Best Driving Schools in Portland

Confident Driving Instruction offers driver's education classes and individual instruction for teens and adults at five convenient locations throughout the Vancouver, Wash. area. These programs are designed to prepare aspiring drivers for the Washington state driver's license exam, both written and road test. Confident Driving Instruction has earned a perfect five-star overall customer rating on Yellow Pages and 3.9 out of five stars from Google, with clients praising the patient instruction, experienced teachers, and affordable prices.

Driving 101 is a Clark county driving school. Since 2006, it has been offering classes for teenagers and adults, including distracted driving awareness, drug and alcohol awareness, parking maneuvers, defensive driving simulation, and basic auto mechanics training. Additionally, make-up classes, brush-up courses, and testing for driver’s license are available. Driving 101 has the knowledge exam in 7 languages. Its owner, Nicole Bisconer, has received the Business Leadership Excellence award from the Clark County Target Zero traffic safety task force in 2010.

Hammerly's Great NW Drivers is a Portland-area driving school for adults, teens, and seniors. They also specialize in teaching manual transmission and driving with adaptive equipment. Clients can opt for single driving lessons at a cost of $109 for 90 minutes; discounted lesson packages; driving test sessions; and medical driving evaluations. This family owned and operated business boasts instructors with an average of 23 years of driving education experience. Hammerly's Great NW Drivers has earned a perfect five-star customer rating on Yelp, Google, Facebook, and Business Finder. They also have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. Customers praise their patient, kind, and knowledgeable instruction as well as the innovative themed lessons that make driving education fun.

Horizon Driver Education provides driving lessons for clients in Portland and the surrounding areas. It offers several adult driving classes, including standard, intermediate, advanced, and personalized packages. The courses consist of six to 10 hours of driving lessons to help adults ​learn how to safely and confidently drive. Horizon Driver Education also grants a Drive Test Waiver by The Oregon DMV for students ages 15 to 17 years old who have completed their ODOT-approved driving courses.

Serving the Portland area, IITR Truck School was founded in 1981 and is the only continually licensed school of its kind in both Washington and Oregon. They are also the only trucking school in the Northwest to be accredited by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training. They offer a Class A CDL program, which prepares entry-level tractor-trailer drivers for certification and safe operation. This program lasts 160 hours, and day, night, and weekend classes are available. Refresher training is also available for existing drivers. Once students complete the program, they receive lifelong job placement assistance provided they update their contact information periodically. IITR has trained more than 20,000 students to date, and has five convenient area locations.

Oregon Driver Training Institute helps clients in Portland learn and practice safe driving. Its program includes classroom and behind-the-wheel training that teaches practical knowledge on safe driving in all environments and traffic conditions. The program reviews traffic laws and driving instructions and introduces students to share the road with other drivers and pedestrians safely. The school has tailor-made programs for every driver, teen or adult, first-timers, or refreshers. It also offers private lessons for individuals who prefer one-on-one, hands-on driving experience with a private instructor.

Pacific Driver Education in Portland offers great prices on driver education programs certified by the state Department of Motor Vehicles and Transportation Safety Division. They teach low-risk driving skills and habits statistically proven to prevent car accidents. Teen driving classes include 30 hours of classroom instruction, six weekly two-hour driving lessons, and at least five hours of practice with a parent or guardian. Upon successful completion, the student receives a certificate to waive the Oregon state driver's test. Discounted pricing is available for students who have an Oregon learner's permit, have not yet turned 18, and complete all components of the course within 90 days. Adults can purchase individual driving lessons, lesson packages, or the intro to driving class: eight hours of classroom training, four 90-minute private driving lessons, and a DMV drive test exam. Commercial fleet training is also available.

Founded in the early 1990s, Wake's Driving School is the longest running driver education program in Clark County, Wash. Their classes use innovative technology to teach the Washington State Risk Prevention Curriculum provided by the Washington State Department of Licensing. This school has an open door policy that allows parents to sit in on lessons for new teen drivers. Classes are available for students ages 15 and older. This is also an approved testing site to earn a Washington State driver's license, offering administration of both written and road tests.

Western Pacific Truck School of Oregon has locations in Portland, Olympia, Longview, and Centralia, offering CDL and truck driver training services for more than 40 years. Courses include the Advanced Tractor/Trailer Operating Program, which lasts 160 hours and allows students to earn eligibility for a Class A CDL, as well as a Class B CDL for straight trucks and passengers (40 hours for Oregon certification, 48 hours for Washington). This school guarantees that they are able to place students in the job market and boast a 96 percent rate of graduates employed within the industry. In fact, qualified students can sign up to receive an "Intent to Hire" letter prior to enrollment. Financing is available for qualified students; the program can also be funded through VA benefits, Displaced Workers, NAFTA, Washington Labor & Industries, and Vocational Rehabilitation.