Fresh Green Light Brings Driver's Ed into the 21st Century

Ask anyone who learned to drive within the last 25 years and they'll probably tell you driver's ed was a necessary, yet uneventful, rite of passage. It probably entailed hours of classroom instruction and driving lessons behind the wheel of a beat up 1980's sedan.

However, one new business in Rye is trying to modernize the way people learn to drive.

Fresh Green Light, a driving school that opened on Purchase Street in November, uses enhanced technology and computer instruction as part of its driver training program.

The business is also eco-friendly. It has a small fleet of hybrid cars and uses paperless methods for most of its record keeping and communication. Its building was even constructed out of "green" and recyclable materials. The business has a small staff of three employees and currently has 15 customers.

Owners Steve Mochel and his wife, Laura Schuler, came up with the concept after their now 17-year old son completed driver's ed. Both Mochel and Schuler were unimpressed by the services that most driving schools in Westchester offered.

"Based on what we knew about teen driving, we tried to find the best program that we could for him, and to be honest, we couldn't find it," Mochel said.

"We saw an opportunity for our additional three teenagers, as well as the kids in our community, to create something that reflected what driver education should be like today," Mochel added.

Fresh Green Light offers several services. In addition to using hybrid cars, students learn the rules of the road through driving simulators.

"The main difference between us and a high school driver's ed program is that high school driver's ed is based on a curriculum that was developed in 1948," Mochel said.

The business' modern approach also includes using Smart Board technology for classroom instruction, and using online courses to test the cognitive skills of new drivers. Each hybrid car also has video cameras inside and outside the vehicle. The cameras record driving lessons, so that students and parents get the right feedback.

Diverse Customer Base

The business targets both teen drivers and senior citizens. It also targets foreigners who are learning American driving rules for the first time, and New York City transplants to the Rye area who need a refresher course after only using the subway for transportation.

Louise Finnerty, a Rye resident who was one of Fresh Green Light's first customers, said she brought her son, Will, to the school after being displeased with the services other schools offered.

"It was like Rent-A-Wreck," she said.

Finnerty, who said she's "a nervous backseat driver," thought it would be a good idea for Will to take driving lessons at Fresh Green Light. She said the fact that the business was environmentally-friendly was secondary to its innovative approach to driving.

"I was just impressed with the technology that they had and the quality of their cars," she said. "They have a much better product than other driving schools. It's really good one-stop shopping."

Pam Brettschneider, a Rye Brook mom whose 16-year old son, Austin, also took driving lessons at the school, said she also liked the service.

"I think the simulator piece is smart and fun for the kids," she said. "I also like the fact that after the driving lessons they give technical feedback and suggestions as to what to do with the kids."

Samantha Coughlin, a 16-year old student at Rye Country Day School, said she wasn't initially aware that Fresh Green Light was an eco-conscious business, but liked the hybrid cars.

"I liked driving a hybrid car because my mom drives a hybrid and I appreciated the extra practice—and I'm sure she did as well," Coughlin said. "I feel more confident in my skills behind the wheel because of this program."

Ellie, a 16-year old junior at Rye High School, said the driving simulators were the best part of the program.

"It allows a student to practice driving tactics in a realistic setting without a risk of danger and it reinforces road rules at the same time," said Ellie, who declined to use her last name.

The Cost of Being Eco-Friendly

While Fresh Green Light is innovative, it comes at a price. The operating costs can be more expensive than most driving schools because of the use of hybrid cars and simulators, the online program offerings, and the use of green technology throughout the business' Purchase Street facility.

Mochel said Fresh Green Light's pricing is competitive with other Westchester driving schools, with an average cost of about $65 an hour. The school offers several pricing packages, typically ranging from $250 to $1, 850. The $1,850 package includes four hours of simulator time, fifteen hours of driving lessons, five hours of classroom time and four hours of online cognitive skills training. Other driving schools in Westchester typically charge between $35 and $60 for a 45 to 60 minute lesson.

Though eco-conscious driving schools are more common in Europe than in the U.S, Mochel said he expects the business to be profitable in about four months. He's hoping to expand to neighboring towns in Westchester within the next few years.

"We're not going to be right for everybody, but if you're a parent or an adult who takes driving seriously we're going to be the best option out there for you," Mochel said.