John’s path to become a driving instructor evolved naturally. Being a former truck driver in the Lower Mainland, John had years of real-life experience with safe defensive driving. He started with instructing his own children 10 years ago. Both teens became excellent drivers and have driven across Canada without a hitch. John was then approached by his friends. “Do you think you could help my teen with their driving skills? I get too frustrated and my wife is having panic attacks!”

As a former Secondary School Teacher, and a Red-Seal Woodworking Instructor at BCIT, John knows how to stay positive and calm when kids make mistakes. He also knows how to bring out a young person’s confidence in themselves. He became the go-to guy for helping family and friends behind the wheel. A number of friends said, “You have such patience and my kid really enjoyed learning from you – you should become a Driving Instructor!”

Becoming a licensed driving instructor through Joan Wallace, John began his new career at Isle Drive Driving School and received fabulous testimonials. People of all ages commented on Isle Drive’s Google Maps review page:

“Getting your drivers license over the age of 60 yrs is a bit of a daunting challenge…My instructor John was knowledgeable, patient and thorough in all his instructions. He put me at ease, made sure that I was well prepared for my test and was with me every step of the way.”

“I had an amazing experience! My driving instructor John was super calm and helpful, and gave very clear feedback/directions. I would not have passed my test without him. The value of this service is indescribable.”

“I had a lot of bad habits from driving in a different country that needed to be addressed and changed. I had a 90 minute lesson from John and it helped me so much. My confidence soared while my driving became much safer. John was a great instructor, very clear and very kind… It’s made all the difference and I am delighted to be a safe addition to the driving world.“

Encouraged by the high pass rate of his students, along with the gratitude of their parents, John made the decision to strike out on his own and started Fundamentals Defensive Driving School in September 2025.

John is very enthusiastic. “I really enjoy working with people, helping them become safe, defensive drivers. Driving is more complex now than when we grew up. There are more cars, bigger highways, changing speed limits, and more types of street signs. Each of these requires multiple safe driving skills. That is where I come in. Because of my teaching background, my lessons are quite methodical. I break down operating a vehicle into basic skills, which build on each other. It is very satisfying to witness a nervous driver become confident. As well, there are those people who are risk-takers, and they learn through my purposeful stories to be more aware of other drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, changing weather conditions and all sorts of road surprises. I love seeing new drivers progress to the point where defensive driving becomes natural and fun.

“To determine whether a student is ready for the road, I have one simple question. I ask myself, “Would I let my daughter into the passenger seat with this driver?”“