The Cupertino Courier

Community

School where students are driven to be successful

By Erin Hussey

If you learned how to drive in Sunnyvale or Cupertino within the past 30 years, it's likely that the Economic Driving School taught you.

Since its founding in 1978 by Donald Meyer and Donnell Jackson, EDS has helped more than 45,000 California residents obtain driver's licenses.

"Back in the late '70s, the public schools got rid of the driving part of the course, so we started teaching it ourselves to make some extra money and then it started to grow from there," says Meyer.

Today, EDS has close to 25 California certified instructors and offers classes from Gilroy to San Carlos.

"Our biggest draw is we are all school teachers," says Meyer, who has been teaching in the Alum Rock Union Elementary School District for 33 years. "About 80 percent of us are full-time teachers and the other 20 percent are retired."

To become a driver's education/driver's training instructor for EDS, teachers must take 40 hours of classroom training as well as 20 hours of behind-the-wheel training. They also must have a clean driving record.

"It was a little nerve-wracking the first time," says Jacob Jackson, a second-year driving instructor and Donnell's son.

Jackson says he never really envisioned himself teaching driver's training but admits that he and his brothers, as teenagers, were grilled by their father about being good drivers.

"I'm very comfortable doing it now," says Jackson. All of the EDS cars, which are midsize vehicles, are equipped with a passenger side brake and rearview mirror.

"The instructors are mentally driving the car the whole time," says Meyer. "If they need to grab the wheel or step on the brake, they do."

Throughout the company's 30-year history, there have only been a handful of minor fender-benders.

In addition to providing the three-day, two-hour and one-on-one behind-the-wheel driver's training, EDS also offers a four-day, 30-hour driver's education classroom course. The California Department of Motor Vehicles requires that people pass both courses before they can test for their driver's permit/license.

"It's against the law to say that someone is certified to pass the driving test. We can just say they completed the course," says Meyer. "It's up to the student to study and pass the written test and get their permit or pass the driving test and get their license."

Meyer adds that he is always getting positive feedback about EDS, both from its students and teachers. In fact, EDS rarely has to advertise.

"The instructors really enjoy teaching, especially in the car, because it is one-on-one and they really get to see a lot of growth and improvement in the students," says Meyer. "It's my favorite part of the job."

For more information on the Economic Driving School and upcoming driver's education and driver's training courses, visit www.economicdrivingschool.com.