15 Best Driving Schools in Portland |  Review

Many people are at ease behind the wheel in a variety of circumstances. However, there can be some circumstances where people don’t feel comfortable.

This is why enrolling in a reputable driving school is beneficial. You will receive the direction you require to hone particular skills so that you are at ease operating a vehicle in those specific circumstances as well.

If you’re wondering how to learn to drive a car, you should know that the top driving schools in Portland use cutting-edge training methods and technology today. At these schools, students have access to both theoretical and practical driving instruction.

The information in this article regarding the best driving schools in Portland 2024 is accurate and complete. Read exhaustively!

Table of Contents

Why Attend Driving School?

There are multiple reasons why you have to attend a driving school. Whether the driving schools in Portland or any other in the US. Here are some of the vital reasons you need to know:

Become a more cautious and responsible driver.

You are instructed in various driving techniques as well as the abilities required to drive safely. This assists you in ensuring the safety of everyone else on the road as well as yourself and your vehicle. 

You will be taught how to change lanes safely while travelling through traffic, for instance, when you learn how to grasp a steering wheel. Similar to learning how to shift gears, learning safe braking techniques are part of your training.

You can pick a course that’s right for you.

Every person has various demands, whether they are a novice or seasoned drivers who lack confidence or drivers who want to refresh their abilities and understanding of traffic laws.

So, instruction at reputable driving schools does not take a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, they offer a variety of training courses for various types of drivers.

You will discover the newest laws and regulations.

When you enrol in a driving school to learn how to operate a vehicle, you are also educated about the most recent road rules and regulations updates. 

Consider the most recent update to the Motor Vehicle Act of 1989, which has resulted in important changes.

Learn what to do in various circumstances and situations.

Many people are at ease behind the wheel in a variety of circumstances. However, there can be some circumstances where people don’t feel comfortable. This is when enrolling in a reputable driving school is beneficial. 

For instance, drivers encounter several circumstances on the road. They may go through a mountainous location, deal with rain or fog, or deal with a variety of other challenges on the route. A reputable driving school aids in your preparation for that.

Create Good Driving Habits

Joining a driving school also fosters good driving habits, which cannot always be assured while learning from a friend or relative. The professional instructors at the top driving schools always keep a close eye on your driving and correct any errors or bad habits you may be picking up as you learn.

See Also: 15 Best Nail Tech Schools In Portland | 2024 Requirements

What are The Best Driving Schools in Portland?

List Of The Best Driving Schools In Portland in 2024:

  • 1st Learn To Drive Driving School
  • Horizon Driver Education
  • Western Pacific Truck School
  • Pro Drive Racing School
  • Stick Shift Driving Academy
  • Pacific Driver Education
  • Western Pacific Truck School of Oregon
  • Advantage Driving School
  • Great Northwest Drivers
  • Elite Truck School
  • The Toms Driving School
  • Hammerly’s Great NW Drivers
  • IITR Truck School
  • Oregon Driver Training Institute
  • Confident Driving School

#1. 1st Learn To Drive Driving School

This is one of the excellent driving schools in Portland. To offer experienced and beginning drivers alike top-notch traffic safety instruction, 1st Learn To Drive became established. Its major objective is to instruct you on the principles of driving so that you can drive safely. 

They take pleasure in making sure their customers are aware of the risks associated with driving so that they will desire to become safe drivers. Its goal is to arm you with the information and skills you’ll need to make wise judgments when operating a vehicle in the future.

Their behind-the-wheel training courses are made to assist you in developing the fundamental skills you’ll need to pass your driver’s test as well as enduring abilities.

Visit Here

#2. Horizon Driver Education

This driving school is committed to providing lessons that will help you throughout your entire life. They aim to ensure that you have the healthiest possible beginning to your driving experience, whether you are an adult learning to drive or a youngster learning to drive. 

Being one of the most committed driving schools in Portland, they are available to help drivers return to the road securely and safely. 

