The Next Street - Hamden Driving School

Fantastic experience: Dave Y was a great instructor, very understanding and helpful, and also easy to have a conversation

Negative experience: I had a truly awful experience with this driving school and would strongly advise anyone looking for driving lessons to look elsewhere. I had an appointment scheduled and received a last-minute cancellation from them with absolutely no notice or explanation. I was understandably frustrated, but the real kicker came when I was told that I would be charged a $100 late fee just to reschedule the appointment. This is beyond unreasonable, especially considering that the cancellation was entirely their fault. No apologies, no attempt to make it right—just a cold demand for extra money. Their customer service is horrible and completely unprofessional. It's incredibly frustrating to deal with a company that shows no regard for their customers' time or money. I understand that sometimes things come up, but the fact that they took no responsibility and instead charged me extra is completely unacceptable. I will never be using their services again, and I recommend you avoid this driving school. There are plenty of other schools out there that treat their customers with respect and don’t pull these kinds of shady practices. Terrible service and a huge waste of time and money.

Fantastic experience: I would have never passed my test without the help of Nextstreet, I had Caprice, Dave, and Maria that I remember and each of them took the time to get me comfortable with backing in, changing lanes, and other things that were rusty after not driving for a while. Definitely do your road test through them!

Fantastic experience: I've had a great experience with David Yachtis at the Next Street Hamden. He gives clear instructions, is patient and kind. I feel like I make a ton of progress with each lesson.

Fantastic experience: David Yachtis was a great instructor. He was very helpful and didn’t give me any problems when I made a mistake. I would be honored to have him as an instructor again!

Fantastic experience: David Yachtis - Very clear instructions, very helpful.

Fantastic experience: David was so nice and made the experience really fun!

Fantastic experience: Great teaching!

Fantastic experience: Very comfortable to work with, makes learning to drive very calming and easy.

Fantastic experience: Enjoyed driving with David!

Fantastic experience: I recently moved from the city to Connecticut and was in need of getting my drivers license as an adult. I’ve been taking classes with an instructor named David and it has been worth every penny!!! I highly recommend using The Next Street thanks to him.

Fantastic experience: I did two driving lessons with David. He was extremely motivating and educational. I had a great experience doing my on-street driving lessons with him.

Fantastic experience: I had a wonderful experience at Next Street. My instructor Mitch gave me tips and tricks that allowed me to pick up new driving skills. I am very appreciative of their efforts!

Fantastic experience: Great Lesson! I had David Y and he was super helpful!

Fantastic experience: Great first time driving, I had fun and got experience!

Fantastic experience: It was easy to understand for the first time driving with them.

Fantastic experience: Excellent driving lesson with David Yachtis. Very nice.

Fantastic experience: David Yachtis is a great instructor!

Fantastic experience: I had David Yachtis as my instructor. During the two hours we focused on my weak points. Which he did ask when we first met. His clear instructions helped me believe with 100% certainty that I would pass my driving exam. Signing up for a mock driving test with them before officially going to the DMV. 10/10 would recommend.

Fantastic experience: David Yachtis was a great driving instructor! Definitely had a great lesson!

Fantastic experience: I had David Yachtis as an instructor for 3 lessons. He was a phenomenal instructor, very professional and personable. He gave great tips for how to become a more proficient driver. He now gave me the confidence to pass my test. Anyone who gets Dave as an instructor will be lucky.

Fantastic experience: David Yachtis - very polite and patient. Extremely informative instructor. 5 stars.

Fantastic experience: The experience was surprisingly a good 2 hours with my instructor David Yachtis.

Fantastic experience: Amazing school! I had David for an Instructor twice and he was really helpful and calm throughout the rides. I highly recommend

Fantastic experience: took my test and was a breeze at Hamden! Bob Z answered all my questions and made the test seem not so scary for me. Thanks !!!!

Fantastic experience: David Yachtis - Brilliant instructor, would highly recommend! Perfect!

Fantastic experience: My first driving lesson was the most amazing and stress-free experience I have had learning to drive! David Yachtis is an amazing instructor! He is patient and kind and makes you feel very comfortable behind the wheel. His advice and encouragement made me feel safe and confident to the point of going to the road on the first lesson. If it’s your first time taking a driving lesson, he is definitely great! Thank you, David and The Next Street!

Fantastic experience: I had Instructor David Yachtis. He was a very calming presence and provided helpful tips for areas I was specifically struggling in! He also asked at the beginning of the lesson what I wanted to focus on/struggled with the most and made sure we spent ample time on those areas.

