Basic Package for Insurance Certificate
Critical Skills Package for New Drivers
Premium Packages A to G
Six Hour Insurance Reduction Package

Adaptive Controls for Persons with Physical Disabilities
Method of Payment and Cancellation Charges

BASIC PACKAGE FOR INSURANCE CERTIFICATE

This no frills package includes the bare minimum requirements to get your Class 5 and your insurance certificate. There are no frills and no simulator class. This package is adequate for  people who have had major experience with a dedicated driving coach, but it is NOT recommended for green drivers. Novice drivers should take the Critical Skills Package or even a Premium Package for New Drivers so they can benefit from the Simulator Experience and the extra training/experience. 

CRITICAL SKILLS PACKAGE FOR NEW DRIVERS

The Cadillac of new driver programs, is on sale this fall/winter for an unbelievable $779.00 + GST!  It just doesn’t get any better than this!  The CSP includes a total of 33 hours instruction

The CSP starts with 3 hours of intensive SIMULATOR INSTRUCTION held at the Blue Quill Driver Training Centre. The simulator instruction is followed by the 15 hour CLASSROOM PROGRAM that follows the provincial curriculum for Class 5 driver training. The Class 5 provincial multiple choice exam for the insurance reduction certificate is given upon the completion of this classroom.

All this is followed by 12 hours of private IN-CAR INSTRUCTION, 2 hours more than the provincial recommended minimum. The Critical Skills Package also includes an additional 3 hour class on WINTER DRIVING which may be taken later on if lessons are taken in the summer months.

PREMIUM PACKAGES A to G 

In an ideal world, every new driver would be able to practice at least 3 hours with a driving coach for every hour of in-car with an instructor. No one would ever need to purchase extra lessons and practically everyone would pass the Class 5 road test on the first try.

Unfortunately the responsibilities and pressures of school, work and family take their toll on both the learner and on the driving coach. In spite of the best of intentions, the majority of people do not practice anywhere near as much as they should. They cut corners, argue with their coach and fall short in the number of times they should be practicing Then they feel guilty for not getting as much as they would have liked out of their driver training and wind up spending extra $$$ on failed road tests additional lessons.

Many newcomers to Alberta don’t as yet have any friends to take them out for practice. They need their driver’s licences right away for work but are unable to practice. What to do??

If you are unable or too busy to practice, or if you don't know anyone who can take you out to practice, the Premium Packages may be just what you are looking for.

Premium Packages

• Draw on previous road experiences (if any)
• Provide a solid grounding in the basics gained from simulator / classroom experience
• Have shorter, more frequent lessons to allow for essential repetition
• Are intensely focused on developing habits that will keep you safe for the rest of your driving life!
• Save you $$$! - The more hours of lessons you take, the cheaper the cost per hour.

One hour of focused instruction with a professional Freedom to Drive instructor can be equivalent to 2 or more hours with a well intentioned but inexperienced driving coach!

Premium packages are not for everyone! In order to get maximum benefit you must have the time and energy to devote to a concentrated in-car lesson nearly every day! Be sure you are well rested. No omissions, substitutions or cutting corners are permitted in the Premium Packages. The key here is frequent repetition! It takes unwavering commitment and focused concentration and not everyone may be up for this. If you are not confident that this is for you, you should take the regular New Driver Package and find yourself a committed driving coach for practice.

For all the Premium Packages he rental of the road test vehicle is FREE for as many times as you need to pass (for up to 6 months). You will still have to pay the examiner, however.

It is important to choose the package that is right for you. The idea is that if you have less experience, you require more repetition. Do not lie to yourself about the amount of experience you have had! Do not miss any lessons!

In addition to the regular introductory simulator class, it is recommended that all students taking Premium Packages who need extra help take advantage of the in the Supplemental Simulator Class. At $30.00, the cost per hour is half that of the introductory class.

NOTE: Due to the extremely low cost per hour of in-car instruction in the Premium Packages, once the candidate has earned his or her Class 5, the remaining unused lessons may not be taken at a later date as incidental brush ups.  However any unused lessons may be refunded at the pro-rated cost.

SIX HOUR INSURANCE REDUCTION PACKAGE

This is for people who already have an advanced class 5 and wish to qualify for the government insurance reduction certificate.