New drivers who wish to learn how to drive safely and have fun should take advantage of its Teen and Adult Driving Lessons. You may feel safe and competent behind the wheel as you get ready for the road ahead with the help of its Behind-the-Wheel courses and driver education seminars.

Visit Here

#3. Western Pacific Truck School

One of the most reputable local truck driving schools in Portland and the surrounding areas is this one. They know that enrolling in a trade or technical school is a major life decision. 

They want students to share their enthusiasm for the industry since they are passionate about it. Because of this, they think it’s important to let potential students know that truck driving, like any other vocation, has pros and cons.

Visit Here

#4. Pro Drive Racing School

Pro Drive Racing School is the designated driving school for Portland International Raceway. Established in 1987, Pro Drive provides a variety of driving programs intended to boost a driver’s competence on the road or at a racetrack. This is also common with the best driving schools in Portland.

 Pro Drive is the greatest place to learn to drive in the Pacific Northwest, which offers corporate events, high-performance driving lessons, SkidCar sessions, and an SCCA-accredited racing school.

They have invested more than 20 years in making the Pro Drive Driving School a top provider of driver education and the Pro Drive Racing Team one of the most successful organizations in the Sports Car Club of America.

Visit Here

#5. Stick Shift Driving Academy

This driving school exclusively offers Instruction in stick shift vehicles. You should contact them if you want to understand how to drive an automobile with a manual gearbox. This academy is one of the fastest driving schools in Portland to receive driving instruction.

Your instructor will instruct you how to drive a stick shift in two to four hours and provide you with the car to practice in. 

You’ll discover how to shift up through the gears, balance the clutch and accelerator, parallel park, park in confined spaces, and retain deft foot control.

Visit Here

#6. Pacific Driver Education

This driving school is run and owned by a family. Their qualified driving instructors can show you the fundamentals of driving and the traffic laws and will assist you in developing your confidence behind the wheel on highways, city streets, and rural roads. 

The DMV and the ODOT Transportation Safety Division both have qualified instructors at Pacific Driver Education. Both male and female teachers are employed at the driving school. With an internet-connected device, you can finish an online driver education course from Pacific Driver Education from any location. 

Students at the driving school can be picked up and dropped off without charge. It’s conveniently situated 16.2 miles from Portland’s city centre. Beaverton is also a service area for Pacific Driver Education.

Visit Here

#7. Western Pacific Truck School of Oregon

With sites in Portland, Olympia, Longview, and Centralia, this driving school has provided CDL and truck driver instruction for over 40 years. It is one of the oldest driving schools in Portland.

The Advanced Tractor/Trailer Operating Program, which lasts 160 hours and qualifies students for a Class A CDL and a Class B CDL for straight trucks and passengers, is one of the courses available (40 hours for Oregon certification, 48 hours for Washington).

 This institution boasts a 96 per cent employment rate for graduates in the sector and guarantees to be able to place students in the job market. In reality, prospective students who meet the requirements can sign up to get an “Intent to Hire” letter before enrolling. The option of financing is open to eligible students.

Visit Here

#8. Advantage Driving School

We, as a company, are equipped and knowledgeable enough to manage routine tasks, curriculum, and education.

To best meet your goals, this school offers the option to come in for an assessment of your present abilities during our individualized courses.

In addition to driving lessons, we also provide classroom workshops on a variety of subjects. The topics covered include the usage of reference points and lane position, defensive driving with the zone control system, common driving techniques, highway driving, inclement weather and handling emergency circumstances, and individual driving awareness.

Visit Here

#9. Great Northwest Drivers

There are several options available if you need adult driving lessons. You might need some refresher courses if you’ve been away from driving for a long.

The 2-Lesson Package is appropriate in this situation. You may have recently relocated from another nation or haven’t needed to learn how to drive until now. They would suggest our 8-Lesson Package for you.

The school offers courses in operating automobiles with adaptable equipment for persons with limited mobility. The car we will use for these classes has been modified for ease of accessibility and has an A-1 Monarch brand hand control, which is essentially push/pull, a left-side accelerator, and a “spinning knob.”

