Driving Instructor - IL

Coastline Academy is the largest and fastest-growing driving school in the country, with over 250,000 students taught across seven states since 2017 and more than 100,000 five-star reviews. The mission is to eradicate car crashes by teaching safe, confident drivers for life. This role is based in Arlington Heights, IL.

About the role

You'll sit in the passenger seat of a Coastline vehicle and teach students — primarily teenagers on their first drive, plus adults preparing for road tests — the practical skills they'll use every day. Every Coastline car is company-provided, clearly marked, equipped with a second instructor brake, and inspected by certified mechanics. The company pays for your state driving instructor certification and provides paid training. Every lesson is recorded via dashcam (video and audio, inside and outside the car) for safety. Demand concentrates in afternoons and weekends; a typical day is three two-hour lessons.

Training breakdown (48 hours total)

• 20 hours in-person learning: Fundamentals through in-person modules and readings.
• 20 hours hands-on driving & practical mentorship: Shadow 10 hours of live in-car lessons (ten 1-hour lessons with students) and complete 10 hours of direct coaching with a Certified Trainer (two 5-hour sessions).
• 8 hours classroom observation: Shadow a complete student classroom session.

You will never conduct lessons alone in a car with a student until you are ready.

Responsibilities

• Teach the practical skills of driving, from parking lots to freeway merges.
• Coach students on the rules of the road.
• Build confidence, not just competence.
• Take control of the vehicle when a situation calls for it.
• Document and report on each student's progress.
• Stay in close, timely communication with your supervisor and support team.
• Bring professionalism to every interaction with students and teammates.
• Show up for team meetings, updates, and ongoing development.

Requirements

• A genuine passion for helping people learn.
• Patience — the ability to stay calm and steady while someone learns something hard.
• A strong safety mindset and sound judgment under pressure.
• Clear, direct communication and real coaching instinct.
• The focus to stay present for hours at a time.
• A valid driver's license in the state you want to work in.
• At least 5 years of licensed driving experience.
• High school diploma or GED equivalent.
• Ability to pass a background check, drug screen, and reference check (independent background and drug screens are run on every employee).

Physical requirements

• Sit for prolonged periods in a vehicle.
• See and hear clearly in all weather conditions.
• Bend, stoop, kneel, touch, and feel.
• Lift up to 25 pounds at times.