This 6 hour package only awards a certificate after the candidate has passed the multiple choice test as well as the advanced Class 5 road test. If the non-GDL candidate opts to take the test for the Probationary Class 5 the certificate is only awarded if 10 hours of in-car are completed and the in-car instructor awards the candidate with a 75% or better grade.

15 hour classroom - Six hours in-car

ADAPTIVE CONTROLS FOR PERSONS WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES

Freedom to Drive is very much in touch with the needs of persons with disabilities. Drew used to be a DATS driver, and Margaret has been disabled for over 20 years.

Our aim is to provide a driver training experience for persons with disabilities that is on par with instruction for non-disabled people. We have adaptations (hand controls, spinner knob, left and right gas and brake adaptations, etc.) that can be added to our training vehicles, as well as to our driving simulators. Other than the adapted vehicle and simulator instruction, everything else is exactly the same as for drivers without disabilities .

Our aim is to make the cost of driver education for persons with disabilities similar to the cost of instruction for students without disabilities.

We teach young physically disabled people who have never driven before, as well as newly disabled adults who now must relearn how to drive with adaptive controls.

Becoming skilled at using vehicular adaptations involves extra practice, training and expertise. Persons with disabilities frequently do not have anyone with whom to practice, so we recommend shorter, more frequent lessons, say 1½ hours in length (instead of the usual 2), so that more lessons may be taken for the same dollar value. Everyone's schedule is different so we will work this out on an individual basis.

People with physical disabilities often require many more hours (up to 30 - 40 hours of in-car training plus up to 100 hours of practice) to master the skills required to earn a class 5. It can also be more difficult to arrange practice in an adapted vehicle in between your lessons. This is where the adapted simulator experience can be of tremendous benefit!

All adapted packages include classroom and simulator instruction. 

Freedom to Drive has THREE packages for instruction with vehicular adaptations for disabilities

ADAPTED PACKAGE 10 - 10 hours of adapted In-car, adapted Simulator, plus Classroom, for $1035.00

Cost of adapted 10 in-car is $52.00 per hour

ADAPTED PACKAGE 20 - 20 hours of adapted In-car, adapted Simulator, plus Classroom, for $1,515.00

Cost of adapted 20 in-car is $50.00 per hour

ADAPTED PACKAGE 30 - 30 hours of adapted In-car, adapted Simulator, plus Classroom, for $1,955.00

Cost of adapted 30 in-car is $48.00 per hour

ADAPTED IN-CAR OUTSIDE OF A PACKAGE

under 10 - $54.00 per hour

10 - 19 - $52.00 per hour

20 - 29 - $50.00 per hour

over 30 - $48.00 per hour 

The only two things that we require from you before we can sign you up for simulator, classroom and driving lessons (besides $$$!), is a class 7 learner's licence (you must pass the multiple choice at a registry), and a letter from your doctor stating that it is medically safe for you to drive.

Remember that pick-up/drop-off is arranged with your driving instructor, and is usually at shopping mall locations. As for any driving instruction, a no-show without 24 hours notice (unless you are sick or have a real emergency) costs one hour of training. We have to pay our drivers for showing up and many other clients could have used the booking time.

For all the Adapted Packages, the rental of the road test vehicle is FREE (a $55.00 value) for as many times as you need to pass (for up to 6 months). You will still have to pay the examiner, however.

METHOD OF PAYMENT AND CANCELLATION CHARGES

Lessons can only be booked after payment has been received . Payments can be made by VISA or Mastercard over the phone. Debit or cash or is also accepted at the Blue Quill Driver Training Centre, which is situated at 382 Saddleback Road, on the southern edge of the mall facing 27th Avenue. Cheques are accepted for non-brush-up lessons. Note that there is a $35.00 service charge for NSF cheques.

Cancellation Charges

We run a very tight schedule and are unable to accommodate last minute changes without inconveniencing other clients!

There will be a charge of $50 for no-shows or for non-emergency cancellations within two days of the in-car lesson.

In any case, for any change or cancellation, there will be a $10 re-booking fee. If you are unsure of your schedule, please phone your individual instructor to double check. Better to make a phone call than to pay a penalty!

If you miss your simulator class without first giving 24 hour notice, you may forfeit the lesson.

There will also be a $50.00 handling charge if you decide to cancel once you have registered and paid for your lessons.

Note: All Freedom To Drive Prices are subject to change without notice and 5% GST.