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Left:
My fist car; a 1970 Chevy Nova. The photo was taken circa 1975. I've driven a million miles since then. Below A 1931 Bugatti, Type 41 Royale at the Henry Ford Museum, Detroit, MI. Ettore Bugatti only made seven of these. They were 21 feet long, weighed 7,000 lb., and sported a 780 cubic inch straight-eight engine. The radiator cap is an elephant, sculpted by Ettore's brother. 
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2023
I'm entering my 12th year now in this industry. In 2022 alone, I completed well over 300 lessons, which sets a new record for my little business. That number is all the more interesting since I only do this evenings and weekends. I do have a day job career as well but this holds more significance for me, since it's addressing a need and serving the southeast metro community. It's the satisfaction in helping people achieve their goals, and my passion for it that keeps me going. My customers go on to pass the road test and become successful drivers. Much of my business is referrals now, and my name is well known at the test stations. I'm proud of that and plan to continue into 2023 and beyond.
My Background
My name is Dan Vieths (pronounced veets). As a teen, I saw driving as a means of exploration. I drove everywhere, just for the fun of it. Growing up in northern Wisconsin, I had a beautiful landscape to explore, and access to boats, a snowmobile, and my brother's dirt bike. And, once in a while my dad would take us to the gokart track in Spooner. Those experiences shortened my learning curve when I began learning to drive a car. They also became the foundation for my love of driving and the open road.
I'm entering my 12th year now in this industry. In 2022 alone, I completed well over 300 lessons, which sets a new record for my little business. That number is all the more interesting since I only do this evenings and weekends. I do have a day job career as well but this holds more significance for me, since it's addressing a need and serving the southeast metro community. It's the satisfaction in helping people achieve their goals, and my passion for it that keeps me going. My customers go on to pass the road test and become successful drivers. Much of my business is referrals now, and my name is well known at the test stations. I'm proud of that and plan to continue into 2023 and beyond.
My Background
My name is Dan Vieths (pronounced veets). As a teen, I saw driving as a means of exploration. I drove everywhere, just for the fun of it. Growing up in northern Wisconsin, I had a beautiful landscape to explore, and access to boats, a snowmobile, and my brother's dirt bike. And, once in a while my dad would take us to the gokart track in Spooner. Those experiences shortened my learning curve when I began learning to drive a car. They also became the foundation for my love of driving and the open road.
Left: I'm standing at the entrance to the old Packard plant, on East Grand Boulevard in Detroit. Photo is from 2016. The famous skyway in the background collapsed on January 23rd of 2019.
This auto plant complex covers 40 acres. Beautiful Packards were built here, from 1903 through 1956. The exception was during WWII, when they made fighter plane engines. In the mid-fifties, Studebakers were made here as well. Yes, I have a strong interest in history and machines. If it has an engine and moves, I like it.
This auto plant complex covers 40 acres. Beautiful Packards were built here, from 1903 through 1956. The exception was during WWII, when they made fighter plane engines. In the mid-fifties, Studebakers were made here as well. Yes, I have a strong interest in history and machines. If it has an engine and moves, I like it.
I operate my business from Eagan, Minnesota. During the day, I'm in the medical product world, working full time as a technical writer. Evenings and weekends, I teach people to drive. I became certified by the state of Minnesota in 2011. This is an arduous process which includes multiple exams and tests, plus background checks. I began working part time as a behind the wheel instructor at a huge Twin Cities driver ed school. I call these large schools "factory driver ed". I had great success there, but the owner had no idea what it was like to do the behind the wheel work. Nor did he care. He was focused instead on his shekels, fretting that I was stopping at home to let the dog out (I don't have a dog). After a few years of this drama and shady payroll stunts, I left to do my own thing. No more drama; just the satisfaction of teaching people to drive. My business is small but I help many people each year, and do it my way.
Road Master Driving School was launched in May of 2014. Hundreds of my former students are safely plying the roads today. This equates to a sense of accomplishment unequaled in my daytime career. I feel strongly a behind the wheel instructor must approach the role with a combination of patience, understanding, empathy, and an aura of servitude. This approach has facilitated a high success rate for me. My business is very small but I'm proud of this success.
Vetting: My name and reputation are out there, not just in Dakota County but all over the south metro. Other driving schools and a couple high schools now send new students to me if they can't accommodate them. The test station examiners have a longstanding familiarity with with my name as well and know the standards I aspire to. That speaks volumes. If you need references, let me know. You can look at my drivers license, as one parent did, but that isn't vetting anything.
Road Master Driving School was launched in May of 2014. Hundreds of my former students are safely plying the roads today. This equates to a sense of accomplishment unequaled in my daytime career. I feel strongly a behind the wheel instructor must approach the role with a combination of patience, understanding, empathy, and an aura of servitude. This approach has facilitated a high success rate for me. My business is very small but I'm proud of this success.
Vetting: My name and reputation are out there, not just in Dakota County but all over the south metro. Other driving schools and a couple high schools now send new students to me if they can't accommodate them. The test station examiners have a longstanding familiarity with with my name as well and know the standards I aspire to. That speaks volumes. If you need references, let me know. You can look at my drivers license, as one parent did, but that isn't vetting anything.
This is a '59 Corvette. I spotted it for sale on County 46 near Hastings, during a student lesson. I had to go back and take a look and fortunately, the owner let me get in and dream a bit. He's asking $70k, as of 7/23/23. It's a "survivor", as they say in the classic car circles. Well preserved, with a nice coat of enamel that has aged well. All original Chevrolet parts, convertible with power top, 283 cubic inch V8 with dual exhaust, electric windows, and 3-speed manual transmission.
