Decker's Driving Academy
Information about Decker's Driving Academy
Opening hours
To educate, explain and demonstrate the correct procedures in operating a motor vehicle safely, courteously and defensively and make sure students know how to survive in our society.
Decker's Driving Academy: Reviews
Fantastic experience: Thank you Tom for being so professional and understanding and making drivers Ed Fun and easy to understand My son Armando is very happy I highly recommend Decker’s Driving Academy !!!
Fantastic experience: This company is the best. Thanks so much for taking care of Bo! Appreciate your communication and all the to get him through the courses quickly. Nick
Fantastic experience: I was very cautious from the past reviews wondering if I should take my chances or go to Crabbmanns I talked to 4 friends who've went here and they are some of the safest drivers I know. I have 2 friends that went to Crabbmans and they honestly scare me with dangerous driving antics and how confused they were on the roads. Based on that info I took my chances I signed up for the online class at deckers academy and it is SO easy and simpled down, while also making sure everyone is aware of the dangers of the road. After taking their class I understand why my fellow teen drivers are safe. I've had no issues with communication as mentioned in past reviews, it seems they've really made changes and improved. I reccomend Deckers, don't let the reviews scare you
Thank you Emma, and this is the reason we teach like we do, so students understand all aspects of driving in our society. Safe travels to you as you continue to your future. Mr. Tom Decker
Negative experience: My name is Kameo Kaquatosh. I went to deckers from April 1st through just around April 19th. I have been waiting, since getting my temps around April 30th (currently is May 19th), for behind the wheel training. I personally have called three times, and my father twice. Friday the 17th, my mother was hung up on by Bonnie 3 times. Bonnie was extremely rude and telling me mom that she didn’t have to listen to her, and that she wasn’t going to get to speak to Tom because she would send a message to Tom. I believe she never told Tom, or even tried to get me a new instructor. We paid up front just so you could ghost us when I finally had gotten my instructor’s permit. And I’ve seen how you have called other reviews out on how they are ‘fictitious’ when you yourself were telling us in the class about how the reviews on your website were fake. This is not fictitious. I was your student.
Negative experience: After completing the class April 12th 2024 my daughter received a from stating that she completed the class. Form was dated October 2023 and valid for 60 days. After requesting a new form we picked it up and got her temps April 30. Tried to get behind the wheel. First call May 1 left message. May 6 called and spoke with bonnie and she was going to have a behind the wheel instructor reach out. May 10 3rd call to Bonnie and instructor was going to reach out. May 15 I called and spoke with Bonnie and she was going the instructor reach out. May 17 follow up again with Bonnie and instructor was assigned, but Bonnie wasn’t going to put pressure on her to reach out to my daughter. My daughters mother reached out and was hung up on by Bonnie 3 separate times. The previous bad reviews are real, the statement on his website about people bashing his business now makes sense to me. They were probably accurate, they aren’t very organized. They take full payment up front, don’t follow up with proper paperwork, can’t get a driving instructor. I have 3 more children that will need drivers education and it won’t be deckers. I will advise to everyone I encounter not to go there as well Update : Kay is not my last name Kaquatosh is and I have paperwork and a receipt showing my daughter took your april 2024 class
Sorry Ticci, I do not have a student with the last name of Kay.