Fantastic experience: I had an amazing lesson! My instructor David Yachtis helped me gain confidence while driving. Thank you to my instructor and next street for your help!!

Fantastic experience: david yachtis and i went driving around and it was great he thought me lots of new thing i did not know before and it helped out a lot

Fantastic experience: David Yachtis provided excellent instruction.

Fantastic experience: Great service! Instructors were always on time and excellent communicators!

Fantastic experience: The Next Street in Hamden-wow! What a positive experience for my daughter. All the driving instructors were friendly, patient and extremely knowledgeable. After each lesson, the instructors reviewed the lesson with my daughter and I and gave us suggestions of what to work on in between driving lessons. This was definitely worth the time and money!

Negative experience: This location is not good for new drivers who are testing…. Our daughter passed there today because she’s an excellent student and very cautious. However I sadly saw many folks fail during the two hours we were there. Primarily because of the location, and other crazy drivers! There were homeless people pushing their shopping carts filled through the lot, as well 3 other drivers practicing their parking while drivers were being tested, worse of all people were cutting through the lot to evade the police at the light who had a sting operation active for unaware drivers! And the cut through were literally racing through and even honking their horns at the slower drivers. It’s horrible. The lady who checks in is a bit high-energy to say the least she never stops talking about all the fails n things to look out for - scaring all customers. The examiner was actually very good, very specific and thorough but fair. Most of the fails just didn’t o practice enough and / or didn’t understand the directions being told in ENGLISH. If you have the option to select another location check it out prior to your test. Good luck, & practice in less hectic locations. Hopefully… for your benefit where the local cops aren’t doing traffic stops & on the road inspections, sting operations freaking everyone else out in the area. Yes that’s the real world, but it’s bit rough for the newbies on day 1!

Negative experience: Had the rudest instructor when I was taking my license test. When I tried to confirm instructions he would get mad and annoyed but wouldn’t repeat instructions.

Fantastic experience: I just got my driver's license! Maria Gomez taught me to drive! I purchased the 'Full Driver’s Education Bundle' and an additional behind the wheel lesson and mock road test the day before. All of my lessons were with Maria, it was very good to have the same person mentor me throughout this journey because she was able to more accurately see my progress. I worked with Maria across 5 behind the wheel lessons, my mock test was with Steve the day before my test and it gave me a good confidence boost and Sarah Heywood was my zoom teacher. Thank you!

Negative experience: Terrible experience no luck

Negative experience: Take your money and go anywhere but here. All classes are online yet they charge different prices based on a location you choose. "Included" driving lessons have to be scheduled separately and are usually unavailable for weeks and spread all across the state. Hugely inefficient, scattered information and expensive.

Fantastic experience: Friendly staff thank you Walter Fontes

Negative experience: Practiced with one car model, was given an entirely different model for the test. Waste of money and time. I have a license from my home country (Brazil). I did the mandatory two-hour driving practice with one model of car (a SUV) and mostly practiced backing up on spots since the maneuvers for that are highly dependent on your car turning radius/size. I didn't really need to practice driving since I have over 30k miles of driving experience. On test day, The Next Street gave me an entirely different model of car (a hatchback) which threw me off when backing up as the turning radius was substantially shifted from the car I practiced on. If I had known I would be given a different car, I would not have made business with The Next Street. Ask yourself this: when you buy a new car, how long does it take for you to get comfortable enough to back up into a spot without substantial corrections? Now imagine you're required to back up into a spot 15 minutes after getting a new car while someone will judge you for it and won't allow re-dos. It's insane. I guarantee whoever owns and operates The Next Street would've failed under these conditions. I have a license from my home country (Brazil), which is much harder to obtain than an US license since you have to do it all on a manual car and you have to actually parallel park (fit between two sets of cones, not just parallel "back up"). Even then, in Brazil you do all the training and the testing ON THE SAME CAR, which guarantees fairness and that you will have an uniform experience. This was not the case with The Next Street. The only reason I'm giving The Next Street two stars instead of one is the fact that the customer service was kind and helpful.

Fantastic experience: Next Street is an awesome service! Well worth every penny. Helped my new driver through the entire process. Very convenient always friendly and professional. Highly recommended Thanks!

