As an adult in my early 20s with almost no driving experience whatsoever, I had an AMAZING time at pioneer valley driving school. My instructor for my lessons and sponsor for my road test was Jon, and he was an absolutely amazing instructor. I was very nervous my first few lessons and he really worked with me to get comfortable driving extremely fast. Within only 4 lessons i was driving on the highway, doing all the manuvers, and learning real world experience. I decided to take 8 lessons before I attempted the road test, and i passed first try! keep in mind i had almost no prior driving experience, so you might not need to take 8 lessons, but every lesson i left feeling more confident in my ability to drive. The other staff besides Jon were always friendly aswell, the front desk lady in particular, Danni was also really friendly and fun to talk to. If i had to recommend a place to a friend it would definitely be PVDS!!! Read Less

I had an excellent experience with this school. As a private student, I had my first lesson with John, who was very patient and later certified me as ready for the road test. However, there were setbacks in my ability to take the road test with the school on the weekend due to changes in directives from the RMV. Unfortunately, I was affected by these changes, but the school's swift resolution left me impressed. With the help of Mary Ellen, a wonderful instructor who is very sweet and considerate, they quickly scheduled my test in Greenfield. Unfortunately, I received a call from an RMV representative just an hour before the test, informing me that it could not proceed in Greenfield and that I needed to either reschedule or take the test in Springfield the same day. I was really worried and anxious by this last-minute cancellation, but Mary Ellen calmed me down and took me to Springfield to take the test. On the way, she patiently guided me through the maneuvers required for the road test. Thanks to her support and last-minute tutorials, I passed my license test on the first attempt and that too in Springfield! She was so sweet and happy for me. She takes the satisfaction of her students seriously and even drooped me home! I highly recommend this driving school. I must say every dollar I spent was absolutely worth it! Read Less

Great experience. I'm a "non-traditional" learner I suppose because I am 29 years old and a Graduate student, but it seems they cater to all types of people. I had Lisa. I can't speak on the other instructors, but she was amazing. She is a superb teacher (doesn't hurt that she has experience as an academic instructor) and knows the rules of the road to a t. She is very organized so she is always prepared to work on a new skill from our last lesson. She clearly has your success in mind. She's stern at times, which is needed since driving is a serious endeavor, but she also has a wonderful personality and has a great sense of humor! Classes were actually fun with her. I passed the exam on my first try because I was well prepared thanks to Lisa. There were no surprises during the Saturday exam with the school. Importantly, she helps you in such a way that you leave the school with not only a license, but a greater sense of confidence in driving and awareness of the incredible importance of driving safely. Thanks! Read Less

The driving training exceeded expectations! The driving test felt like kind of a racket.The instructor I had for lessons was curt and all-business, which worked fine for me. She definitely knew how to teach the skill. Not particularly friendly but not rude. She gives it to you straight, including positive feedback when appropriate. For the test, you can pay a third the cost at the DMV and have better odds of getting a friendly/fair evaluation. PVDS has a couple testers come in from Greenfield I think, and one was famously grumpy & picky. Fortunately I got the other one but she was also not happy to be there. Heads up that the small fleet of cars at PVDS are all the same type of car (small, easy to handle) but at least one is noticeably older, so if you happen to learn on a newer car and test on an old one, it could probably mess a new driver up. Kind of an expensive risk overall.Between the cost, known testers, and the risk of testing on a car you've never driven, I wouldn't recommend taking the test here. They're good teachers and have passable customer service but the test is just a bad deal. If you can swing it, learn to drive here, then test at the Springfield or Greenfield DMV. Read Less

I had a great experience there. First a helpful and pretty girl (Alissa) guided me the best she could. Then my instructors (Len and Lisa) taught me every details about safety and driving tips so meticulously that I went through exam so easily. It seems there had been a callous, rude instructor that they dismissed her, and the poor previous reviews are mostly because of her attitude. In short, I find it very different, with kind and caring instructors; and if you know how to drive safe, be sure you will pass. Read Less

Wonderful staff & owner. Great instructors. Highly recommend. They schedule licensing road tests at the school so people don't have to travel to the RMV & wait weeks for a road test. The school can often pick up students at their school for afterschool lessons. Read Less

Don't take driving test here. They give you less than 5 minutes to prove yourself and in haste you make errors. They fail you and you end up paying a lot of money. They call dozens of people for test on a single day, hence try to finish the test as soon as possible. Not recommendedRead Less

Bottom line: they're not glitzy, but they're solid. I'm pleased. That's the bottom line. More detail:- I watched my son improve markedly and steadily, with their lessons, even though he did not admit that he was learning anything ;-)- Their business manager at the front desk, Alyssa, is brisk but very helpful - helped to make things go smoothly. Honestly, I'm grateful.- The instructors that I met seemed like nice folks. - Taking the driver's test, on the cars that students practiced on, in Amherst, with PVDS easing us through the bureaucracy, was well worth it. (Nice that they have a fleet of hybrids.)- Their support was especially valuable, when the RMV road test examiner entered another dimension of reality, after returning to the parking lot, having completed a perfect test. After we saw my son pull up and stop in front of us, the examiner instructed my son to do a weird maneuver, and then seemed intent on failing him for it; the senior PVDS person, in the back seat, politely opined that it was not an clear request. Weird lecture and scolding ensued, but test was passed! He could not have stood up for himself credibly in this situation, so I appreciate this support. Bottom line: they're not glitzy, but they're solid. I'm pleased. That's the bottom line. Read Less

I failed here and I was pretty sure it was because of unfair road test examiner. I agree with previous reviews that test administrators lie about your driving performance when they fail you. I passed at the other location without taking any practice classes. It’s a scam, would not recommend this driving school to anyone. Read Less

If you can avoid it do.  They basically ripped us off for the entire enrollment, denied us the driver training.   Poor communication, poor customer service, basically they just were a big hassle.  I think they know that people are stuck using them, so they don't care.  But if you do have a choice avoid at all costs Read Less

Tough to compare the quality of driving lessons, without comparing against other companies but my experience has been fair. Did highway driving, parallel parking, 3 point turns etc. Would say the instruction could be a little more organised and better scheduled - of the hour available we spent 30 minutes just driving to the parallel parking spot in UMass. The Prius they use is a little finicky, and not the best to learn on, given some of its unique elements. A more standard car would take less time to get used to, and would remove the confusion when looking for the right buttons and levers.The major negative is the difficulty I've had in communicating and booking a class. Phone typically goes to voicemail, and emails go unanswered for several days, despite follow ups. Read Less

My daughter learned to drive at Pioneer Valley Driving School.  She found the classroom sessions interesting and pertinent to learning to drive safely.  She came home with frequent "Mom,  did you know this about driving?"  And although I've been driving for more than 30 years,  I got new insights into habits that had long ago become automatic.  All our dealings with School employees were positive.  My daughter initially approached driving with timidity,  but her lessons turned her into a safe and confident driver.  All issues were addressed promptly,  and we were always treated with respect and sensitivity.  I felt that the owner was eager to know about problems so they could be corrected.  The road test examiner was not exactly Mr. Personality,  but they are trained and supplied by the by the Registry of Motor Vehicles,  not the driving school.   After the usual number of driving lessons, my daughter approached the test with enough confidence in her skills so that she was unfazed by the gruff demeanor of the  examiner.When we moved from Western Massachusetts,  she handled big city driving congestion like a pro.  I am happy that I entrusted my daughter's driving education to Pioneer Valley Driving School. Read Less