It’s hard to believe that we are coming to the end of the third year of this global pandemic. Some things have changed, some remain the same.

Three years in, I continue to be a bit of a homebody. Since the outbreak and lockdown, I have only attended one indoor large gathering – a Philly rock concert (Los Campesinos) for my oldest daughter’s 14th birthday this past August. Otherwise, I try to avoid crowds. I’m a single parent to three school-aged children, and certainly don’t want to be the one to bring home the bug. Nor do I want to catch it or spread it if one of them brings it home. So, here are the current precautions I am following.

VACCINATION

I am completely vaccinated. I received my first Moderna shot in March 2021, my second shot in May 2021. I received a booster in December 2021, and another at the beginning of January 2023. I also receive annual flu and pneumonia vaccines. A copy of my CDC vaccination card is below for you to verify. All of my household members are also vaccinated.

Modern Driver Institute actively encourages all students and their families to get vaccinated. The vaccines are free to receive and freely available – most local pharmacies can provide the shot.

SANITATION

The training vehicle, Car 03, is regularly and frequently cleaned and sanitized. The vehicle is equipped with a spray bottle of Adams Interior Car Detailer with Microban . This product is proven to kill Covid-19, as well as other bacteria and viruses, and is safe for all interior car surfaces. You can purchase it for your own car by clicking the link above (Modern Driver will get a small commission from your purchase, so thank you in advance!) The instructor recommends each student wipe down all touch surfaces at the beginning of each lesson.

A bottle of liquid hand sanitizer is equipped in the front cup holder of the training vehicle. Students are encouraged to sanitize their hands whenever they choose. and as often as they like.

VENTILATION

The training vehicle is equipped with a cabin air filter, which is changed regularly. Additionally, the front windows will be open as much as possible given prevailing weather conditions and temperature to facilitate as much fresh air as possible during each drive.

MASKS

All students are encouraged to wear masks if they choose to do so. Unvaccinated students will be required to wear masks.

SYMPTOMS

If you have recently been exposed to Covid-19, please take a home test and consider rescheduling your driving appointment. If you are showing any symptoms, or feel unwell in any way, please cancel your appointment by notifying your instructor. Because of the global pandemic, Modern Driver Institute has suspended financial penalties associated with cancellations without sufficient notice based on illness. We would rather you stay home and get well than keep your appointment and risk spreading the illness further.

First off, some good news. As of mid-May, I was two weeks past my second Covid vaccine shot, which means I am now considered “fully vaccinated”. Hooray! Recently, the CDC has begun to relax mask usage for fully vaccinated people. Modern Driver Institute has updated its own policies as follows:

For students out of high school and over the age of 18: if you are fully vaccinated (two weeks past your second dose of Pfizer or Moderna, or two weeks past your single shot of Johnson and Johnson), please show your CDC vaccination card to your instructor. Upon confirmation, you may drive during your session without a mask. For students under the age of 18 who are still high school students, the Department of Education continues to recommend full mask usage, and so this will be enforced for now, regardless of vaccination status. This may change soon.

Please continue to alert your instructor if you have recently had any covid-like symptoms, or anyone in your household has tested positive for Covid-19.

Also, please be aware that, effective June 1, 2021, Modern Driver Institute prices are changing. This is our first fee increase since 2016, and only the second since we opened doors in 2014. The new prices are listed below:

• Two-hour session fee: $170.00
• Out of service range fee: $30.00 (applied to any student for whom lessons begin and end outside the 25-mile service range).

These increases reflect growing costs involved in providing the exceptional training to which you are accustomed, including increases in fuel costs, insurance fees and maintenance costs for the training vehicle, additional instructor travel time, as well as cost-of-living increases for the instructor.

As has been the rule since we opened in 2014, we do not charge registration or enrollment fees, and we do not practice lesson-sharing – the time you pay for is yours alone.

Fall is nearly upon us!

Just a couple quick updates for all…

First, Modern Driver Institute is open, although Covid-19 restrictions remain in effect. This means all students must wear masks during sessions, and must sanitize all touch surfaces prior to entering the vehicle. Behind-the-wheel training sessions are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis, and availability based upon geography changes weekly. To schedule a session, simply contact us. For now, sessions remain at $150/2-hour session, a price which has not changed since 2016.

All pre-driving permit tutorial sessions are now being conducted online as one-to-one direct video meetings. These are for students having difficulty passing the learner’s permit knowledge test. They are $75.00 for one hour of direct interaction with the instructor. This price has also not changed since 2016. To schedule a session, please enroll as a new student, then contact us to schedule the session.

The driving test is, as of the time of this writing, still being conducted on a modified basis. The driving examiner is currently not allowed inside the vehicle, so the entire test must be done within visual range of the examiner – in most cases, this means the entire test is restricted to a small area of parking lot. There may be stop signs or turns added to the parking lot – pay attention. With the smaller, shorter, modified test course, every point is critical. The test does still begin with parallel parking.

As of this writing, PennDOT has not issued an additional extension for expiration dates, meaning that any learner’s permits which originally expired anytime between March 31 and August 31 have now expired. If this includes you, you will need to visit a DMV near you and have your permit renewed for another year. The fee for this is $5.00. If it has been more than 3 years since you last took the knowledge test and submitted a physical, you will need to do these things again.

Any questions, please contact us. Safe driving!

Modern Driver Institute was recently named “Best of 2018” by the people at Lessons.com.  From the founder, Paul Mazzola: Continue reading Modern Driver Institute Named Best of 2018 by Lessons.com →

This afternoon, I was privileged to be a guest on the Transportation special of “Comment Please”, a local talk show on WNPV AM 1440.  For those who missed it and want to check it out, you can access the podcast of the entire show below.

Yesterday, as I picked up a student at his house for a driving session, I was presented a gift by his little sister.  She had drawn a picture of me with my car at an intersection, complete with traffic lights and stop signs.  I had her sign the drawing and wanted to share it with all of you.

As driving instructors, we don’t only impact our students.  If we’re doing it right, we should leave a lasting impression on family members, including parents and even younger siblings.  I love that this 8-year-old girl, at least for a few minutes, is thinking about traffic and driving.  I hope it’s a passion she keeps for the rest of her life, along with art.

Sophia, when you’re ready to start driving, we’ll count this gift toward your first lesson.