Visit Here

#10. Elite Truck School

Are you considering a career as a truck driver? The proprietor identified a demand for qualified CDL truck drivers when he first started the Portland-area truck driving school. 

They provide unmatched service at Elite Truck School. It is one of the great choices of truck driving schools in Portland available for you.

Throughout the truck driving programs, they collaborate with you to give you the required resources and provide support.

They provide top-notch Instruction to help you earn your Class A CDL and ongoing support through their lifetime job placement service. The success percentage in placing graduates in local and long-distance truck driving employment is 96%.

Visit Here

#11. The Toms Driving School

They work with people from all walks of life, regardless of whether you have prior driving experience or need to start your driving career. Toms Driving Academy is here to meet your needs and those of your particular stage of life!

Our professional, dependable, and privately run driving school can benefit any age group. They work under the tenet that each driving lesson should be customized for the learner. Therefore seniors, adults, and teenagers all receive specialized driving instruction.

This is also one of the long-operating driving schools in Portland. They have almost forty years of experience and have been teaching drivers since 1969.

The considerate and accommodating instructors provide you with the best possible driving assistance. The same driving teacher will be assigned to you throughout the entire procedure, ensuring you are at ease while receiving your Instruction.

Visit Here

#12. Hammerly’s Great NW Drivers

This driving school serves the elderly, teenagers, and adults in the Portland region. Additionally, they are experts in teaching manual transmission and driving while using adaptive technology. The price for a single driving lesson is $109 for 90 minutes. 

Customers can also choose from less expensive lesson packages, driving test sessions, and medical driving examinations. The instructors at this family-run company have an average of 23 years of expertise in the field of driving instruction. 

On Yelp, Google, Facebook, and Business Finder, customers have given Hammerly’s Great NW Drivers a perfect five-star rating. Additionally, they have a Better Business Bureau rating of A+. Customers laud the instructors’ kindness, patience, expertise, and creative theme lessons that make learning to drive enjoyable.

Visit Here

#13. IITR Truck School

The only continuously licensed school of its sort in both Washington and Oregon, IITR Truck School was established in 1981 and served the Portland area. The Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training has recognized them, making them the only trucking school in the Pacific Northwest. 

They provide a Class A CDL program that trains new tractor-trailer drivers for safe operation and certification. Day, night, and weekend programs are available for this 160-hour program. Existing drivers can also receive refresher training. 

This is remarked as one of the prestigious driving schools in Portland. Students who successfully finish the program are given lifetime job placement support, provided they routinely update their contact information. IITR has five locations that are easily accessible and have trained more than 20,000 students so far.

Visit Here

#14. Oregon Driver Training Institute

Portland residents who use this institute’s services can learn and practice safe driving. The program’s classroom and on-the-road instruction teach students how to drive safely in all types of traffic and settings. 

The course explores traffic regulations and safe driving practices and teaches students how to safely share the road with other motorists and pedestrians. Every driver, whether a kid or an adult, a novice or an experienced driver, can benefit from the school’s custom programs. 

It also provides private classes for those who prefer one-on-one, practical driving instruction with a private instructor.

Visit Here

Best Driving Schools Closest To Portland in 2024

#15. Confident Driving School

At five accessible sites throughout the Vancouver, Washington, area, this driving school’s Instruction provides driver’s education programs and individualized Instruction for teens and adults. 

These courses help aspiring drivers prepare for the written and driving portions of the Washington state driver’s license exam. Customers have given Confident Driving Instruction a perfect five-star review overall on Yellow Pages and 3.9 out of five stars on Google. 

They have praised the company’s patient instruction, knowledgeable instructors, and reasonable costs.

Visit Here

What Are The Requirements For Driving Schools?

If you want to attend any of the driving schools in Portland, note these requirements:

Why: Most driving schools ask for passports and create forms using passport images. This form will be used as identification whenever you arrive for class.