Negative experience: Polite staff, but seemingly completely untrained. Spent a total of 45 minutes on hold to be bounced between this business and the DMV and ended up not feeling comfortable giving them my money ($350). Lack of communication meant I had to go through the process of signing up for a class twice. The second staff member I spoke to demanded my card information before telling me what dates are available - something the first staff member didn't do. I tried to talk to the manger - had to ask 3 or 4 times before Jim went to speak to them - and I was told I could get a call back in 24 hour. Seems weird because everyone I spoke to put me on hold at least twice during our calls to go ask their manager questions. I know there aren't a lot of options around here, but anything else is better.

Fantastic experience: Great place to have your teen attend. My daughter had the 2 HR driving time with Bessie. She is such an asset to the Next street, my daughter absolutely loved her! Super sweet, kind and very patient. Thank you!

Positive experience: Good

Negative experience: Instructor didn't show up, i called the main # and they said call back in 5 min if they still aren't there, they still never showed, so I called back. They didn't answer for 30 min even thitho i was "first in line" on the call list . I got someone on the phone and they hung up in my face, I called back, waited another 15 minutes. Got someone again and just got a refund. I was waiting at the school for 40 min for an instructor

Fantastic experience: I had Pam Sorensen as a teacher. She found creative ways for the course to be interactive and fun. The videos and the reviews we had daily of the day before really helped.

Fantastic experience: Class is very helpful and Pam Sorensen teaches well. I gained a richer perspective of everything that's needed to drive and be safe

Positive experience: I learned a lot from this program and found it to be very helpful and I had Pam has an instructor who did a very good job!!

Fantastic experience: The class was very helpful and good guidance for new drivers.

Fantastic experience: Very helpful and the teachers were very helpful with questions

Fantastic experience: My instructor was Pam Sorensen and the class was very helpful in the accelerated course for my busy schedule.

Fantastic experience: Very thourough and informative course. Pam is a great teacher and made sure we knew all of the information. The only downside was that a lot of information was repeated and I felt that the classes could've been shortened to 3 hours instead of 4.

Fantastic experience: Great school. I did my 8 hours in 1 sitting, a 2 hour private lesson, and my test at the school and passed! They prepare you and tell you everything you need to do in order to pass. The videos are very helpful too

Fantastic experience: Sylvia is fantastic teacher!!!! Unfortunately the DVD doesn't work. Very bad video resources.

Fantastic experience: Great fun! Sara is a fantastic teacher. I learned a ton and I feel like Im ready for my drivers test. Also the 4 hour classes go by surprisingly quickly.

Fantastic experience: Avanah was really nice, I liked the class.

Fantastic experience: Avanah B made my 30 hours of driving classes as fun and interactive as possible while helping us to learn a lot to make us become good drivers

Fantastic experience: Avanah was a very attentive and an amazing teacher. She took a lot of time to go over each lesson. I learned a lot from her and believe she is a wonderful person to learn from.

Fantastic experience: Avanah was a fantastic instructor and I truly learned a lot of dynamic skills. She did a very good job of clarifying and answering questions and I would definitely recommend her as an instructor.

Fantastic experience: Avanah made class very enjoyable and interacted with each person intintivly.

Fantastic experience: Avanah is a very good instructor she keeps the class alive entertained and gets through everything quick and smoothe 5/5

Fantastic experience: Avanah is a great teacher and I've learned so much throughout my short but wonderful time here

Fantastic experience: Jyreek is a great teacher. Take the 30 hour accelerated course during the summer. You will learn lots of useful information.

Fantastic experience: Jyreek is the best teacher ever. I learned a lot in a fun way. There was never a dull moment in that class. The best Next Street is the Best Street .

Fantastic experience: Would recommend, Jyreek's lessons were entertaining and educational.

Fantastic experience: Great teacher - Jyreek

Fantastic experience: It was a really fun experience and Jyreek Ellerbe was a great teacher.

Fantastic experience: Jyreek was a great teacher!!

Fantastic experience: Jyreek is awesome!

Fantastic experience: My experience was great. At the Hamden Ct Classroom! Im more comfortable with my knowledge about the Rules Regulations & Laws of the road. Jyreek Ellerbi was awesome Im glad he was my Instructor. He made my experience EVERYTHING. Tamika was very helpful Shes gonna be great. Thanks for all the knowledge Jyreek & Tamika☺ #SafeDriving

Fantastic experience: I would recommend the next street. The instructor, Jyreek Ellerbe, was well informed and a great teacher.

Fantastic experience: Jyreek was a great instructor. Not only did I learn about the rules and regulations of the road, but I had an unforgettable experience. I will remember all of this and keep in mind safety and good judgement while driving. It was a really funjecational experience! I reccomend it 100%!

