Driving School serving Fargo & West Fargo, North Dakota
Welcome to Varsity Driving Academy for Safe, Professional Behind the Wheel Training
My name is James Saunders, I am a licensed N.D. driving instructor and completed the updated DTS driver instructor training at Minot State University. I have over 40 years of accident free driving record and attribute it to “driving defensively.” The core of Varsity Driving Academy classes is to teach safe, responsible, and defensive driving techniques to students for low risk driving.
The Varsity Driving Academy (VDA) student driver education vehicle is an Audi A6 that carries 5 star safety rating. The Audi A6 is a very SAFE maneuverable vehicle with excellent visibility for passing and merging.
BOOK LESSONS NOW
After school, homeschooled and adult students times available for
FALL 2025
Behind the Wheel lessons
Contact Us For Open Dates, Times and Lesson Spacing 701-261-9799
Road test waivers
(No road test) Contact us for eligibility and to register for online drivers education
DRIVING LESSONS INFO:
Our program will emphasize avoiding distractions, teaching students low risk defensive driving skills and speed control to navigate our multi lane road systems, interchanges as well as one-way streets and residential roads in our metro and surrounding areas. The last lesson will focus on the proper steps to parallel parking, essential for those students taking the state driving test.
The State of North Dakota requires a minimum of six hours of Behind the Wheel training. Students must have valid permit to begin. VDA offers additional training beyond the six required hours if needed. Practice tip sheets for New Drivers are available for practicing before and during lessons. See waiver program info below. Our refund policy after payment is on contract (button lower left side of page). State requires student contract for driving.
- At start of the first lesson I meet with parent(s) or guardians or adult students to go over lesson plans, curriculum, current driving abilities and practice hours.
- All lessons begin at home or school and always end at students home address.
Varsity Driving Academy courses are taught in three sessions, two hours per session. Please contact us for information on lesson spacing, cost and payment information.
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COMPLETION CERTIFICATES FOR ROAD TESTS AND WAIVER ELIGIBILITY:
Students are mailed Certificate of Training when 3 lesson course is completed. The certificate can be used as proof of Behind the Wheel training for the North Dakota driver’s license road test. For a waiver Certificate of Completion (no road test) all students of any age must successfully complete Behind the Wheel lessons.
FOR ROAD TEST WAIVERS : students must complete Behind the Wheel lessons (safe and proficient in all driving skills on the curriculum), have completed the 30 hours of classroom instruction online or at school and if between 14 and 17 years old have held permit for required amount of time. We help register students for the online drivers education course to be eligible for waivers. Please contact us for waiver eligibility info or see road test waiver tab above, extra lessons may be required to meet requirements for road test waivers.
TO BOOK BEHIND THE WHEEL LESSONS:
Please call, text or email ahead for information on available lesson dates and times, and to discuss waiver program or lessons for road test. Lesson spacing depends on driving experience with permit. BOOKING IS ONLY DONE WITH US WHILE ON PHONE AND ONLINE AS DATES FOR LESSONS AND MAKE-UP DATES CHANGE FREQUENTLY.
James Saunders
License Driving Instructor
ND License #105