Accounts of eye exams. For you to learn to drive, your driving instructor at the driving school must be aware of any conditions that call for special safety measures. This will enable them to support you best while you complete your driving school course.

See Also: 21 Best Colleges in Portland | Tuition, Acceptance Rate

How Do I Know A Driving School Is Good For Me?

These factors you should consider before choosing any of the driving schools in Portland can also be universally applied for more satisfactory decision-making:

Conduct Research

Verify the institution’s or course’s authorization by the proper government body; this varies from state to state.

Recognize The Curriculum

There are state-mandated curricula in some states but not in others. Check to determine if the curriculum has been authorized by a nationally renowned group, such as the National Safety Council or American Safety Council, if you reside in a state without a mandatory curriculum.

Check Out The Classroom

Epstein advises visiting physical driving schools to observe their appearance and the tools they employ. How old are the simulators if they have them? Ask if they have textbooks or if the knowledge is provided less formally, inquire about their history.

View The Vehicles

Examine the vehicles’ condition (many curbs have likely struck them) and their markings to see if they are appropriate for student drivers. 

Check to determine if the vehicles have also recently undergone an inspection, as not all states mandate yearly inspections. To ensure that the youngster is appropriately protected, Epstein says that it is a good idea to confirm that the institution has liability insurance.

Learn About The Teachers

“Instructors need to provide a good example for students,” As good teachers, they must be rigorous, but they must also be able to guide a novice. It has a special quality. Not every person is suited for it. Find out how and for how long driving instructors have been employed.

See Also: 10 Best Portland Coding Bootcamps In 2024 | Dates & Application

What Age Do I Enroll In A Driving School in Portland?

Some states in the USA only demand you to be 16 years old to drive, while others demand that you be at least 18 years old.

In Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, and North and South Dakota, you can get a learner’s permit at merely 14 years old.

How Much Does It Cost To Enroll In A Driving School in Portland?

The average price of a driving school differs significantly between states and locations and is influenced by the price of fuel. 

Driving school costs often range from $30 to $180. Actual road training sessions cost $50 to $150 each—the average all-inclusive Package offered by driving schools costs between $200 and $800.

Frequently Asked Questions

In Portland, how many hours of driver’s education are required?

30 hours of classroom instruction must be completed by the students. Students must complete six hours of driving and six hours of observation time with an ODOT-certified instructor during their behind-the-wheel (BTW) training.

In Portland, can a 16-year-old driver have passengers?

Yes, a 16-year-old may have passengers who must not be under the age of 20 except if they are family members. 

In Portland, is driver’s education required?

All new drivers between the ages of 16 and 18 must complete your traffic safety education course, commonly known as your Oregon driver’s ed course, to obtain your learner’s permit.

Does Portland require a written exam for driver’s licenses?

If you are applying for your first license or permit, your permit is from another state (if it is still valid, you are not required to obtain an Oregon permit), or you are applying for a license or permission for the first time, you must take the knowledge test. Your previous Oregon driver’s license is more than two years old.

Conclusion

The core operation of each driving school is the same, but as times change, so do the commercial practices of various organizations. 

Since everything is getting more digital, you should take advantage of any benefits the business provides. One such incredible benefit is the ability to schedule your sessions and even discover your driving instructor virtually, which is a fantastic tool.

After reading this post on the top driving schools in Portland, you are undoubtedly better informed and equipped to choose the finest driving school for you.

References

Recommendations

Godswill is a renowned health and financial coach, business strategist and writer. He has a passion for empowering individuals and businesses to achieve their financial goals. With years of experience in the industry, Godswill has honed expertise in crafting personalized business strategies and financial plans for clients. Whenever he is not talking about business and money, he is talking about health. You can connect with him on any of his social handles.

— Previous article

Dangote Academy Junior Technician Scheme for Young Nigerians

Next article —

How To Become a Certified Health Coach  | Full Step Guide

You May Also Like