Ride On Driving School

Fantastic experience: I just got my license. Cintya did such a good job at teaching me how to drive and is the nicest person ever. This is the best bay driving school and I highly recommend!!!

Fantastic experience: Exceptional Instructor, Life-Changing Experience! I can't express enough gratitude for Cynthia at Ride on Driving School, who was my instructor. As someone who has always been super paranoid about driving, my initial attempts with my dad only added to the stress. He wasn't the most patient teacher, often resorting to yelling during practice sessions. Enter Cynthia – my saving grace! I took 6-7 classes with her, starting with zero driving experience. Not only did she help me overcome my fears, but her guidance and support were instrumental in me passing my driving exam on the first try. I'm writing this review six months later to share the continued positive impact she's had on my driving journey. Cynthia's calm demeanor and unwavering belief in her students make her stand out. For someone like me, who was terrified of driving, her encouragement was a game-changer. I still remember joking with her about saving my dad's cigarette boxes as stress relief – a testament to the challenging situation I was in. Thanks to Cynthia, I've become a responsible driver, constantly learning and improving my skills. Her support went beyond the basics of driving; it was a holistic experience that boosted my confidence and made me believe in my abilities. If you're looking for a driving instructor who genuinely cares about your success, I wholeheartedly recommend Cynthia. She's not just a teacher; she's a mentor who can transform even the most nervous drivers into confident and responsible individuals. Ride on Driving School is lucky to have her, and so are all the students who get the privilege of learning from her expertise!

Fantastic experience: This is the BEST driving school and Patti is absolutely incredible. I have two teenage drivers. When my older daughter went through this process, we used another school because I believed it didn't make any difference. I was wrong. My younger daughter passed on her first try. Patti is kind, competent and so incredibly good at what she does. I can't say enough good things about her or the school. It's worth every penny.

Fantastic experience: Had Patti as my instructor. I believe she has higher standards than the examiners, but you don't notice it much as she is very friendly and helpful. 10/10

Fantastic experience: This is the best school in the area, I think I tried them all! Cynthia is outstanding, she's a whole different level than the other places I tried. Being a woman and nervous enough about driving, I was only willing to go with a female instructor. Ride On was a little higher priced so I shopped around and tried three other female instructors in the area first, I wasted more money doing that. I found one solo teacher in Albany who seemed well intentioned but a bit lost and had some odd invasive practices, another one from Oakland that was incredibly rude and flat out mean and one from a bigger school who seemed like she'd rather be somewhere else. So turns out you really do get what you pay for with driving lessons. When I called Mark the owner of Ride On I was at wits end, right away I felt better. He's extremely warm and knows his stuff, nice combination. He spent a lot of time answering my questions and he brought up things I hadn't even thought of that actually saved me money and time with DMV and how to prepare for the test. I felt like I'd just been transported to another world where learning driving might actually be a nice experience. My first lesson with Cynthia was soooo good. She has amazing patience and has been an instructor for something like 15 or 20 years. I could really feel that experience. She would catch small details and then give me guidance in a way that lead to immediate improvement. Her calm demeanor and focus gave me the environment I needed and it really started to seem easy. Cynthia encouraged me to practice and gave me a timeline estimate that turned out to be perfect. She would tell me how I could do more outside of the lessons, but I don't have a lot of friends with cars and I just felt so much better with her, so I took extra lessons but the way she teaches I could have probably got what I needed in a few lessons. So the coolest thing of all is that yesterday I actually passed on my first try with only one error!!! I know a lot of people who took many tries so I couldn't believe it. I really doubt that could have happened and so quickly without the great teaching from Cynthia and all the tips and guidance from Mark. I would give ten stars if I could, for sure the highest recommendation for Ride On Driving School!!!

Fantastic experience: Couldn't of asked for any more. Cynthia taught both my teenage daughters and they passed their very first time; a surprise to the driving School and instructor as El Cerrito DMV can be difficult. Mark spent all the time I needed on the phone; I never felt rushed. He answered all my questions and if he didn't know the answer, he would find out and call me back. One of my earlier questions was would my daughters be allowed to use the rear camera and surprisingly the answer was no. I didn't want them to be accustomed to using something not allowed on the test. This place is excellent and instructors have 20+ years experience. You are in good hands either for yourself or teen.

Fantastic experience: Wonderful experience. Took lessons with both Cynthia and Patti, they are friendly, professional and very patient which helped me out a great deal. I was on edge about learning to drive but two people in my circle learned to drive at Ride On and spoke highly of the owner and the instructors. I decided to give them a shot and I would say they exceeded my expectations and it wasn't as hard as I expected. I think that is because Cynthia and Patti are very experienced and just genuinely nice people. Passing the test was a big day for me. Also my confidence is a welcome change from the nerves I was feeling and I didn't think that could change. Thank you everyone at Ride On for all the help!