Fantastic experience: Jyreek Ellerbe does an excellent job instructing classes at this location. If looking for a driver's ed class, choose The Next Street Hamden. Felt very prepared for my permit test and furthermore liscence test.

Fantastic experience: It is a good learning environment for new drivers! The staff is friendly and make learning fun! Jyreek makes the 4 hour Sunday classes seem like a regular 2 hour.

Fantastic experience: My Instructor Jyreek Ellerbe , Is Such an amazing person , I absolutely recommend all student drivers to attend his class. The class overall, is very captivating!

Fantastic experience: SO FAR MY INSTRUCTOR JYREEK ELLERBE HAS BEEN VERY INFORMATIVE. IM IN THE 7TH CLASS AND CANT WAIT TO DO MY BEHIND THE WHEELS WITH HIM.

Fantastic experience: I enjoyed this class taught by Jyreek Ellerbe. Would reccomend to all new drivers. Taught important information and techniques and got to practice on road with an instructor.

Fantastic experience: Loving the class so far. Jyreek is a great instructor. Worth it.

Fantastic experience: I was terrified of driving in high school, but got my license thanks to The Next Street.

Fantastic experience: Just took my driving class today. Jyreek Ellerbe made me feel so comfortable! He even taught me how to get backing in a space down correctly. I never thought I'd be able to do it. He was very patient and overall I had a great experience with The Next Street Hamden.

Fantastic experience: Jyreek Ellerbe is a grand teacher! He's really chill and knows what he's doing. I have learned so much from him! :)

Fantastic experience: The Next Street is a good driving school. My instructor Jyreek Ellerbe is really chill and a cool teacher. The class is definitely worth it.

Fantastic experience: Jyreek Ellerbe is my teacher and he does very well explaining the lessons. I am learning a lot!

Fantastic experience: I'm actually having a great time taking driving classes with Jyreek Ellerbe. He has taught me a lot about driving safe and the dangers of the road and how to avoid them. I look forward to finishing the course and getting my license.

Fantastic experience: My experience at the next street has been very interesting and has given me a lot of new knowledge about safe driving. My instructor Jyreek Ellerbe tries to connect with the students on a personal level and really tried to promote safe driving

Fantastic experience: The class is very helpful for when I start to drive on my own. Jyreek Ellerbe is a good teacher and teaches us useful information.

Fantastic experience: Jyreek and Steve were my instructors and they were both fantastic. They really helped me to understand more about driving and the rules of the road.

Fantastic experience: Jyreek Ellerbe is a great teacher, had no issues or confusion very straight forward making the learning process easier.

Fantastic experience: Jyreek Ellerbe was my driving instructor, he did his best to try and make driving laws fun and interesting. It didn't work, but he tried.

Fantastic experience: Jyreek is the best driving instructor that I could ever ask for. He is extremely knowledgeable when it comes down to helping a young driver and knows how we think. I would highly recommend him to anyone that wants to take their driving class at the Next Street in Hamden.

Fantastic experience: Jyreek Ellerbe was a kind hearted man. I looked up to him like a father. His great teaching skills made me accelerate in life. Thanks to Jyreek I will know to have a safe driving experience. Thanks for being there like a Dad

Fantastic experience: My teacher is Jyreek Ellerbe and I recommend him to anyone taking next street. He is far by the most superior teacher to come through Hamden in decades. The knowledges he bestows on us will forever stay on everyone he teaches minds.

Fantastic experience: Jyreek Ellerbe is a very knowledgeable and helpful teacher. He made my experience at The Next Street very pleasant and enjoyable.

Fantastic experience: Michael was a great teacher

Positive experience: Jyreek and Vin were my main instructors. They were great. I don't have the means to practice outside of the school, but only after 13 classes I was able to pass my license test on the first try.

Fantastic experience: Jyreek Ellerbe is the OG driver. Taught me a lot, thanks.

Fantastic experience: Mike is one of the best teacher I've had he makes sure everyone knows what he's talking about before he goes on to the next topic

Positive experience: The accelerated 30-hour program is great for meeting license requirements quickly!

Fantastic experience: I had Bryan Gallego and he was dope and really knew his stuff

Fantastic experience: I had the privilege of having Bryan Gallego as my driving instructor. At first it sounds like he has no idea what the heck he's talking about, but then you get it. The class was very helpful in teaching me the rules of the road, and I would highly recommend it.