Coastline Academy
Coastline Academy is a technology-centric, direct-to-consumer driving school operating in 8 US states, offering online Drivers Ed courses, in-person classroom instruction, and behind-the-wheel lessons. Founded in 2017, it has served over 250,000 students through certified instructors and a proprietary online booking and mobile platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Coastline Academy does
Coastline Academy is a technology-centric driving school founded in 2017 by Nigel Tunnacliffe (CEO) and Matt Harvey, headquartered in North Highlands, California. The company delivers state-approved driver education across eight US states (California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington), offering three primary product lines: online Drivers Ed courses, in-person classroom instruction at roughly a dozen physical locations, and behind-the-wheel driving lessons delivered by certified instructors in company-owned Toyota Corolla Hybrid vehicles. The platform combines a real-time online booking system, digital lesson reports, a student-facing mobile app for drive logging and progress tracking, and free DMV practice tests as top-of-funnel acquisition tools. Every vehicle is equipped with a dual brake and dashcam that records interior and exterior video and audio, which the company is using to train computer-vision models for automated driver coaching.
Coastline operates a direct-to-consumer model with pricing based on one-time payments for lesson packages (commonly three 2-hour lessons) or state-specific online courses, supplemented by affiliate referrals through Impact.com and BNPL financing via Affirm, Klarna, and Afterpay. Its primary customer segment is teen drivers aged 15-18, with adult learners, parents, and traffic-violation defendants as secondary segments. The company has scaled through an aggressive acquisition rollup, having absorbed at least nine independent regional driving schools since inception and rebranding them under the Coastline name, and claims over 250,000 cumulative students served, 100,000+ five-star reviews, BBB A+ accreditation, and an Inc. Magazine ranking as the 6th fastest-growing education company in America.
Coastline Academy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Coastline Academy
- Legal name
- Coastline Academy
- Website
- https://coastlineacademy.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Coastline Academy is a technology-centric, direct-to-consumer driving school operating in 8 US states, offering online Drivers Ed courses, in-person classroom instruction, and behind-the-wheel lessons. Founded in 2017, it has served over 250,000 students through certified instructors and a proprietary online booking and mobile platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Coastline Academy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices13 records
Markets served
Coastline Academy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Behind-the-Wheel Driving Lessons: Hourly driving lessons with certified instructors. Pre-paid packages where customers purchase lesson hours. Most common package includes three 2-hour lessons. Credits valid for 12 months. Additional lessons available for purchase. Refunds available for 6 months from purchase date.
- Online Drivers Education Courses: State-approved online Drivers Ed courses for teens. Includes California Drivers Ed Online, Colorado Drivers Ed Online, Illinois Adult Drivers Ed, Indiana Drivers Ed Online, Nevada Drivers Ed Online, Pennsylvania 6-Hour Teen Drivers Ed, Texas 6-Hour Adult Drivers Ed, Texas 24-Hour Concurrent Drivers Ed, Texas Parent-Taught Drivers Ed.
- Classroom Drivers Education Courses: In-person classroom courses available in Colorado (Littleton, Arvada), Texas (Fort Worth, Mansfield, Richmond), Illinois (Arlington Heights), Washington (multiple locations including Anacortes, Lynnwood, Mount Vernon, Oak Harbor, Poulsbo, Sedro-Woolley, Shoreline). Includes both teen and adult classroom courses.
- Traffic School: California Traffic School - state-approved course for traffic violations with certificate of completion automatically sent upon completion.
- Knowledge Test Administration: Washington State Knowledge Exam administration at multiple locations including Anacortes, Lynnwood, Mount Vernon, Oak Harbor, Poulsbo, Sedro-Woolley, Shoreline. 40 questions, must answer 32 correctly to pass.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Driving Lesson Packages (varies by location) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Single Driving Lessons |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Expired Lesson Credits Renewal |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
Coastline Academy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Coastline Academy is a driving school operating in 8 US states that delivers state-approved online Drivers Ed courses, in-person classroom instruction, and behind-the-wheel driving lessons with certified instructors. The company provides door-to-door behind-the-wheel lessons in company-owned Toyota Corolla Hybrid vehicles equipped with dual brakes and dashcams, along with mobile app support for drive logging and progress tracking.
