Maryland Driving Academy

Review: My son began class on June 28, 2011, with Maryland Driving Academy (MDA). At the time, he had no Learner's Permit and I wanted to find a place to take him from education-to-driver's license. I had been in communications with **. [redacted], President of the company, for a few weeks. Once he completed the in-class education, obtained his Learner's Permit, we scheduled him to take his 6 hrs of on-the-road driving. When the instructor arrived, she mentioned that he was to have had 20 hours of practice driving before he could begin the 6-hr driving. I was not informed of that prior. I contacted **. [redacted] to inform her that we needed to reschedule so that he could work on the 20 hours of practice. I am not a good instructor, so his father was going to do the practice driving, but schedules and personal matters prevented him from a consistent practice schedule until recently. I contacted **. [redacted] in January 2013 because of a conversation I had with friends. I asked **. [redacted] what was her course for if not to teach students how to drive and that I would not have registered with her school if I was made aware that we parents were responsible for teaching them to drive. She and her associate, [redacted], gave me the option to "Do the six hours of on the road instruction, so that your son is comfortable enough with driving, prior to the 20 hour-on-the-road instruction". I agreed to this option and asked for them to schedule the sessions. The email was never returned. Since then, my son has obtained the required driving hours. I contacted MDA, again this month (several times), this time asking to schedule the six hours so that my son can complete all requirements and the certification can be sent to the MVA before his permit expires on July 27. Still no reply. I didn't want to make a case of this, but I will now have to send him to another school to obtain his certification. At this point, I feel that I am at least owed half of the course cost. I have all email communications to/from MDA.Desired Settlement: I paid $315.00 for the full course, which was to include six driving hours, and would like an immediate refund of half the cost; $157.50.

Consumer

Response:

[A default letter is provided here which indicates that the business has not responded to you directly. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]

At this time, I have not been contacted by Maryland Driving Academy regarding complaint ID [redacted].

Regards,

Review: I enrolled my son in their driving school paying $350. He was to get 2 weeks of in-class instruction starting on June 10, 2013 and ending June 21, 2013, following by 6 hours of driving. My son completed the 2 weeks of class and got that certification and a letter to call to schedule the 6 hours of driving. Each time he called there was no answer and there is no answering machine. After a month or so we went back to the school and nobody was there. A SIGN WAS POSTED WITH A DIFFERENT TELEPHONE NUMBER TO CALL for the 6 hours of driving. Again, he called repeatedly and no answer or answering machine. Four months after his in-class insturcution and we still have been unable to contact them.

My son is unable to get his MD driver's license without the 6 hour driving time from the school.Desired Settlement: I would like them to call me ###-###-#### or my son's cellphone ###-###-#### so we can schedule the 6 hours of driving.

Review: My daughter was enrolled as a student in the Maryland Driving Academy. She completed the classroom portion of the course but the school was unable to arrange for a driver to complete her driving/road portion of the course prior to her departure for college this past fall. They arranged for her to complete the driving portion when she returned home from college for Christmas vacation in December. Now we have received an email to cancel those dates with no further explanation as to why. All attempts to contact the Maryland Driving Academy by phone and email have failed. My daughter is now out $ 335.00 and is no closer to obtaining a license than she was prior to enrolling in this course. We would like a full refund in order to obtains the services of another driving school. Sincerely, [redacted]Desired Settlement: Refund of all money paid in order to obtain services from a more reputable company.

Review: My son [redacted] attended the Maryland Driving Academy in June 2012 and passed. He became eligible to do his road driving (6 hrs) in March 2013. We called constantly and it seemed as if we were getting the run around trying to get him scheduled for his sessions. [redacted] was scheduled to finally take his last driving lesson on Sunday May 24th 2013 but the instructor wanted to reschedule for two reason's; 1) He wanted to take a Sunday off and 2) He lead me to believe that [redacted] needed to practice more before going back out and he guaranteed me that he would have him rescheduled within the week of May 25th. That has not happened. My son and I have called the several numbers for the academy and each time have been given dates beyond 30 as the next available to their lack of drivers. This is unacceptable, the last date they game my son on June 14th was July 23rd as the earliest they could complete their obligation. I have called almost everyday and left several messages for [redacted] with the receptionist who insisted that she was forwarding them to him. [redacted] would then attempt to contact me after 9:00 p.m. on at least 2 occasions and as late as after 10:00 p.m yet their advertisement states that your calls will be returned between 3-7pm. I have requested from them a complete refund of the fees paid to them last June within the next 30 days. I have no choice but to find an alternative school for my son to retake his entire 6 hrs @ a cost of $300.00 to me. I have emailed them a request for a refund.Desired Settlement: I am asking for a full refund of my fee. I want the Maryland Driving Academy to refund my fee and to release all of my son's on the road driving information along with his class room results so that he can continue with another organization and then proceed to MVA to take that road test. I do hope that they do not retaliate against me by flunking my son or marking him as imcomplete. Thus making him ineligible to get his liscense in the state of Maryland.