Edward was in the passenger seat shouting "MERGE! MERGE! MERGE!" Okay... well... HOW THE HELL DO I MERGE?! All he ever says to you is, "Accelerate!" or "SLOW DOWN!" He actually made me hate driving for a while. I learned more from driving sessions with my mom. It's been about 7 years since that horrific experience behind the wheel and my sister who very recently had just one session with them (don't know why my parents picked this place again) says that he has not changed at all! We shared the same horrible experiences together. If you want to be a good driver, DO NOT GO HERE!!! If you want to drive just like the other 95% of drivers in SGV, be my guest. During my last session, he said that I could call them back for instruction on freeway driving. HAH YEAH RIGHT. My dad taught me how to drive on the freeway 100x better than he ever could. I mean, my dad actually teaches me and gives me advice. read more

Comment on the traffic school - UniCal offers traffic school on Saturdays, alternative every other week in English and in Mandarin. The class is much better than the boring online or home study programs I previously took for my last ticket. Ms. Sunny Wu, is a seasoned instructor with decades of experience in teaching traffic school. She was a court interpreter so she knows a lot about traffic court as well. She gave a lot of real cases as examples in her lecture. We watched a video. We had Q&A. No boring moment at all. The class was informative and fun. That 8 hours went by fast. Following completion of the class, Ms. Wu took care of the ticket dismissal process for every student for free and emailed the ticket cancellation confirmation to her students. That saved everyone a trip to the court. The service is excellent ! read more

This is the second time I went to Unical because of a traffic ticket for not turning on my lights after dark. Ms. Sunny Wu covers more than just traffic rules. Her broad knowledge and interesting stories made the day go very fast. At the end, I learned so much that I almost felt my traffic ticket was a "blessing in disguise". The things I learned from attending the school might save my life, or prevent some bad accident from happening in the future. It was a day well spent. In addition, she takes care of everything, putting your traffic work papers together, notifying court that traffic school requirement is fulfilled. That is what I call excellent service. read more

The driving lessons were great and I passed my behind the wheel test with flying colors!! It was hard at first because I am a first time driver. My instructor was always on time on appointments, he would pick me up from home/ work and drop me off too whenever I have a lesson with him. And that made it very convenient for me. Mr. Edward Wu was a bit strict, he would often make the practice driving routes kinda hard, but in the end everything pays off. My behind the wheel test was so easy because Mr. Wu had taught me what I needed to know in preparation for the test.. Thank you!! read more

If you are that unlucky to receive a ticket... like I had... TWICE, wipe your slate clean with UniCal! Okay, people say crying to the cop works, but like... didn't work for me. :( Anyways, ended up with a ticket for turning over double-line, went to UniCal after going there before. Sunny is so cute and she seriously makes the time fly! If you have to do the dreaded time of traffic school, go to Unical. Although I can't compare because I haven't been to other traffic schools other than UniCal, I can promise you that Sunny will not fail to entertain or educate. read more

Word of advice before you consider this traffic school CALL IN ADVANCE to see if the class is going to be taught in either ENGLISH or CHINESE! Apparently I accidentally went on a Chinese day and Sunny had to teach a slightly longer Bilingual class. Anyways as for the school itself it is actually very educational. And I can honestly say I did learn A LOT. Sunny did a great job of telling us what we should and should not be doing while behind the wheel. She really did her best to make sure everyone was on the same page and gave us plenty of helpful advice. The class time went by fairly quickly and it was pretty fun ... for traffic school hahah. read more

Edward is a wonderful driving instructor! While driving, he always comments on how I am driving and gives me tips on how to improve my skills. If you are rusty on something, he helps you out by talking you through it first and then teaches you how to do it correct. He never gets frustrated or upset if you do something wrong but instead is very patient and continues to explain to you what the proper technique should have been. Overall, my experience with Edward was excellent and would recommend him to anyone who is planning on learning how to drive because he teaches you how to drive safety and how to pass the driving test. read more

Just got off the phone and the lady who answered was very nice and patient in answering my questions and helped me figure out my eligibility and gave me tips in how to go to court and inquire about my case. If I'm granted eligibility to attend traffic school, this would be the school I'd go to. read more

Sunny is the best! She makes class so much fun! She is really knowledgeable and you will be glad you went there. I learned a lot. Hopefully I won't have to attend again but if I have to, I will come back here. Highly recommended! read more

Got my first speeding ticket, paid my due online instead of having to go to court because I don't have time for that, than came here to take my traffic school class. $40 for an 8 hour sesh including an hour lunch break & wasn't as bad as you think traffic school would be. Sunny kept the class entertaining so it wasn't boring. At the end of class, you are certified & Sunny does the rest of the paperwork so you have nothing to worry about. Highly recommend coming here for traffic school. read more

Really nice driving school around SGV. On time service and the instructors are nice. If you are looking for an instructor i recommend Edward Wu. He is always on time with my appointments, and teaches you the basics to driving. read more

Instructor Edward Wu is the best driving Instructor ! At first , i was really scared in driving , but Instructor Wu is very paitient and nice . He taught me everything that i need to know , After a few Lesson , I pass my driving test in DMV ! and i am not scared of driving anymore ! read more

Awesome traffic school, I did my 8 hour traffic school here last Saturday, I didn't feel tired or sleepy at all. Instructor Sunny Wu made us laughing and awake during the entire class, she is very helpful and knowledgeable. I highly recommend Unical, this school is a great refresher course for experienced drivers who need to attend traffic school as well as excellent for people learning how to drive to prepare to get their license. read more

Very patient and efficient services, especially instructor Wu is very nice and friendly, teaches every little thing the DMVs will expect.

