FAQ

A complete driving course typically takes about 43 lessons, based on the national average. This number can vary depending on several factors, such as the student's aptitude and experience. If you assume one lesson per week, and each lesson lasts an hour, the entire course would take approximately a year to complete. It's important to remember that this is just an estimate, and the actual duration may vary depending on individual progress and learning speed.

Our driving lessons last 60 minutes. Because you don't have to bring other students home, these 60 minutes are also used effectively. For some lesson components it is useful to schedule 90 minutes.

The average number of driving hours required for a driver's license is about 43 (according to CBR research among exam candidates in 2021). The number of driving lessons you need varies for everyone. Not everyone learns at the same pace.

That depends on how busy it is. It is often the case that after the trial lesson you can start within 3 weeks.

You will receive driving lessons in Leiden and surroundings. where you will also do your practical exam.

Yes, that's possible. For example, you can also be picked up from your school or from the station.

You can cancel a scheduled driving lesson free of charge up to 24 hours in advance. This gives us enough time to make another student happy with the available spot.If you cancel within 24 hours before the start of the lesson, we are obliged to charge costs:In case of illness, we charge 50% of the lesson fee. We understand that being ill is beyond your control. At the same time, your instructor remains available and no lesson can be given at that time. The cost of this unused time falls entirely on us. That’s why we share the burden: you pay half, and we cover the other half.If you do not show up without notifying us, we charge the full lesson fee.
In that case, we are obliged to charge costs: in the event of illness, we charge 50% of the lesson fee. We understand that being ill is beyond your control. At the same time, your instructor remains available and no lesson takes place at that time. The cost of this unused time would otherwise fall entirely on us. That’s why we share the burden: you pay half, and we cover the other half. If you fail to show up without notice, we will charge the full lesson fee.

You can make up for a canceled lesson in consultation with your instructor.

Our driving instructors are all motivated to coach their students. We therefore expect you to be just as motivated. If you have not taken any driving lessons for more than a month without prior consultation, you will automatically be placed on the Time-Out list. A new student will then take your spot. After a month, we can no longer keep a weekly time slot reserved for you.This means that if you sign up again, there is a chance you will have to wait until a spot becomes available. Of course, you will have priority over new students who also wish to start their training, but please keep in mind that the waiting period can be up to 3 months. If you do not want to wait, you are free to switch to another driving school. However, prepaid lessons will not be refunded.Note: If you have not taken any driving lessons for more than a year, your remaining lesson credits will expire. Please also see the section “What if I have lessons left over?”.

Your driving lessons are structured according to the RIS method (Driving Training in Steps). The lesson plan is listed on your digital progress/instruction card. On this card, your progress is tracked so you always know exactly where you stand. Through the digital progress card, you can not only see which parts still need to be covered, but also how far you have advanced in each specific part.

You get the same instructor and the same car for every lesson. You also take your exam in the same familiar school car. In case of illness or other special circumstances, it is possible that you will be given a different instructor.

The instructor adjusts the lessons to your learning pace. However, we recommend taking at least one lesson per week. By taking lessons irregularly, your progress will stall — and standing still means no progress.

At Route 71, we don’t work with large lesson packages. You pay per individual driving lesson or choose a bundle of 4 or 8 lessons. After the trial lesson, you can easily purchase lessons yourself via our driving lesson app. Payment is made by invoice and iDEAL, so you remain flexible and only pay for the lessons you actually take.

If you pass your practical exam and still have lessons remaining, the remaining lesson balance will be refunded on a pro-rata basis, minus a €15 administration fee.Haven’t passed yet but decide to stop your driving course? The remaining lessons will remain valid for one year. In case of a temporary break (by agreement), this can be extended up to a maximum of two years.⚠️ If you resume later and the lesson price has increased in the meantime, you will need to pay the difference.Fewer lessons needed than expected? If you end up needing fewer lessons than you had purchased before your practical exam, you will receive a refund for the unused lessons. This will take into account:the number of lessons taken; and whether you were eligible for any bundle discount.

We charge a €15 administration fee for refunds of unused driving lessons because processing a refund involves more work than one might expect. This includes:Calculating the correct refund amount.Verifying the number of lessons taken.Preparing and processing a credit invoice.Communicating with the student and answering any questions.Recording the refund in our accounting system.Accountant fees per invoice/transaction.Bank transaction costs.All in all, processing a refund takes us on average about half an hour and involves direct costs. To distribute these costs fairly, we apply a fixed administration fee of €15. Many driving schools do not even offer this refund option, but we believe transparency and fairness are important — this fee allows us to continue offering this service responsibly.

You are officially allowed to start driving lessons when you turn 16½ years old. You can obtain your theory certificate as early as when you turn 16. Your theory certificate is valid for one and a half years.

Yes, absolutely! We start with a few lessons in which we assess your current level and identify the skills you already master. At Route 71, we use a lesson card so that you and your instructor always have a clear overview of your progress.Since every driving school uses its own lesson plan and explanations, we go through all the components step by step. This ensures that you and your instructor are “speaking the same language.” Please keep in mind that you cannot immediately continue from where you left off at your previous driving school — a proper restart always takes a few lessons, but it ultimately leads to a stronger and more structured learning process.

Yes, that’s possible. In that case, you need to withdraw the authorization of your previous driving school and authorize our driving school instead. You can do this via mijn.cbr.nl. Together with you, we will evaluate why you failed and create a plan for your re-exam.

Yes, the driving course has a fixed structure. You will learn to drive step by step in four modules. During your training, there are four assessment moments, with the last two conducted by a CBR examiner. This ensures you are extra well-prepared for your practical exam. Your instructor works with a personal progress card where you can see exactly how far you have progressed with each specific area and how far you are in the overall driving course.

After failing three times, the driving school may terminate the training. This measure helps to prevent disappointment, unnecessary costs, and frustration. After three exams, it often becomes clear that there are underlying issues and that a different approach or type of guidance is needed. In that case, it is fairer and better for the student to make a fresh start elsewhere. Of course, we always discuss this with you personally and carefully.

Before we can request your interim test or practical exam, we need your consent. For this, we require authorization. You can authorize the driving school through mijn.cbr.nl.

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