This beautiful '81 Corvette belongs to a friend. Wish I had one.
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One of my students let me drive her 2016 S Class Mercedes.
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Current Status
I continue to do this work, because I'm making a difference and still have passion for it. I'm the founder, owner, and instructor. I'm mom and pop without the mom, in other words. I don't advertise. Some find me on the net, but much of my business is referrals. My forte is nervous teens and adults who are relative newcomers to driving. There are many cases where I've taken a raw student (zero experience) and had them on the freeway within two hours. I can help almost anyone who seeks me out.
Instruction Philosophy
The massive factory-style driver ed schools often use lesson plans they found on the internet somewhere. I don't have to follow stipulations set by someone sitting in an office. I have a general curriculum outline but I spend time on the skills commensurate with safe driving and survival in any environment. My approach is somewhat relaxed but fully engaged. There's frequent discussion about awareness of surroundings, intersections, steering wheel handling, lane changes and more, all interspersed among the two hours per lesson. I tend to stress interactions with other vehicles in active, dynamic metro traffic. My experience leads me to believe this is where the vast majority of need lies. This is where the multitasking comes into play. Navigating intersections, lane changes, and leveraging mirrors to keep an eye on other drivers, how to finesse the gas and brake . . . all these skills add up to create a good driver. And then there's parallel parking and 90 degree backing. Unlike other schools, I touch on that each of the three lessons, so the student can master them instead of just being introduced to them. One could say then, that I teach to create a safe, competent driver but at the same time, I also teach to the test.
Interactions in the Car
This is aimed primarily at teens. I put my heart into this. I talk quite a bit in the car because I care about my students and I have some passion for this. If you already know it all, if you must talk over me, if you're bored, or if you want to argue about everything, just go somewhere else. Go to a big factory driver ed school and you'll flow through their system like a frozen pizza on the production line. I am here to help people who want to train. Every year I get one or two malcontents, and then later the parents are flummoxed as to why Johnny failed the road test. Moral of the story: be happy and grateful, try hard, and be a sponge. If you do that, we'll have fun and you'll succeed.
I continue to do this work, because I'm making a difference and still have passion for it. I'm the founder, owner, and instructor. I'm mom and pop without the mom, in other words. I don't advertise. Some find me on the net, but much of my business is referrals. My forte is nervous teens and adults who are relative newcomers to driving. There are many cases where I've taken a raw student (zero experience) and had them on the freeway within two hours. I can help almost anyone who seeks me out.
Instruction Philosophy
The massive factory-style driver ed schools often use lesson plans they found on the internet somewhere. I don't have to follow stipulations set by someone sitting in an office. I have a general curriculum outline but I spend time on the skills commensurate with safe driving and survival in any environment. My approach is somewhat relaxed but fully engaged. There's frequent discussion about awareness of surroundings, intersections, steering wheel handling, lane changes and more, all interspersed among the two hours per lesson. I tend to stress interactions with other vehicles in active, dynamic metro traffic. My experience leads me to believe this is where the vast majority of need lies. This is where the multitasking comes into play. Navigating intersections, lane changes, and leveraging mirrors to keep an eye on other drivers, how to finesse the gas and brake . . . all these skills add up to create a good driver. And then there's parallel parking and 90 degree backing. Unlike other schools, I touch on that each of the three lessons, so the student can master them instead of just being introduced to them. One could say then, that I teach to create a safe, competent driver but at the same time, I also teach to the test.
Interactions in the Car
This is aimed primarily at teens. I put my heart into this. I talk quite a bit in the car because I care about my students and I have some passion for this. If you already know it all, if you must talk over me, if you're bored, or if you want to argue about everything, just go somewhere else. Go to a big factory driver ed school and you'll flow through their system like a frozen pizza on the production line. I am here to help people who want to train. Every year I get one or two malcontents, and then later the parents are flummoxed as to why Johnny failed the road test. Moral of the story: be happy and grateful, try hard, and be a sponge. If you do that, we'll have fun and you'll succeed.
In Recognition
I'll never forget my high school driver ed instructor. He had the right attitude. Do your best and use your skills to serve the community.
Here's to Harry Lindemann, 1928-2017. Photo courtesy of Cumberland High School, Cumberland, WI.
I'll never forget my high school driver ed instructor. He had the right attitude. Do your best and use your skills to serve the community.
Here's to Harry Lindemann, 1928-2017. Photo courtesy of Cumberland High School, Cumberland, WI.
In Memorium
We all stand on foundations built by those who came before us. This is my ode to Reinold Vieths, 1903-1971. Lover of fancy cars, firecrackers, and poetry. The only customer in GM history to order a Chevy Caprice with a stick shift. Obtained an FCC license and built his own radio station. Served the Rushford-Peterson school district for 20 years as superintendent. Recipient of WCCO Radio's Good Neighbor award.
And . . . driver ed instructor.
We all stand on foundations built by those who came before us. This is my ode to Reinold Vieths, 1903-1971. Lover of fancy cars, firecrackers, and poetry. The only customer in GM history to order a Chevy Caprice with a stick shift. Obtained an FCC license and built his own radio station. Served the Rushford-Peterson school district for 20 years as superintendent. Recipient of WCCO Radio's Good Neighbor award.
And . . . driver ed instructor.