I have called many traffic school,Unical traffic s the most friendly and efficient one. The staff picked up my call right away and answer all my questions patiently. They also offer me coupon discount. Mr. Wu is my intructor. He is a very experience driving instructor. His instructions are clear and easy to pick up. After I finish the package, 3 lessons, I pass my driving test and get my license. Thank you Mr. Wu for his professional instruction. I definately recommend UNICAL traffic school to my friends. read more

Edward was actually really nice, he knew the area pretty well. I learned quite a lot in the 2 hours that I was driving around, and it was a calm experience. He kept a funny conversation going on, which was really cool in my book. I looked at all the negative reviews, and they were from like 19471037103710 years ago... so either he's changed from these bad habits or the people who yelped bad reviews are are pansies. Would recommend again. read more

Instructor Sunny Wu is the best! She made the 9am-4pm class fly by! The class did not drag on at all. She was entertaining and very informative. I learned so much from this class and I would highly recommend this place for anyone that needs to take traffic school read more

Edward was great! He was so nice and taught me more in the 4 hours I had with him than my other driver instructor ever did. He got me through my nervousness and got me to pass the first time. My friend recommended me and now I see why. Really great school and would recommend for any student drivers read more

Sunny is a tough woman, very please with the class I took last week, and I felt very comfortable in her class. I learned a few things I didn't know before. We worth the 8 hours. Did not get bored at all. read more

All they did was take my money. Spent 6 hours with my son and never communicated with the parent on things that he needed to improve. Waste of money and time. read more

The instructor is awesome!! At first, I was kind of nervous, but he helped ease that nervousness by being very patient with me.

Went in for traffic school (English version), they have classes in Mandarin or English; I recommend calling ahead of time to find out which version they will be teaching. They rotate the classes but the instructor is the same lady. She speaks both language fluently. The lady's name is Sunny she is knowledgeable with a very caring personality. She actually takes time to learn about each students cases and offers great advice on how to avoid future violations. She's friendly and approachable when you have questions. Even when I finished the class I called her with some other questions related to DMV and car insurance rules she provided great consultation. The GREAT thing about this school is that when you finished the class they will take care of all the paperworks and they make sure your ticket is dismissed by court. They email you a proof so you can retain for your own record. I also like the fact that the class carries a no non sense feel, unlike those "comedy" traffic schools trying come up with not so funny jokes trying to make time past by faster but you end up not learning anything. It's traffic school, not comedy club. read more

BEWARE THIS IS THE WORST DRIVING SCHOOL WE HAVE COME ACROSS. The main instructor turns up at least 30-45 minutes late (if he turns up at all - this last instance they double booked and did not bother to inform us). The business is run in a disgraceful manner and do not reply to phone calls. They may be cheap but the service is even cheaper. DO NOT USE THIS SCHOOL. Unless you have the time to waste waiting for people to come late or not bother turning up at all, then find another school. One star is being generous. read more

Sunny is very helpful, I learned a lots from this traffic class, she made it less boring and the day went fast.

I wish I went to Unical Driving School from the start! Edward have a unique way of teaching his students! He will really push you to the edge to pass the driving the Test!!! Thank you Edward!! read more

Glad can review this school. Trully experience story:He is Greedy of money! instructor was not patient,learn how to drive using this school only wasting time and especially money$60 per 2 hour which as still not worth,he yelled constantly makes you just more nervous,there is nothing you can absorb the knowledge how to drive cause anger instructor,and broken english.try it if you dare and the second class you'll scare! Have a wise spending...!? read more

I recommend Edward Wu, he did a fantastic job at teaching me how to drive. He explains everything pretty well and guides you a lot. Nice car too lol. Really chill and nice, easy to talk to. So if you guys are looking for an instructor, ask for Edward Wu. read more

Keep in mind some may like how this course was run by the instructor Sunny. The class ran from 9 am to 5 pm with a 45 min lunch break. Sunny talks the majority of the time, along with some videos lasting perhaps a total of 2 hrs. Sunny's stories are more personal than informational in the facts of law and such. I payed $ 40 and left feeling that I had gained no new knowledge on driving laws. There was a classmate that felt the same way as me. And out of the 16 or so classmates at least 2 verbally endorsed Sunny as a good instructor and felt as though they left with new knowledge. If I go to traffic school I want to learn more about driving laws versus sitting there shooting the breeze. No test was given. read more