Product overview
Coastline Academy is a driving school platform offering a comprehensive suite of driver education products across 8 states. The core offerings include Online Drivers Ed Courses (state-approved classroom instruction available for teens and adults in CA, CO, IL, IN, NV, PA, TX, and WA) and Behind-the-Wheel Driving Lessons (in-person instruction with certified instructors in company Toyota Corolla Hybrid vehicles). The product portfolio spans online self-paced courses, in-person classroom instruction, driving lessons with digital lesson reports, free DMV practice tests, and state knowledge exams. The platform includes a mobile app for drive logging, course access, and lesson management. Acquired regional brands include Five-O Driving School (Illinois), and the company operates the first and only national behind-the-wheel driving school program.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Online Drivers Ed Courses State-approved online driver education courses available for teens and adults across California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington. Includes video, images, and text content with DMV certificate issuance upon completion.
- Behind-the-Wheel Driving Lessons In-person driving instruction with certified instructors in company-owned Toyota Corolla Hybrid vehicles. Includes free pickup and dropoff, dual-brake vehicles, dashcam recording, and digital lesson reports emailed after each session.
- California Drivers Ed Online DMV-approved online course for California teens. Earns DMV certificate, includes unlimited practice tests, video/images/text content.
- California Traffic School Online traffic school course for ticket dismissal. DMV and court approved with automatic proof of completion.
- Colorado Drivers Ed Online State-approved online course for Colorado teens to unlock learner's permit. Mobile, tablet, or computer accessible.
- Colorado Classroom Drivers Ed In-person classroom driver education in Littleton and Arvada areas, approved by Colorado DMV with professional instructors.
- Illinois 6-Hour Adult Drivers Ed Course Self-paced online course for Illinois adults 18+ with optional professional behind-the-wheel instruction.
- Illinois Classroom Drivers Ed In-person 30-hour classroom course in Arlington Heights for Illinois teens 15-17, including permit application and behind-the-wheel scheduling.
- Indiana Drivers Ed Online BMV-approved online driver education course for Indiana teens.
- Nevada Drivers Ed Online Nevada DMV-approved online driver education course for new drivers under 18.
- Pennsylvania 6-Hour Teen Drivers Ed Course
Quantifiable outcome
- 98% of students rate their driving lesson with 5-stars
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Coastline Academy
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Coastline Academy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability5 records
Feature6 records
Coastline Academy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Impact.comcoreImpact.com is the affiliate program platform used by Coastline Academy. Partners enroll through Impact.com to earn 5% commission on referred students who complete purchases, with payouts up to $45 depending on package and location.
- Five-O Driving School (Arlington Heights, IL)minorAcquired driving school that joined Coastline Academy. Located at 401 S Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights, IL 60005. Now operates as Coastline Academy Illinois classroom location.
- Driver Training Services (Lansdale, PA)minorAcquired driving school. Owner Bob Gillmer noted: 'Overall I was very pleased with the process and Coastline's attention to detail and the transition team's hard work behind the scenes.'
- Five-O Driving School (Arlington Heights, IL)minorAcquired driving school. Owner William Golden noted: 'Every issue was quickly resolved. You have plenty of time to decide and the process is very smooth.'
- Sam's Driving School (Richmond, TX)minorAcquired driving school. Owner Sam Hamman noted: 'They were very fast and efficient willing to address the concerns and questions from our students and employees. I'm confident our location will continue to be a great addition to the Coastline family.'
- Cantor's Driving School California (Canyon Lake, CA)minorAcquired driving school. Owner Frank Cantor noted: 'Selling Cantor's California to Coastline was a big decision, but the deal was fair and they made the process smooth. The transition was fast - they had my whole team up and running in their system in about a month.'
- Tri Valley Driving School (Cameron Park, CA)minorAcquired driving school. Owner Paul Higgins noted: 'The acquisition team was professional, patient, and answered every question I threw at them. They moved quickly when it mattered and gave me space when I needed to think things through.'
