Txt-Drive- FAQs

Here are a few Frequently Asked Questions (plus many others which you may have). If there are any questions which you have, that are not covered here, please contact us!

How much do you charge per hour?

Our driving lesson prices vary depending on how many lessons you book and where you are based. However prices start from JUST £20.00 per hour (Block Booking 10 x 2 HOUR driving lessons as a Student).

If I pay in advance do I get the lessons even cheaper?

Yes if you block book driving lessons (5 or 10 lessons) and pay in advance you can receive upto 12% OFF!!!!!

How many lessons will I need?

The national average (according to the DSA) is 45 hours + 22 hours of private practice, therefore a total of 67 hours!! If you do have access to a car for 22 hours of private practice then the average is 45 hours of driving lessons!! Txt-Drive pupils that pass FIRST TIME require (on average) UNDER 37 hours of driving lessons!!! Most of these pupils DO NOT have the 22 hours of private practice & about half of the pupils DO NOT have any private practice!!!

How long are your driving lessons?

Every driving lesson with Txt-Drive is structured in a way to maximise 'at the wheel' time.
We offer lessons for 1 hour, 1 1/2 hours & also 2 hours.

What length of lesson do you recommend?

We recommend 2 hour driving lessons as this gives you the maximum amount of 'at the wheel' time. The 2 hour lessons are more cost effective for us & we therefore encourage this by offering cheaper rates on 2 hour lessons.

Txt-Drive realises that this option may not be financially viable to some students - we therefore offer 1 hour & 1 1/2 hour lessons.

At the beginning & end of the lessons we have a brief of what we will do in the lesson & also a recap of what we did last lesson (this will reinforce the driving skills you've gained already).
As an example : 2 x ONE hour driving lessons would give you 30 minutes at the wheel per lesson. (60 mins TOTAL) compared to 1 x TWO hour lesson which would give you 90 minutes at the wheel per lesson.

That's about 50% MORE 'at the wheel' experience you are receiving!!! One hour driving lessons just do not give you enough time to practise anything in great depth. This is why we offer a 1 1/2 hour driving lesson - to give you a balance of maximum 'at the wheel' time & affordability.

What areas do you cover?

We cover Bedford and the surrounding areas. Let us know where you are based and we will try our best to come to you!

What car will I learn to drive in?

You will have all your driving lessons in a BRAND NEW BMW Mini ONE (fully signed and fitted with He-Man dual controls).

Will I have the same instructor every lesson?

Yes! Unlike some other driving schools we will not change your driving instructor.

Do you do intensive courses?

Yes we do.

We recognise that some people may have school, work or family commitments which means you want to do the course in a week or two. This is absolutely fine but you need to take into account that you need to pass your Theory Test before you can even apply for a Practical Driving Test! You also need to remember that the waiting times for a Practical Driving Test can be a few weeks (6-8 weeks usually).

You can try to get an earlier Practical Test Date by obtaining a cancelation. This requires phone calls to the DSA or lots of checking on the DSA website for a cancelation date. There is obviously no gurantee you can get a cancelation.

Please contact us with your details so we can discuss the best option for you.

Can I have more than one lesson a week?

Yes! You can have two, three or four lessons (however many you like!). Past students have found the BEST way to learn to drive is to have two driving lessons per week (three at the beginning) REGULARLY. We have found that students who do not have a driving lesson regularly can not retain the skills gained during the previous driving lessons. The key to ALL learning, not just learning to drive, is regular revisiting/practising!!

Do I need to do a theory test?

Yes. You need to pass a Theory Test BEFORE applying for the Practical Test.

Will you give me tuition for my Theory Test?

Well, the answer is yes & no! If you are having difficulty with it then we can try to help you (giving you strategies to remember things). The majority of pupils find they are able set their own revision guidelines for the Theory Test & Hazard Perception Test.

What do I need to practise for my Theory Test?

There are various materials on the market to help you practise for your Theory Test, such as: books, DVDs and CDs. You can get a Txt-Drive Student Pack from us which includes the materials we feel will help you to pass your Theory Test & Hazard Perception Test. We can also provide resources to assist you in between your driving lessons.

Where can I get the CDs, DVDs and books from?

Don't worry we can provide you with a Txt-Drive Student Pack which inlcudes everything needed to practise & pass the Theory Test/Hazard Perception Test. We can also provide you with individual materials, should you own some already.

So what's in the Learner Support Pack?

There are a variety of materials included : DVD-Roms, books, leaflets, booklets...

What is the average pass rate for the driving test?

The National Average pass rate for the practical test is just 43% (this is even LOWER for those who pass first time). The Txt-Drive pass rate is SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER than this!!

What is Txt-Drive's pass rate?

The pass rate, just like other driving instructors & driving schools, constantly changes as people pass & fail their driving test.
First quarter of 2009 the Txt-Drive FIRST TIME pass rate is 86%. Overall FIRST TIME pass rate for Txt-Drive (to April '09) is 77%

What do I need to start driving & when can I start?

Once you have a Provisional License you are ready to start!
Give us a ring on our FREEPHONE number : 0800 8600 983 or contact us via email to see exactly when you can start!

What can I do? I won't have time to get home from: school / college / work before my lesson!

No problem! You can start your lesson from anywhere and finish it anywhere (within reason!). Picked up from school dropped off at work : Picked up from work dropped off at college : Picked up from college dropped off at football training : Picked up from Mum's dropped off at Dad's.......
We understand you may have other commitments which is why we are flexible about where you start/finish your lesson.
Please tell us where the majority of your lessons will be starting/finishing to ensure you pay the correct driving lesson price.

How quickly will I learn/pass?

This is like the old 'how long is a piece of string?' question! EVERYBODY learns a different speeds! Think back to your school days: some people pick things up instantly, some people take a bit longer and some people may take forever! We are pleased that we have NEVER had anyone who we could not teach to drive!
We have taught people in less than one month, 11 lessons in total, (start to finish - including theory & practical test)!!

How do I book a driving lesson?

Give us a call FREE on 0800 8600 983. It will be helpful if you can check your availabilty (days you can/can not do, preferred times etc) BEFORE you call us.