Bonnie is my 81-year-old mom, who takes overflow calls when I am on the phone here in Wausau or out with students driving. After checking our phone records there is not one entry of a Ticci Kay who called, and you mentioned you called like 6 times. Also, we only had 2 voice mails left this month (May 2024) and both were adults looking for behind the wheel instruction. So, I can't respond to this, as your statement must be fictious. I don't worry about my reputation in this industry, as my reputation and work ethic speak for itself. I do worry about someone who needs to make up lies to prove their point that must have happened in their own little world because you have a drivers' license. Sincerely, Tom Decker
Negative experience: Time to retire? Very disappointed with our experience again with Deckers. Our now 22 year old had issues with not getting call backs and we still wanted to give it a try with our 15 year old …. even though all our friends said don’t do it. After all Mrs Decker was such a lovely kindergarten teacher. I really hope “Bonnie” isn’t Mrs. Decker’s first name because Bonnie at Deckers is very rude. Sad to think she she maybe influence generations to behave that way. When my child passed her exam in the class she was released with a document to bring to the DMV and when we made time from our very busy lives (6kids and many other obligations) we found out that it was dated for October 23 . Only Valid for 60 days? My daughter took the class in April 24. While the Deckers promptly remedied this. I had to take even more time to go back and get a new form. Without apology. Fast forward 3 weeks. During which my daughter contacted Decker on 3 occasions and ignored/no call back from driving instructor, we began calling. We called Wednesday and asked to get this scheduled (so we can complete the behind the wheel during the school year as we had anticipated. We have very busy summer schedules.) we were told the instructor had been assigned and would call our daughter. No call for Thursday or Friday so we called again so maybe we can get this going yet while school is still in. We were told that they didn’t want to “pressure” the instructor to reach out to our child. She is very busy and will get to it when they get to it. Meanwhile other students in the same class have had many driving sessions. And we can’t get any. (We have honored every expectation Decker has put for us or our child)So I don’t think we were on the naughty list mentioned on their website. At this point I asked for our money back. And Bonnie told me I would have to talk to Tom. While I was asking to speak with him, she hung up on me. So I called back and kindly asked if I could please speak as Bonnie again spoke over me and wouldn’t let me talk. Bonnie simply stated No. I don’t have to listen to you. And hung up on me. So I called a 3rd time. Asked to speak directly to Tom. Bonnie said she had already talked to Tom that we wanted to cancel. That he would not be calling me back and again hung up on me. I will be stopping down at the start of the next class to request my refund or at very least have a conversation with Tom as I was told to do to seek a refund. My child doesn’t have the same last name as me. So if the owners of this business would like to use negative verbiage in response to this message more power to them. I have to a large network and will be sharing this with them so they can have a less expensive more pleasant experience when they have the very exciting and scary life event of getting a drivers license. Please don’t have your children treated like this by people that should obviously not be in a service industry.
Hello Jamie, I believe you are the stepmother who dropped your student off crying and left her here at the driving school, while other mothers and female students were consoling her.
We were waiting for summer break for a driving lesson because the student suffers from high anxiety and with end of year things going on and finals coming up, we did not want to increase the anxiety issue for her anymore then was necessary (sorry for caring). Your stepdaughter never contacted us once and she seen me waiting for another student afterschool on a Tuesday and I had said hi to her. At that point she responded and never once asked when she was going out driving.
In regard to your instance with Bonnie, you were very rude when you called screaming and cursing when you called about your stepdaughter not being contacted and it has been 3 weeks since the class ended. If you READ, the rules we have 60 days to get in one lesson and like I said earlier we did not want to add to the anxiety issue any more then was necessary. Bonnie hung up on you because when she tried to respond, and you kept screaming and talking over her. My staff does not have to put up with other people's bad behavior. There was no foul here and I did apologize to your stepdaughter when she brought the misdated DMV form back to me. Sometimes I get phone calls or folks stop in for information and get sidetracked from what I was working on. I did not apologize to you because I never seen you, as your stepdaughter took care of it with me. You were told that my wife Karen was going to be the instructor and that is the reason she has not been called as Karen is finishing up her school year with the school district. Your stepdaughter does not have any time during the school day to go driving and said on her information page she is only available afterschool, which I do not feel is a great way to start her with her anxiety issues being as high as they are. especially with so many workplaces letting out and of course the schools. After all, YOU left your stepdaughter sobbing at the driving school and ran out the door without alerting anyone of her condition. Nice mothering!!!
This is why we have some bad reviews, because of people like you who dump off their problems for someone else to take care of, and then cry bad business practices. There are just some people who believe that if you scream and curse you get better service, really, I don't think so. We do not sell a product; we sell a service of learning to drive and take many factures into consideration when lining up students for success. I do apologize to you Jamie, apologize for caring about your student like I did. You can take your stepdaughter to a different driving school, and I will refund you the difference minus the classroom and paperwork. I only wish your stepdaughter the very best and good luck. Sincerely, Tom Decker
Positive experience: I completed the course with an 80% with no studying right before covid, the way the lessons were taught made it very easy to learn the basics. sadly i have been struggling to progress past a temporary license because my dad works long demanding shifts and my mom considers herself a bad driver and doesn't want me to drive like she does. when my dad is available for driving I'm often fast asleep because I work nightshift. I've tried contacting the academy through the website about having available drivers for behind the wheel training and I haven't gotten an email back. I'm 21 now and lagging behind I guess...
