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