It can be frustrating and nerve-wracking enough to let your teens
drive, but what happens when the driving school you spend good money on
appears to close up for good? As KOB reported Wednesday night, TLC Driving School appears to be out of business.
Students and parents are upset because the driving school appears to have closed without warning. Now the state's threatening to pull its operating license.
Students at Coach Al's Driving School spent the day learning about the dangers of DWI. Al Guadagnoli started the school 17 years ago, and like any of New Mexico's 45 driving schools, he's licensed by the state.
"You fill out a lot of paperwork with the state,” said Guadagnoli. “Once that's passed, you need to get certified, and that's a week course with the state."
KOB asked the state Thursday if driving schools have to do anything to maintain their licenses.
The state said those schools have to apply to renew their license each year. That goes for instructors too.
"We have to do quarterly reports. We send in our paper work. They come out and visit us,” said Guadagnoli. “They do site visits to make sure we're in compliance."
But as Guadagnoli’s seen before, even all that can't stop a driving school from suddenly closing its doors before students have even finished.
"There's been a few schools, and again the good schools - the schools that are doing what they're supposed to do - the state will call us and say, 'People are going to be calling you.' Then I try to fit them in my schedule with my schools.”
Guadagnoli says the state does a great job but could go even further in regulating driving schools.
"I wish the state rated us like they do restaurants because we're dealing with public safety. I think it'd be a positive thing if we were rated. These schools are rated A, these are B and these are C."
We've learned TLC Driving School is owned by a woman named Julia Gonzales.
Just like KOB, the state says it's had no luck getting in touch will her, and will revoke her operating license if she doesn't respond by the end of the month.
Students and parents are upset because the driving school appears to have closed without warning. Now the state's threatening to pull its operating license.
Students at Coach Al's Driving School spent the day learning about the dangers of DWI. Al Guadagnoli started the school 17 years ago, and like any of New Mexico's 45 driving schools, he's licensed by the state.
"You fill out a lot of paperwork with the state,” said Guadagnoli. “Once that's passed, you need to get certified, and that's a week course with the state."
KOB asked the state Thursday if driving schools have to do anything to maintain their licenses.
The state said those schools have to apply to renew their license each year. That goes for instructors too.
"We have to do quarterly reports. We send in our paper work. They come out and visit us,” said Guadagnoli. “They do site visits to make sure we're in compliance."
But as Guadagnoli’s seen before, even all that can't stop a driving school from suddenly closing its doors before students have even finished.
"There's been a few schools, and again the good schools - the schools that are doing what they're supposed to do - the state will call us and say, 'People are going to be calling you.' Then I try to fit them in my schedule with my schools.”
Guadagnoli says the state does a great job but could go even further in regulating driving schools.
"I wish the state rated us like they do restaurants because we're dealing with public safety. I think it'd be a positive thing if we were rated. These schools are rated A, these are B and these are C."
We've learned TLC Driving School is owned by a woman named Julia Gonzales.
Just like KOB, the state says it's had no luck getting in touch will her, and will revoke her operating license if she doesn't respond by the end of the month.
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