First Route Driving School Ottawa

Negative experience: My first driving instructor was terrible. He was extremely rude and he would yell at me while I was learning how to drive. I can’t learn properly when I’m being yelled at. Then he just disappeared and I didn’t have a driving lesson for months. Finally, I emailed them about it and they reassigned a new driving instructor for me. My second driving instructor was nice at first. He was patient with me when I was learning how to drive. Near the end of my lessons he was getting impatient and rude towards me. He took me to my G2 test and it was his idea to go to Carleton Place for it. He took me and one other student. We practiced the routes in Carleton Place and he would yell at me while I was driving which was stressful and embarrassing considering the other student was sitting in the backseat witnessing me being yelled at. Furthermore, I did not know the roads in Carleton Place which made it even more stressful for me because I had never driven there. All of this stress caused me to fail my G2 test when I could have done better had I not been yelled at and treated like garbage. Next time I go for my G2 test I definitely won’t be bringing any driving instructor with me because I will probably do better by myself. Tired of being yelled at by people who clearly don’t enjoy their job enough.

Negative experience: Driver never showed up for the lesson. I messaged him and no response. I called the center and got no apology. They said they would look into it and "if everything checks out" they would refund my money.

Fantastic experience: A huge thank you to Robert, who had a tremendous impact on passing my G2 test.

Fantastic experience: Due to some sub-optimal planning I had just 3 lessons before my G2 test. I still managed to pass thanks to my instructor.

Negative experience: My son received only 5 hours of in car lessons and still received his certificate showing he had passed the BDE. This means either they are trying to save money by only paying their instructors for 5 hours, not 10, OR the instructor is cheating the company by being paid for 10 hours and only working for 5, OR their tracking system is flawed and they tracked 10 hours, when it was only 5. My issue is that I brought this to their attention and I still received the certificate, with no follow up.

Negative experience: I would have given it zero stars if it wasn’t such a cheap school. The in-car lessons were supposed to be in September, 2023 but the driving instructor did not answer my texts for almost a month. But we did have our first in-car lesson yesterday and I wish we hadn’t. Let me tell you why. I have 0 experience with cars and when he ended up teaching me, I was, as expected, struggling to keep my car straight to the curb (I wasn’t hitting it). I was panicking and stressed because I never handled a car before. The instructor called me a “donkey” and “a special case” for that. I don’t remember paying $600 to be verbally abused by a random guy in my VERY FIRST LESSON. If the instructor is reading this I’m sure he knows who I am. I don’t know if my race has to do anything with that derogatory comment but you are not a properly civilized human being if you call your students a “donkey” in their very first day. Anyway, I do not recommend this school and I will keep this review up until they assign me a new instructor who is a decent human being or reimburse my money. And don’t get me started with the scheduling (or lack-of, that is).

Negative experience: I am not sure if we had a bad luck or others not bothering to put their honest comments when service is not delivered as agreed. in this case, it is unacceptable for a driving school to allow drivers to schedule lessons instead of the main office having a proper coordination with all clients and know who is dong what. The driver did not respect the fact that the student was a minor and the plan should have been communicated to the parents. Even with the child the communication was so poor to the point that days and hours were all mixed up with other clients. The instructor didnt allow student/parents to choose the practices and during lessons. Highway driving is not part of road test but the driver took the student to the highway. Infractions from initial agreement on the pick up and drop off location. Cancellations and delays due to personal matters of instructors. It is main offices responsibility to replace the driver if for any matter the main driver is not committal repeatedly. And the worst was telling student half way of the total lessons that student will pass the test and no need for further lessons. No one from the office has contacted us to explain any of the concerns above.

Fantastic experience: Shah was a great driving instructor. He helped guide me through and explained everything in detail with patience.

Fantastic experience: Very cheap and good quality.

Fantastic experience: I highly recommend Tom for driver classes, I just passed G2 test first time thank you Tom!

Negative experience: First and foremost, the in-car driving test was completed successfully on the first attempt. I would attribute a large part of this success due to the in-car instruction. The online portion of the education was fine. The in-car driving instruction was good, and we were happy that the instructor was able to accommodate picking up and dropping off at different locations. So why was my experience only two stars? 1) Unfortunately, there were was a scheduling issue on one occasion where the instructor had been double booked for an appointment. I was also hoping to have the instructor booked for a final drive on the day of a road test, but ultimately, it didn't happen, even though the test appointment information had been provided months in advance. 2) I had to contact the company several months after completion of the course to issue the certificate and update MTO with the relevant information so that my insurance company would recognize that the course had been successfully completed. This was something that would normally have occurred automatically, but for some reason, it was missed on their part. As a result, I had to pay MTO for a second driver's history report to provide to my insurance company for the driver's education discount to be applied. Not a huge deal, but disappointing when I have to shell out extra money due to their mistake.

Negative experience: Driving instructor had a student stopped in a parking lot. Not at a stop sign and no signal light on. So I assumed the driver was parked. I turned left as I entered the parking lot. The driving instructor proceeded to lean on the horn. When confronted as to why he was stopped along the side of the building when there was no reason to be and then leaned on his horn. The instructor gave a non sensible response and gave me the finger with the student in the car. 1. A driving instructor should clearly understand the rules of the road. 2. Completely unprofessional to give another driver the middle finger with a student in the car.

Fantastic experience: Overall amazing experience. Tom is a great driving instructor, very knowledgeable and makes sure you are prepared for your test.

Fantastic experience: I passed my G2 thanks to Tom! He was patient, a good instructor and he taught me everything I needed to pass!

