Blog
Notes from the passenger seat
What we see on lessons and hear back after road tests, written down so you don’t have to learn it the hard way.
Trucks and CDL
Getting your first CDL in Ohio: why the school you pick has to be federally registered
First-time CDL applicants in Ohio must finish entry-level driver training with an FMCSA-registered provider before the skills test. What that means when you compare schools.
Seasonal
Winter driving tips for Cleveland
Lake-effect snow, black ice on bridges, braking gently, getting your car ready and what to do in a skid. Practical winter driving tips for Cleveland learners and parents.
Road test
The five things that fail most road tests here
Rolling stops, missed head checks, the cone box, creeping and wide turns. What fails Ohio road tests around Cleveland, and how to fix each one.
For parents
What parents should practice between lessons
A week-by-week plan for the 50 practice hours Ohio asks of teen drivers, from empty lots to night driving, and how to stay calm as the passenger.
Learning to drive
Manual or automatic: what to learn first
Should you learn on a stick shift or an automatic? What we tell students in Cleveland, what each choice costs, and when switching later makes sense.