GREENFIELD — Liberty Driving School on the Mohawk Trail has closed its doors unexpectedly, leaving current students to fend for themselves with little explanation.
Several attempts by The Recorder to contact the school by phone this week were unsuccessful and the lights were off at the business’ Mohawk Trail location. Signs on the door and windows said the school’s driver had to leave Franklin County unexpectedly to be with family, and it would take longer to hire, train and license a new instructor than to have the Registry of Motor Vehicles take over for those who haven’t completed their driving time.
A similar message posted on the business’ Facebook page said refunds will be given to those who already paid. According to the post, the driving instructor had been the “backbone” of Liberty for six years, and the school had been in Greenfield for 20 years.
Lynne Podlesney said her 16-year-old son, Cody, completed his driving time the Friday before Liberty closed and didn’t find out what happened until she ran into someone at the store who told her.
She said after students complete their driving time and other instruction, the school sends that information to the registry so a road test can be scheduled.
“We did squeak by, holy cow,” she said. “His last driving was that Friday, so they must have sent the stuff to the registry Saturday or Monday before this happened … If that wasn’t done we would have to somehow prove that he had all his driving time, and I have no idea how we would have done that without them to verify it. These kids who weren’t done with their driving, I don’t know what they’re doing.
“It was a very strange situation and I wonder if some people even know yet,” she added.
One parent wrote on Liberty’s Facebook page that her son had only a few hours of driving time left and waited to be picked up at school, but nobody from Liberty showed up or called. Another wrote he would like to get his money back as soon as possible so he can get his daughter into another driving school.
Mark Eaton, owner of Precision Driving School — the only other driving school in Greenfield — said he’s received calls from parents whose children were midway through their instruction at Liberty.
“We’ve been getting calls and we went through the registry just to make sure we handle each situation correctly,” he said. “As people call, we’re helping them out.”
You can reach Aviva Luttrell at: aluttrell@recorder.com
or 413-772-0261, ext. 268
On Twitter: @AvivaLuttrell