Local couple Andy and Lisa Harris had never planned to become driving instructors, much less owners of their own driving academy. However, in June 2013, that’s just what they did with Superior Driving Academy, located at 1251 Lexington Avenue. Nearly two successful years later, they are opening a second location in Shelby.
“We never thought of this, you know? We were just praying about the next thing we should do,” said Lisa Harris. She said she used to work as a preschool teacher and her husband, Andy, used to work with individuals with disabilities.
“It’s not that we hated our jobs, they just weren’t what we were called to be,” explained Lisa Harris.
Last year, Superior Driving Academy enrolled around 400 students, motivating the couple to expand their business to an additional location in Shelby, which is slated to open later this month.
“That’s a good start for us,” said Lisa Harris. “We’re not worried about competing with the competition. We really just want to try to turn around the statistic for 16-year-olds.”
The statistic she referenced corresponds with data from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), found in the infographic below.
Driving Stats in the U.S.
They are also searching for additional driving instructors and part-time in-class instructors.
Lisa Harris said Superior Driving Academy structures their program around busy student schedules, allowing the students to finish the instruction as quickly as possible.
“If they miss class, they can make it up whenever they want,” she said.
Their four-hour classes can be taken by students in any order, allowing them to finish the 24-hour in-class instruction on their own time or as quickly as two weeks. Students are also required to log eight hours behind the wheel with an instructor, a service Superior Driving Academy offers.
Superior Driving Academy also offers private instruction for individuals over the age of 18 for $90.
Their rates are $300 per student, but Lisa Harris said students can begin with $100 down. Once the tuition is paid in full, the student is put on the schedule. Students have the option of renting a car for the state exam for $30. Private instruction is offered at $30 per hour.
Discounts are available as well. Some local high schools offer post-cards for $15 off tuition to driving academies. SCRIP also offers an eight percent discount on tuition for Superior Driving Academy. Superior Driving Academy also offers a $25 discount for families with more than one child.
Andy and Lisa Harris work in tandem for their expanding business. They each said they love their jobs because of the opportunity to make a positive impact on young lives.
The behind-the-wheel time for Lisa is the most rewarding, she said. “It’s fun; I love my job. These are the next generation of drivers and I get to steer them in the right direction.”
“The biggest thing that I enjoy is being able to have an impact on young people before they hit adulthood. We’re doing something that is going to affect them for the rest of their lives or as long as they’re driving,” said Andy Harris.
“We never thought of this, you know? We were just praying about the next thing we should do,” said Lisa Harris. She said she used to work as a preschool teacher and her husband, Andy, used to work with individuals with disabilities.
“It’s not that we hated our jobs, they just weren’t what we were called to be,” explained Lisa Harris.
Last year, Superior Driving Academy enrolled around 400 students, motivating the couple to expand their business to an additional location in Shelby, which is slated to open later this month.
“That’s a good start for us,” said Lisa Harris. “We’re not worried about competing with the competition. We really just want to try to turn around the statistic for 16-year-olds.”
The statistic she referenced corresponds with data from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), found in the infographic below.
Driving Stats in the U.S.
They are also searching for additional driving instructors and part-time in-class instructors.
Lisa Harris said Superior Driving Academy structures their program around busy student schedules, allowing the students to finish the instruction as quickly as possible.
“If they miss class, they can make it up whenever they want,” she said.
Their four-hour classes can be taken by students in any order, allowing them to finish the 24-hour in-class instruction on their own time or as quickly as two weeks. Students are also required to log eight hours behind the wheel with an instructor, a service Superior Driving Academy offers.
Superior Driving Academy also offers private instruction for individuals over the age of 18 for $90.
Their rates are $300 per student, but Lisa Harris said students can begin with $100 down. Once the tuition is paid in full, the student is put on the schedule. Students have the option of renting a car for the state exam for $30. Private instruction is offered at $30 per hour.
Discounts are available as well. Some local high schools offer post-cards for $15 off tuition to driving academies. SCRIP also offers an eight percent discount on tuition for Superior Driving Academy. Superior Driving Academy also offers a $25 discount for families with more than one child.
Andy and Lisa Harris work in tandem for their expanding business. They each said they love their jobs because of the opportunity to make a positive impact on young lives.
The behind-the-wheel time for Lisa is the most rewarding, she said. “It’s fun; I love my job. These are the next generation of drivers and I get to steer them in the right direction.”
“The biggest thing that I enjoy is being able to have an impact on young people before they hit adulthood. We’re doing something that is going to affect them for the rest of their lives or as long as they’re driving,” said Andy Harris.
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