The Philippines – our beloved country whose roads are mostly traversed by motorists who have been informally trained to drive. And while there is really nothing wrong with informal training – say, by the family driver, your dad, or whoever competent friend or family member – more and more people are beginning to embrace the added values associated with formally enrolling in an accredited driving school.
Now, as far as I can remember, the A-1 Driving Company has always been around to educate and enhance the driving skills of wannabe drivers and experienced drivers alike. It does not come as a surprise then, that the company is already celebrating its 34th anniversary this 2011!
What started as the A-1 Driving Academy with a humble two training vehicles (a 1977 Volkswagen and an owner-type jeep) in the Guadalupe Commercial Center back in March 31, 1977, eventually blossomed into a successful company with more than 109 company-owned registration centers nationwide, after a decade of determination and hard work. It was also after these 10 fruitful years that the company decided to shift to its current name, the A-1 Driving Company.
Within 20 years (April 1997), the company inaugurated the country’s very first training center in Pulang Lupa, Las Piñas City. It provided students with sufficient training ground while not having to cruise within the traffic-infested roads of the metropolis. And another 11 years later, the second training center was opened in Sauyo, Quezon City.
Today, the A-1 Driving Company offers at least 150 units of the latest-model training vehicles for students to choose from, and a fine line-up of professional lecturers and driving instructors who possess competent training and experience. The company is proud to present defensive driving lessons, which include: lectures on defensive driving, rules of the road, and preventive maintenance. At the same time they also offer licensing assistance, as well as a professional driving consultancy which includes: driving skills evaluation, basic car maintenance and defensive driving seminars.
In anticipation of its big and upcoming 35th anniversary in 2012, the A-1 Driving Company will be launching its “We Are One In Road Safety” Campaign, which aims to involve everyone – from pedestrians to drivers and passengers – in making our roads a safer place. This is also to support the “Decade of Action for Road Safety” movement that was recently launched.
Big corporations such as Castrol Philippines and Bridgestone Tires have put a lot of effort in helping the A-1 Driving company strengthen their road safety advocacy. They have shown full support for some of A-1 Driving’s special programmes such as their Teenage Driving Programme, Road Safety for Kids, and the recently-launched Women On Wheels Safety and Security Programme.
Today, the A-1 Driving Company continues to be one of the country’s leading driving schools, as attested by the numerous awards and recognitions the company has received over the years. Among them are awards from bodies such as: Superbrands International, the Safety Organization of the Philippines, and the National Safety Council.
For more information on the A-1 Company’s various available courses and services, you may log-on to their website at www.a-1driving.com.