Man Transforms His Miata into an Income Source by Instructing Shift-Loving Enthusiasts. He Offers Financial Reward for Those Eager to Follow Suit.
The Manual Driving Academy, an innovative online platform for manual driving lessons, is rapidly expanding its services, now offering lessons in 47 metropolitan areas across the country. This unique platform, founded by car enthusiast Ahmed Raza, is revolutionising the way manual driving lessons are delivered.
Unlike traditional driving schools, the Manual Driving Academy selects its instructors through a referral-based process, primarily relying on enthusiast networks and recommendations from existing contractors. Most instructors come from fellow car enthusiasts and local motorsports associations. The selection process also includes a remote interview and a driving record check.
Instructors are required to provide their own vehicles, as the Academy does not have a physical location or fleet of cars. However, the Academy offers commercial insurance coverage for the personal cars used during lessons, providing peace of mind for both instructors and students.
Instructors at the Manual Driving Academy can expect to earn between $50 and $60 per hour, depending on their availability and the demand for lessons in their area. The Academy offers three lesson packages—The Basics, The Standard, and The Works—priced at fixed rates but with variable lesson times depending on the student's learning speed.
The Basics course, which takes 1-2 hours to complete, teaches students to navigate a parking lot. The Standard course, lasting between 1.5 to 3 hours, includes gear shifting techniques, hill starts, and parallel parking. The Works course, which takes 2 to 4 hours, teaches advanced clutch control, including rev-matched down-shifts.
The Manual Driving Academy typically caters to young car enthusiasts between 18 and 34 years old, as well as soon-to-be overseas travelers and military personnel stationed abroad. By operating through contracted local instructors, the Academy is able to scale rapidly without physical infrastructure.
Ahmed Raza, the CEO of the Manual Driving Academy, started the business with the idea of teaching manual driving for extra income. His passion for driving a manual car, particularly his secondhand 2012 NC2 Miata, inspired him to create the Academy. The business initially started as Manual Driving Lessons Houston but later expanded to other cities in Texas and rebranded as the Manual Driving Academy in 2023.
As the Manual Driving Academy continues to grow, it is set to bring the joy of manual driving to even more enthusiasts across the country.
The Manual Driving Academy, despite primarily focusing on manual driving lessons, is now exploring new avenues by offering insights on home-and-garden projects and electric-vehicle maintenance to its driving enthusiast community. As a testament to this lifestyle evolution, the Academy is planning to release a series of videos discussing home improvement tips and electric car maintenance guides. This move aligns with Ahmed Raza's vision, as he contemplates expanding the platform beyond traditional motorsports, stimulating discussions around various automotive interests, and fostering a comprehensive car-lifestyle community.
