Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do students need to obtain a permit prior to taking the course, or can they take the course without a permit?


2. What makes your Driving Instructors qualified to teach my child? Any specialized training or schooling?


3. My student does have their permit- But, I am not sure whether the Teen program is better for them or just the private drive lessons. What do you think? What is the big difference in the two?


4. I have been calling around and want to know what makes your business more qualified and what all do you offer?


5. What is the best for my child? A lot of driving practice before they start your teen class or not much drive experience before they start?


6. Can I schedule more than one lesson a week for my student? Why not all 6?


7. If I purchase private drive lessons how long before I can get them scheduled? How long is each lesson?


8. After my student completes their private drive lessons is there any Certificate or something stating that they took the lessons and will that help with insurance?


9. My student is very nervous and scared to get behind the wheel- Are your instructors trained to handle the fear and nervousness from my student?


10. Are your vehicles specially equipped to assist the instructors if my student needs help during a lesson? If so, what special equipment is standard and what is available to accommodate students?


11. Can anyone any age take the Teen program? My student is over 18 yrs. but still attending school, why aren’t they eligible for the discount of $210.00?


12. Can I request one particular instructor and be guaranteed I will always get that instructor?


13. My student just can’t seem to pass the permit test; do you have anything to offer?


14. How long does my student have to complete the Teen program? Why is there a deadline?


15. If my student does not pass the classroom – 80% or more and or the #6 drive test do they still get their Certificate?


16. Can I get a discount as this would be our second child going through your program? Can I receive a discount since I am registering my twins-triplets with you?


17. For my student’s drive lessons, do we have to supply our vehicle for them to take their drive lessons in, or do you use your vehicle?


18. My student missed 2 days in class, what do we do? Do we have to make it up? If they attended the Parent Orientation with me, do they get hours they attended deducted from the missing classroom hours?


19. I have tried and tried to schedule my student for their BTW lessons what if I can’t get them done before the 90 days?


20. What is the difference between teen classes & private lessons?


21. Is there a time frame to complete teen classes?


22. "What is an ODOT approved Class?


23. Is my student required to attend all classes?


24. How many drive lessons a week can I schedule?


25. What is the scheduling process for “Behind-the-Wheel”(BTW) lessons?


26. When can I start scheduling my behind-the-wheel lessons?


27. Is there paperwork to complete?


28. May I schedule more than one lesson a week?


29. The entire calendar for the month is green and shows availability. Why can’t I schedule on those dates?


30. Why can’t I see lessons?


31. Do I have the ability to monitor the progress of my teen’s driving lessons?


32. How may I change the information in my profile?


33. Can I receive reminder notifications of my teen’s driving lessons?
    

1. Do students need to obtain a permit prior to taking the course, or can they take the course without a permit?
   
   • They have to have their permit prior, to taking the course. --TOP
   
   
2. What makes your Driving Instructors qualified to teach my child? Any specialized training?
   
   • All of our instructors are DMV certified and have a minimum of 80 hours of training through Western Oregon State. They receive annual ongoing training and recertification. The President of ODEC is also a certified Master Trainer. --TOP
   
   
3. My student does have their permit- But, I am not sure whether the Teen program is better for them or just the private drive lessons. What do you think? What is the big difference in the two?
   
   • Students under the age of 18 will need to take the both the classroom and BTW prior to licensure unless a parent is going to spend 100 hours practicing with them. The classroom instruction prepares the students for BTW lessons and expands their knowledge of safe driving practices. Your insurance company will likely want to see that your student has completed an ODOT certified course before granting a discount on premiums. --TOP
   
   
4. I have been calling around and want to know what makes your business more qualified and what all do you offer
   
   • ODEC is the largest driving school in Oregon and the only one endorsed by AAA. We are the trusted provider for many school districts including Salem, West Linn, and Portland. --TOP
   
   
5. What is the best for my child? A lot of driving practice before they start your teen class or not much drive experience before they start?
   
   • We recommend enrolling students early in their driving experience. --TOP
   
   
6. Can I schedule more than one lesson a week for my student? Why not all 6?
   
   • We have found that most people like having the flexibility of scheduling their own lessons and students learn best when they are given an opportunity to practice several days between lessons. --TOP
   
   
7. If I purchase private drive lessons how long before I can get them scheduled? How long is each lesson?
   
   • Lessons may be scheduled immediately and are each lesson is 2 hours in length. --TOP
   
   
8. After my student completes their private drive lessons is there any Certificate or something stating that they took the lessons and will that help with insurance?
   
   • Certificates may be issued upon request. --TOP
   
   
9. My student is very nervous and scared to get behind the wheel- Are your instructors trained to handle the fear and nervousness from my student?
   
   • Our lesson plans are designed to progress from simple to complex driving environments. We do not progress to the next level until the student is ready. Throughout the process our instructors maintain a calm disposition and remain in control at all times. --TOP
   
   
10. Are your vehicles specially equipped to assist the instructors if my student needs help during a lesson? If so, what special equipment is standard and what is available to accommodate students?
    
    • All of our vehicles are equipped with a dual control brake.
    • We have the following adaptive equipment:
      • peddle extenders
      • spinner knob
      • left foot accelerator
      • turn signal extension
      • telescoping steering wheels
      • seat belt extenders --TOP
    
    
11. Can anyone any age take the Teen program? My student is over 18 yrs. but still attending school, why aren’t they eligible for the discount of $210.00?
    
