CREDIT: STEPHANIE LAI
Dennis Raymond (left) and Michael Harrison stand inside the simulator student drivers use during the course.

For late bloomers who got their driver's licences just before entering college, Fanshawe may have an offer you can't refuse.

The college has teamed up with DriveWise, a nationally recognized driving school, to bring Londoners in the east end discounted driving school, complete with a driving simulator.

Yes, simulator.

Michael Harrison, program co-ordinator of Transportation in Continuing Education, felt there was a need for the driving program for youth in the area.

“A lot of young people nowadays aren't getting their licences right away,” said Harrison.

“A lot of kids are coming into Fanshawe, they're starting at 18 or 19 years old, and they may not have their [full] licence.”

“[The program] gives them an opportunity to come here in the evening and/or on weekends and get their driver's [education],” he said. “It's convenient.”

The driver's education program consists of 20 hours of in-class lessons, six of which are in the simulator, and 10 hours of in-car lessons.

“We're the only school in Ontario that's authorized to use the driving simulator,” said Dennis Raymond, owner of DriveWise in London. “They get to do all types of [driving] on the simulator before they get out on the road.”

Harrison said the simulator was purchased from DriveWise corporate, and has actually come in handy not only for driver's education.

“We also do truck simulator training, snow plow, ambulance, fire truck, all of this,” said Harrison. “If the corporate office [gets] a contract like they do with FedEx ... we'll do a pre-evaluation on their driving skills before they get hired.”

Raymond said the simulator is somewhat comparable to driving.

“It's not like driving a real car because the scenery is coming at you instead of you driving into [it],” he said. “But most of the younger people are gamers and are used to that sort of stimulation, so they don't have any issues with it.”

The program isn't aimed just at Fanshawe students; it's open to teenagers in the area. Even international students are welcome.

“We have several international students,” said Raymond. “I had one [on December 10], she's a Fanshawe student who just came here from Beijing ... Very little experience behind the wheel and she's having a hoot on the simulator.”

Raymond said there are no prerequisites to take the course.

“You can take the driver's education course even without having you G1,” he said. “You need a minimum of a G1 to get behind the wheel of a car, but you can come to the class without any prerequisites at all.”

Raymond said the class is fun.

“The in-class portion is all totally interactive. It's a lot more fun, actually,” he said. “We get comments like, ‘I wish the classes were longer. I'm so sad that the course is over.'”

“DriveWise, we dominate in most cities we're in because it's absolutely fun and they learn,” said Raymond.

DriveWise London is offering a $50 discount for all Fanshawe students, college employees and children of employees. In the month of December, an additional $75 discount is being offered. Call 519-719-0438 to register for the first class of 2014, starting January 2.