- Alliance Defensive Driving School (Escondido, CA)minorAcquired driving school. Owners Diane & Matt White noted: 'Coastline demonstrated exceptional professionalism, transparency, and integrity throughout the entire acquisition process.'
- Arvada Driving School (Arvada, CO)minorFormerly Arvada Driving School, now Coastline Academy Colorado classroom location at 12850 W 64th Ave, Arvada, CO 80004. 'Arvada Driving School is now Coastline Academy.'
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Coastline Academy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- I Drive Safely: Long-established online traffic school and Drivers Ed provider, one of the largest in the online driver education category. Direct competitor to Coastline's online courses and traffic school offerings, with strong incumbency in court-approved and insurance discount courses.
- Aceable: Leading mobile-first online driver education and Defensive Driving platform serving multiple states. Direct competitor to Coastline's online Drivers Ed and traffic school products, with a strong incumbent share in state-approved digital courses.
- 911 Driving School: Established regional driving school chain operating across multiple US states with classroom and behind-the-wheel instruction. Comparable to Coastline in business model (state-approved courses + in-car lessons) and target customer (teens and adults), serving as a regional scale competitor.
- Safeway Driving School: Multi-state behind-the-wheel driving school chain offering teen and adult driving lessons and classroom instruction. Closely comparable to Coastline in core product (behind-the-wheel) and delivery model, though generally regional in scale rather than national.
- DriversEd.com: One of the largest online driver education providers in the US, offering state-approved Drivers Ed courses for teens and adults. Direct competitor to Coastline's online course portfolio and the dominant digital alternative to Coastline's classroom/online course offering.
- American Safety Council: Online traffic school and driver education provider with a broad state footprint delivering court-approved and insurance discount courses. Direct competitor to Coastline's traffic school and online Drivers Ed business, particularly in Florida and California.
Regional players
- Williams Driving School: Texas-based driving school operating classroom and behind-the-wheel lessons across multiple Texas metro areas. Comparable to Coastline's Texas classroom footprint (Arlington Heights, Fort Worth, Mansfield, Richmond) with similar teen course offerings.
- EZ Driving School: Regional driving school offering teen and adult lessons primarily in select US states, with behind-the-wheel and classroom products. Comparable to Coastline's per-state operating model and regulatory license footprint, though at a smaller regional scale.
Emerging players
- MyImprov: Online traffic school and defensive driving provider with humor-led branding and a strong affiliate-driven acquisition model. Comparable to Coastline's online course/traffic school revenue stream and a relevant benchmark for affiliate-driven CAC efficiency.
Broad incumbents
- National Driving School Network (NDSN / Affiliates): A network and aggregator of US driving schools providing booking and instructor placement services across multiple states. Comparable to Coastline's national footprint and online booking platform, though as a network rather than a directly-operated school brand.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Coastline Academy social profiles
Digital presenceCoastline Academy compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance10 records
Coastline Academy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Coastline Academy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Coastline Academy subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries9 records
Coastline Academy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Coastline Academy M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A2 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Coastline Academy
What does Coastline Academy do?
Coastline Academy is a driving school operating in 8 US states that delivers state-approved online Drivers Ed courses, in-person classroom instruction, and behind-the-wheel driving lessons with certified instructors. The company provides door-to-door behind-the-wheel lessons in company-owned Toyota Corolla Hybrid vehicles equipped with dual brakes and dashcams, along with mobile app support for drive logging and progress tracking.
Is Coastline Academy a public or private company?
Coastline Academy is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Coastline Academy founded?
Coastline Academy was founded in 2017. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Coastline Academy based?
Coastline Academy is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Coastline Academy make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Behind-the-Wheel Driving Lessons are the primary driver. The others are online Drivers Education Courses, classroom Drivers Education Courses, traffic School and knowledge Test Administration.
Who are Coastline Academy's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are I Drive Safely, Aceable, 911 Driving School, Safeway Driving School, DriversEd.com and American Safety Council. Regional players are Williams Driving School and EZ Driving School. MyImprov is listed as an emerging player. National Driving School Network (NDSN / Affiliates) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Coastline Academy have an API?
No public API is recorded for Coastline Academy.