Fantastic experience: Great experience with Decker Driving Academy!
Negative experience: Both my daughters had Deckers at mosinee high school. My oldest daughter needed one more behind the wheel before she could get her license she waited almost a month past her 16th birthday (due to not having my calls answered or returned)before she could get in for behind the wheel and finally get her license which she was very excited about. Now I'm dealing with my middle daughter and getting her set up for behind the wheel with another company. I have called deckers numerous times and left messages to see what was going to happen to current students and never get calls back. She's had her Temps now since February and hasn't had any behind the wheel. What a joke to have everyone else clean up your mess and can't take accountability for your actions
Negative experience: Driving instruction laced with political undertones. Unprofessional.
Negative experience: I had minimal issues with the class but the business is ran in a very unorganized fashion. I’ve heard many complaints with staff from fellow students that were handled poorly from a business perspective from drivers forgetting lessons to bad schedule management, Dishonesty with staff, etc. Also it’s quite immature of instead of striding to improve your business based on bad reviews you instead harass and borderline dox the reviewer for making valid criticism. The people reviewing don’t have malicious intent they want to better the business by informing you on what you can do better on.
Hello Bob, sorry I don't have a student with the last name of Rosenberg. Are you sure you have the correct school? Is this a step child with a different last name? Most of our bad reviews come from ficticious people. Folks that never came to us or people that just use fake names, I am thinking that it is from competitors that use what ever means to trick people into coming to their school instead. I guess you fell victom to that. Sorry!!!
Negative experience: My son didn’t get his license weeks after he was supposed to because one of their drivers retired. They missed my sons “card” so they forgot to call. then blamed my son on their short comings. The lady said he refused to drive with Vic. What?! The lady that answers their phone was swearing at me. DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY!! They are terrible
How many times did your son cancel, forget an appointment or simply not show up? 3, 4 times? It is parents like you Sheri that we are leaving the business, Parents like you and your son take no responsibility for anything. Everything else is more important, sports, study hall (social hour) etc.. Let's see the number one killer for teens is........... driving!!!
Negative experience: Driving instructor did not signal before turning into lot, made me slide because there was snow, I honked and then he proceeded to pull out and follow me all the way to my home. WOULD NOT RECOMMEND!!!! VERY UNPROFESSIONAL!!!!
Hello Ms. Janas, you forgot to tell folks of your reckless driving, speeding, no signaling. Obviously when you are traveling as fast as you were, I can see where a late signal might cause you some discomfort when going 40 in a 25mph speed zone. Our services are always available for people of your skill level, just give us a call and we can help with your aggressive driving behavior. Thanks
Negative experience: The class was great but the Behind the wheel is hard to get them to do. Suggest not paying them in full until they are complete. Been waiting almost 5 Months and still not done.
Negative experience: I could not schedule my lessons it's been well over 60 days so now I'm screwed. Highly not recommended 0 stars if possible.
Fantastic experience: All 3 of my kids have had a great experience. 1 all online and the other 2 took classes. Great people! Extremely helpful and courteous.
Fantastic experience: Great experience!! Tom and his team were great to work with. Made the classroom lessons fun and even though the start of the pandemic forced my son to complete the last couple lessons online, it was still a great experience. Ryan had Milt as his instructor for his BTW training this summer and really enjoyed working with him too. Highly recommend Deckers Driving Academy.
Fantastic experience: After a very negative experience with another Driving School in the area, Decker's has been nothing but professional, helpful and kind. We have two students currently enrolled in the program. Our oldest son is taking behind the wheel, and our middle son will begin the online classes once he returns from Summer Camp. When teaching your children to drive, I recommend going with the professional and kind driving school, who cares about their students and not just making a quick buck. Decker's is incredible. Highly recommend.
Negative experience: I think you should practice better social distancing, mandatory masks, wiping down of equipment.