    • Since students over the age of 17 are no longer subject to the Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) laws, ODOT does not contribute to the cost of their driver education. --TOP
    
    
12. Can I request one particular instructor and be guaranteed I will always get that instructor?
    
    • Since students schedule their own lessons online, they are free to choose the instructor. --TOP
    
    
13. My student just can’t seem to pass the permit test; do you have anything to offer?
    
    • We offer both individual tutoring as well as an online program at www.permittest.me --TOP
    
    
14. How long does my student have to complete the Teen program? Why is there a deadline?
    
    • Students have up to 90 days from the first day of class to complete their BTW lessons. ODOT requires concurrent instruction between the classroom and BTW lessons. --TOP
    
    
15. If my student does not pass the classroom – 80% or more and or the #6 drive test do they still get their Certificate?
    
    • We provide students with every opportunity to succeed in both the classroom and BTW. Students are given opportunities to do extra credit work and even retake the final exam. In order to pass the driving portion of the course, students must move successfully through all 6 lessons. The drive test during lesson #6 does not determine the success or failure of the student. It helps prepare them for the DMV drive test and reveals areas the students needs to spend more time perfecting. --TOP
    
    
16. Can I get a discount as this would be our second child going through your program? Can I receive a discount since I am registering my twins- triplets with you?
    
    • We do not have a standing policy, but I would be happy to have a manager review your request. --TOP
    
    
17. For my student’s drive lessons, do we have to supply our vehicle for them to take their drive lessons in, or do you use your vehicle?
    
    • We provide the vehicle equipped with a dual control brake.--TOP
    
    
18. My student missed 2 days in class, what do we do? Do we have to make it up? If they attended the Parent Orientation with me, do they get hours they attended deducted from the missing classroom hours?
    
    • In order to qualify for an ODOT certificate, students must attend a minimum of 30 classroom hours. The PSO does count towards those classroom hours.
    • Students may make up time by attending another class. Download the form at:
      http://www.drivereducationcenter.com/makeup.html
      Have the teacher sign that the student was in attendance and then submit the completed form to the office. --TOP
    
    
19. I have tried and tried to schedule my student for their BTW lessons what if I can’t get them done before the 90 days?
    
    • Our staff is available to provide assistance. Please be sure to let us know early in the process if you are having difficulty so we can ensure your success. --TOP
    
    
20. What is the difference between teen classes & private lessons?
    
    • The private lessons are one-on-one driving lessons.
    • Teen classes are ODOT approved and geared for 15 to 17 year olds with a permit, that have not graduated. --TOP
    
    
21. Is there a time frame to complete teen classes?
    
    • Your student has 90 days to complete everything from the date of the first class --TOP
    
    
22. What is an ODOT approved Class?
    
    • Our ODOT approved program consists of two main components.
    • Classroom: Students must successfully complete 30 hours of in-class instruction.
    • Behind-the-wheel (BTW): Students are required to complete 6 hours of drive time with one of our professional instructors and an additional 6 hours of observation time, for a total of 12 hours in-vehicle training. --TOP
    
    
23. Is my student required to attend all classes?
    
    • 30 hours minimum classroom
    • Required 12 hrs in the vehicle = 6 2 hour Drive Lessons   --TOP
    
    
24. How many drive lessons a week can I schedule?
    
    • Your student may schedule one lesson per week.
    • It will take six weeks to complete the driving lessons. --TOP
    
    

Schedule Behind The Wheel Lessons FAQ's

1. What is the scheduling process for “Behind-the-Wheel”(BTW) lessons?
   
   • Answer: You schedule your own lessons on-line on the dates, times, and locations that work best for you.  Begin the scheduling process by visiting our website at www.drivereducationcenter.com. On the left side of our home page, click on “Schedule lessons”, on the center of the next page click on “Schedule BTW Lessons”. The scheduling software page will pop up. Login using your assigned username and password and complete the electronic contract to continue scheduling. --TOP


2. When can I start scheduling my behind-the-wheel lessons?
   
   • Your first behind-the-wheel lesson needs to take place between the 4th and 10th hour of class time. --TOP


3. Is there paperwork to complete?
   
   • Yes, all paperwork is done electronically through our scheduling software; it’s simple and convenient. Select any day on the calendar when you first log in; a green button will appear that reads ODEC Contract, click the button and fill it out.  All required fields are highlighted in red. When you have completed the contract, click save and you are now ready to schedule lessons. --TOP


4. May I schedule more than one lesson a week?
   
   • No.We recommend 7-10 days between lessons to allow enough time for student to practice the driving techniques taught during the previouslesson. --TOP


5. The entire calendar for the month is green and shows availability. Why can’t I schedule on those dates?
   
   • BTW availability is released to the public every Wednesday at 6pm for the following week. Therefore you cannot schedule past that week. --TOP


6. Why can’t I see lessons?
   
   • There are many possible reasons why you may not see lessons.
   • In the top right corner of the scheduling home page, titled “Business”, please make sure Oregon Driver Education Center is selected. You may do this by using the drop-down feature of this fields.
   • All lessons in your area have been taken.
   • Lessons are not available in your area that date.
   • Note: To see more lesson options you can change the location in the drop down box in the upper right corner. --TOP


7. Do I have the ability to monitor the progress of my teen’s driving lessons?
   
   • Yes, you may monitor the progress of your student by logging into the scheduling software. Place your cursor over the “Account” tab and select the “Grades” link below it. You will then be able to read any comments an instructor made regarding the lesson as well as view the grades. --TOP


8. How may I change the information in my profile?
   
   • Log into your account, place your cursor over the “Account” tab, and select the “Modify” link below it. Change the information in the desired fields and click the “Update” button. --TOP


9. Can I receive reminder notifications of my teen’s driving lessons? 
   
   • Yes you can. Log into your account, place your cursor over the “Account” tab and select the “Modify” link below it. In the section titled “Notification Options”, you may choose to receive notifications 5 minutes to 24 hours prior to lesson. You may even choose how you would like the notification: e-mail, text message or both! --TOP