FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, October 5, 2023

WESTERN NEW YORK DRIVING SCHOOL SHUT DOWN, INSTRUCTOR FINED FOR SERIOUS VIOLATIONS

Judge Orders $46,000 in Penalties Against Owner/Operator of Buffalo CDL Training Institute

Owner/Operator Continued to Provide Instruction After License Was Revoked

Committed Nearly 50 Violations of Vehicle and Traffic Law

The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) announced today a Western New York driving school faces a steep civil penalty following an investigation by the DMV.

William Thygesen is owner and operator of Buffalo CDL Training Institute and Buffalo Heavy Equipment Operator Training, both located at 1630 Eggert Road in Buffalo. He was ordered to pay a $46,000 civil penalty by an administrative law judge who substantiated 46 charges brought against Thygesen who continued to operate in violation of another ruling earlier this year revoking the business’s license to operate and Thygesen’s certification to provide driving instruction.

“Keeping New York’s roads safe is our number one job every day,” said DMV Commissioner and Chair of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee Mark J.F. Schroeder. “I commend the DMV staff that investigated this matter and who also argued the case at the hearing. Businesses like these are regulated for a reason – to make sure those who provide instruction to New York motorists are doing so safely and are adhering to our standards."

The driving school’s license and Thygesen’s driving instructor’s certificate were first revoked in April 2023.  By August, DMV uncovered information showing that Thygesen flagrantly continued to conduct business, charging unsuspecting students between $400 and $450 dollars for driving lessons he was not authorized to give.

The DMV charged Thygesen with 48 violations of Vehicle and Traffic Law, including knowingly continuing to do business after his licenses had been revoked, permitting unlicensed people to provide driving instruction and signing students up for road tests after they completed his driving school program that he had no legal authority to run. The administrative law judge sustained 46 of those charges, imposing a $1,000 civil penalty for each one.

To avoid becoming a victim of unlicensed driving schools, the DMV strongly encourages prospective drivers to search its website, to find a licensed driving school near them.

DMV oversees driving schools, providing authorization to operate through its Bureau of Driver Training Programs. Driving school instructors must meet a series of requirements, including completing at least 30 hours of coursework in driving training and traffic safety. DMV may conduct periodic inspections and audits to ensure that the operation requirements are being met, and schools and instructors are providing safe and equitable instruction to all prospective drivers.

Before opening and operating a driving school, businesses must first be licensed by the DMV and driving school instructors must be certified to teach individuals to drive. For more information about requirements for driving schools and driving instructors, visit https://dmv.ny.gov/driver-training/requirements-and-forms-driving-schools-and-instructors and https://dmv.ny.gov/driver-training/become-driving-school-instructor.

For more information about DMV, visit dmv.ny.gov, or follow the DMV conversation online at Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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