About
Us
Mark and Debbie Prudhomme founded
Training Wheels Driver Education in 1996. Since
then Training Wheels has been a front-line leader
in novice driver education, having been the first
driving school in Minnesota to offer a parent
component, a nationally acclaimed Victims Impact
Panel for Teens, and the Skid Monster Drive Session.
We have trained over 40,000 teens using these
methods and we believe we are making difference!
Our customers and crash statistics help confirm
it.
Building on this decade-long proven track record,
Training Wheels partners with six community education
departments and is most proud of their relationship
with AAA Minneapolis, who leads many of the nation’s
most important traffic safety initiatives. With
free standing classrooms in Rogers, New Hope,
Maple Grove and in North Branch there are convenient
locations for just about everyone. These partnerships
offer a WIN-WIN for all: school districts, the
driving school, and most importantly – the novice
teen driver. Our most important partnership is
the one created with our teen drivers and their
parents. This driver ed program builds on that
partnership through comprehensive educational
curriculum, designed to develop safe and skillful
novice drivers, able to navigate our transportation
system.
We also are a franchise system which allowed
Mark and Debbie to work with dedicated people
like Dave Beranek, Sr. and Dave Beranek, Jr. to
offer services in New Hope and Rogers, and the
Robbinsdale School District.
This team is at work for you, giving back to
communities through providing fees to community
education departments (over $75,000 in 2006 alone)
and being part of some of Minnesota’s most important
legislative initiatives such as Graduated Drivers
Licensing provisions and Primary and Child Passenger
Safety Seat coalitions. Graduated Drivers Licensing,
alcohol, and cell phone issues. Please see for
yourself and check out our Schedule of classes
in Minnesota.
Awards and Recognition
What Sets Us Apart from other Traffic Safety Programs?
We have consistently been the leader for improving
drivers education in Minnesota.
Some of Mark and Deb’s accomplishments and awards
pay off in a better driver education experience:
Regularly featured on local media as traffic
safety specialist
Cathy Hensel Woman of the Year 2005 Award winner
from DSAA
Founded the Association for Professional Driving
Instructors of Minnesota (APDIM), 1997
APDIM President, 1997-1999
APDIM Vice President, 1999-present
APDIM Legislative Liaison, 1997-present
APDIM Board member, 2001-present
Safe Dakota Coalition member, (a Minnesota Safe
Community project) 2006-present
Founding member of Safe Chicago Coalition, (a
Minnesota Safe Community project) 2007-
Central Vice President, Driving School Association
of the Americas, 2003-present
Driving School Association of the Americas (DSAA)
member, 1996-present
DSAA Board of Directors member, 1999-
DSAA Legislative Committee Chair, 2003-present
Presenter at DSAA National Meeting, 1999 and 2004,
2005, 2006
Presenter at Idaho Association for Driving Business
annual meeting, April 2006
Director of Religious Education, Sacred Heart
Parish, Sacred Heart, MN 2006-present
Minnesota Legislative testimony given on traffic
safety issues 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003,
2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
Regular visits to Washington, D.C. to network
with Congressional delegations and traffic safety
agencies and programs.
Consultant and reviewer for recent edition of
Propulsion’s Handbook Plus and Handbook Plus Workbook
Columnist for The Dual News, “Call to Action”
since August 2004
Selected participant in the Driver Education Evaluation
Guidelines Project funded by AAA Foundation, a
national project that features the United States
leading experts in traffic safety
Secured grant from Department of Public Safety
for $10,000 to provide driving instructor training
to instructors in commercial driving schools,
1999
First and only driving school in Minnesota to
regularly offer and require structured parental
involvement.
Only driving school in Minnesota with a track
record of using the Skid Monster in a novice program.
Started and maintained the Driving Impact Panel
for young drivers in Minnesota (over 20,000 parents
and teens have attended.
Certified Skid Monster instructors
Received Governor's Meritorious Safety Award,
2004, Minnesota Safety Council
Classroom Locations to Serve You
Hours of Operation
Monday–Thursday: 8:00 a.m. –3:30 p.m.
Friday: 8:30 a.m.– 2:00 p.m.
For more information contact us at Training
Wheels Driver Education, 612-388-3311
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