In 1987, Melrose Driving School was born in a small home just down the street from where we are today, off Hudson and Melrose. Founded by two Peruvian immigrants, the school started with one Chevy Nova and one instructor.

What started small grew over time, and in 1992, we moved to the corner of Melrose and Vine, where we’ve been ever since. From there, we’ve continued teaching students throughout Los Angeles — from Santa Monica to Downtown LA, from Sherman Oaks to Mid-City, and everywhere in between.

Along the way, our staff has become an important part of our story, too. Some of our instructors and office team have been with us for decades, building lasting relationships with the students and families we serve.

For nearly four decades, we’ve been part of some very special family moments. We’ve taught parents how to drive, welcomed their teenagers for Driver’s Ed, and years later, watched those same students return with children of their own. In some cases, we’ve taught three generations of the same family.

Over the years, thousands of students have taken our Driver’s Ed classes to prepare for their permit tests. At the end of each class, we gave students their certificates of completion and took a group Polaroid to display on our walls. Though the pictures eventually faded and we no longer display them, former students still come back looking for their old class photos and the familiar faces they remember.

We’ve also been there for countless first driving lessons and drive tests. Sometimes, we arrive at a student’s home to find parents waiting with cameras and phones, ready to capture the moment. When it’s time for the drive test, some families follow along to the DMV, waiting anxiously with our instructors and celebrating when their child passes. We like to think that family photo albums and phone galleries across Los Angeles hold pictures of a nervous teenager behind the wheel for the first time, a proud family celebrating a newly licensed driver, and a Melrose Driving School instructor beside them along the way.

We’ve watched Los Angeles change, from the early 1990s through the pandemic and beyond. We’ve taught students from all walks of life — from families who have called Los Angeles home for generations to those just beginning their journey here. Some of our former students have gone on to become familiar faces themselves, but to us, they’ll always be part of the Melrose Driving School family.

Through it all, we’ve continued helping our students become confident drivers on the busy streets of LA. Driving is a skill our students carry for the rest of their lives — one they use to this day, often every day, as they make their way through the city.

Nearly 40 years later, we’re still here. Still a family business. Still at Melrose and Vine. And still looking forward to teaching the next generation.

From our family to yours, thank you for letting us be part of your journey.