Fantastic experience: Before beginning my in-car lessons, I had very little driving experience and really lacked confidence. That all changed after just one lesson with Tom! With his professionalism, experience, patience, and excellent instruction, I finally felt that I could achieve my goal of learning to drive. With each lesson I gained even more confidence and quickly learned the skills required to pass my G2 driving test. A huge thank you to Tom and his expertise; he's a natural in this role. Anyone who has this instructor is very fortunate!

Fantastic experience: Got my G2 in first shot, given that I had some past driving experience. Training sessions with Tom were very useful for the test. He pays attention to details which makes difficult manuvers look easy.

Fantastic experience: A very big thank you to Tom, my 16 year old son’s driving instructor!! He enjoyed the experience of learning to drive with him because of his friendliness and professionalism. A great instructor! Highly recommend this driving school, and ask for Tom :)

Fantastic experience: I came into these classes not having any experience in driving at all and although I was a bit sceptical at first I decided to pick this driving school from all the good reviews I saw and it did not disappoint at all. Tom was my instructor and he was very patient and helpful. If you want a driving school that will help you grow as a driving I would really recommend this one and make sure you ask for Tom.

Fantastic experience: I had over 10 hour in car lessons with Tom and they all went well. I was a completely new driver and had no prior experience but with good guidance I was able to get my G2 in my first try. Thank you Tom!

Fantastic experience: Excellent experience classes and guidance from my instructor Tom during all these weeks thanks to him I manage to pass my exam at first try.

Fantastic experience: I took 10 hours in car lessons with Tom. I highly recommend taking this instructor for your driving tests. He is well-informed, very professional, very patient, very kind, very well organized, and teaches everything you need to know to pass the tests. If you want to enjoy the learning experience and guarantee passing your G2 or G tests, I highly suggest Tom as your instructor.

Fantastic experience: If you are looking for a kind and patient driving instructor, look no further. Felt very safe driving, even as a beginner. Having Tom as a driving instructor was a great experience. He explains things very clearly using a whiteboard and examples, and makes sure you understand before moving on. He also took me to my driving test location to explain where to go and what to expect. I passed my G2 road test on my first try - thanks to him! Follow him on Instagram @ottawadrivinginstructortom for more information.

Fantastic experience: I had Tom as a driving instructor. He was very patient,very knowledgeable and makes you feel comfortable while driving.and this is why i got my G2 taday in my first attempt.

Fantastic experience: I passed my G2 road test in first attempt & credit goes to my instructor, Tom.He is best at his job,very polite,patient & makes you feel confident about driving.I would definitely recommend him. Good luck first route driving school.

Fantastic experience: I Passed my G Road Test on the first try by the help of Tom. He is certainly the best to teach all you need to know to pass your road test. I definitely recommend him!!

Fantastic experience: I was able to pass my G2 test on my first try, because of my driving instructor Tom. He was patient, and a very good teacher throughout my entire experience.

Fantastic experience: I passed my G2 road test today on my first attempt. My driving instructor was Tom. He is patient, professional, well-experienced, and very helpful throughout driving sessions. Thank you Tom!

Fantastic experience: I had Tom as my driving instructor. He was very patient, calm and helped me feel confident in my driving. Very knowledgeable and professional and offered flexible hours. If you are looking for an instructor I would definitely recommend lessons from him.

Fantastic experience: Really happy to get my G2 on my second try. All the credit goes to Tom. Really nice guy and an even better instructor!!!

Fantastic experience: I did my lessons with Tom and he really helped me become a better and more confident driver. Highly recommend.

Fantastic experience: I just got my G2 and all the credit goes to Tom. He is an excellent instructor and was very helpful throughout the driving session.Knowledgeable,professional and wants you to succeed, which is very important.Thank you so much Tom and the team.

Fantastic experience: I did my driver's ED with Tom, he is extremely knowledgeable and makes you feel comfortable while driving. I am a very anxious person but Tom made me feel confident in my driving and he's the reason I was able to get my G2. Tom is also very flexible with his schedule and was always able to work around my work schedule to find an ideal time to practice. Thank you Tom and First Route for giving such amazing service!

Fantastic experience: Excellent Driving School. I passed my road test on the first try. Tom is the best instructor for in-car! He is very knowledgeable and make you feel super comfortable. I would highly recommend First Route Driving School

Fantastic experience: I started driving with 0 experiences and was able to get my G2 yesterday. I am so happy & credit must go to my instructor, Tom. He is amazing. He is well organized, patient and kind person. Good luck Tom & First Route Driving School.

Fantastic experience: I had a great experience with Tom. He is so patient and friendly.I got my G2 in first try.

Fantastic experience: Thanks so much FRDS! Our instructor Tom was great, we finished in March! Covid delayed things for G2, and he has been kind answering questions long past our session! Happy customers, will use FRDS for child #2 when the time comes.

Fantastic experience: I had a great experience with first route driving school. My instructor Tom is a great teacher and I felt very confident going into the g2 road test.

Fantastic experience: I did my Beginner Drivers Education course from here and I find my decision very right because the in car instructor Tom was very nice and teached me alot of new things which i never wondered would be rules for driving and because of that I got my G2 in First Attempt.

Fantastic experience: Studied here for my driver's license. The instructor I had, Octavian, is an easy-going, well-informed, and extremely experienced instructor and driver who had an answer to my many questions. Learning from him was fun, enjoyable, and easy, and getting in the car with him felt comfortable and I felt safe even when making mistakes. A really great and informative program and at a great price compared to other local schools.