“This is a win-win for our two companies,” Fidishun said in an email. “We’re able to expand the footprint of our testing sites into a location with instant notoriety because of the reputable Fred Beans name. For Fred Beans, this is an out-of-the-box approach that will help bring drivers into their dealership, which is especially important in this digital age.”
Fidishun and Gilbert then struck up the same deal at Fred Beans Volkswagen of Devon, about 45 minutes from Doylestown.
Since partnering in 2019, John’s Driving School has administered roughly 1,000 drivers’ tests through the dealerships. The numbers were impacted when the pandemic began roughly a year into the partnership, but Gilbert said it’s been beneficial. Students have come in for tests and ended up buying a car, she said. John’s Driving School also has bought vehicles, Gilbert said.
When students pass, they receive an emergency first-aid kit for their car and a $250 coupon toward a vehicle purchase at a Fred Beans dealership. The dealership also offers employee discounts on driver’s tests and driving training.
“This is a kid’s most exciting time in their life. They got their driver’s license, it’s happening in a car dealership — that’ll be their memory,” Gilbert said. And, she adds: “Maybe while they’re there, the mom or dad sees a car deal they like or the kid buys a car.”