Hi Susan, we do keep the social distancing inside the building, wear masks in the car and wipe equipment down in classroom between classes and in cars between drivers. We also have sanitizer in each vehicle and each table in classroom for students to use. Maybe you should stop in some time to check it out. Thanks, Tom Decker
Fantastic experience: Decker's Driving Academy offers the highest quality behind the wheel driving instruction and unique fun style of classroom instruction! Mr. and Mrs. Decker are phenomenal people to work for and the team at Deckers is professional and top notch! I am honored to drive with the Decker's family.
Fantastic experience: Love this place!!! We have sent 2 kids through this school they learned alot! Fair price**** Kids learned alot and are driving safely due to excellent training. If you want a good driving school, this is it!!!
Fantastic experience: Mr.Decker connected with every child on a person level. He made classes fun with games and activities. He gave us tons of tips he learned from driving truck. Mr.Decker was super chill and wanted what was best for the students in the class. He made sure we understood the material and had fun!!
Negative experience: Very unprofessional
Who are you? We do not have a student with the last name of Soppe.
Negative experience: Sorry this is long.... Hello Christy, We did what you requested so I am not sure what you would like us to do? You called us and asked for a refund as your daughter did not want to take drivers education at this time so what did you want us to call you for? Since we had her paperwork and file already made out, we subtracted the $20.00 for the office paperwork that was made out already. If you read the contract when YOU signed up, you would have seen that Decker’s Driving Academy is not required to refund YOU anything according to the State Statue. Your credit card was refunded $400.00, with a note on your refund email per customer request. I can’t help it if you do not check your emails and you never left me a message to call you at any time after the request. My employee said that on Monday you reach out to him to let him know that your daughter could not access her account online, which was cancelled at YOUR request last week. Do you think that I am going to refund you the tuition and still let your daughter continue with instruction free of charge. I really do not know why you are angry with Decker’s Driving Academy as we as a business did as YOU requested with speed and without question on YOUR decision, most people would say “THANK YOU!!!” for refunding their money when the business is not required to refund anything. Most people read the contract BEFORE signing their child up for instruction, so what’s your excuse? Sincerely, Thomas Decker Now would you want to do business with them??
Fantastic experience: Decker came to us highly recommended as a dependable and reputable driving school in our area. We have now had 2 children go through this school and we are more than happy with our experience. Never did myself, my 2 daughters or my husband experience anything but clear and precise communication. Thank you Decker for such a memorable experience. We will use Decker for our next 2 drivers as well.
Negative experience: Our child went to this school and worked directly with Tom Decker. Our child was doing well and one day when they came back, Mr Decker informed me that my child was talking a lot and acting as if they had not taken their meds that day. My child does not take meds and that was a wildly rude and inaccurate accusation. Incredibly unprofessional, no matter how much he boasts about himself and tries to puff his chest.
Hello Pamela, Your son told me that he did not take his ADHD medication and that was the reason he had a hard time focusing. I reached out to you because I have an obligation to point out things that need to be addressed when folks are on medications. Your son Joey took drivers education in 2014 and you decided that you were going to complain 3 years later and never contacted me about anything. Your son was a good driver and I had a concern on that one day because you didn't share with me your son was on medications when driving a car. Did you even let your son try to get his license? I do see him walking a lot as he must work at K and K, I am sorry for caring Pamela Hintz, for your son and to keep the community safe.
Negative experience: Very unprofessional and demeaning to women when concerns are raised.
Hello Beth, how many times are you going to post this? You aren't even a customer as your son at the time was 3. All because you seen one of my drivers on the phone and you wanted me to fire him. So when I told you I would bring up at the next instructors meeting, that wasn't good enough. So you were going to report me to the Better Business Bureau, Wausau PD and Department of Motor Vehicles for …….what? How was I demeaning to you? With all your false claims, their were people responding around the country that wanted me dead! Even your own brother wanted me dead, for what? Saying I would bring this up at the next instructor's meeting? You couldn't even give me a description of the driver or the color of the car, you said it was a dark grey and we run silver cars. I believe I even told you that I found it hard to believe that an instructor was on his phone as we have hands free hook ups. I would like to know your definition of unprofessional and demeaning to women. By the way you told me at the time you worked at the Women's Community Shelter, I called them and they said they never heard of you!!!
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