FLORIDA — More parents across Tampa Bay tell ABC Action News they’ve waited months for driving lessons they paid for but were never scheduled and promised refunds that never materialized.
In January, ABC Action News first exposed trouble with the company, which bills itself as Florida's Largest Driving School.
Now more people are coming forward. Among them is Erin Fatica, who says she’s spent hours on hold and months trying to get answers from the All-Florida Safety Institute. Fatica paid over $900 on a driving lesson package for her daughter Alani. Fatica said they started trying to schedule the lessons in April, but Alani has yet to receive one. And Fatica’s request for a refund has gone unanswered.
The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last September, and the DMV has since opened an investigation.
By January, the company shuttered most of its Tampa Bay locations. That's when Manager Mark Allen told ABC Action News the school suffered deep financial losses due to inflation and government funding delays. He also said lessons would resume in March.
But the parents whose stories we shared earlier this year say no one has scheduled their lessons or returned their money.
In July, we asked the school's manager for an interview. Allen responded via email, saying his company is still undergoing bankruptcy reorganization.
“Once reviewed, every observer involved in this has been able to see that we are doing the right thing, and while it's delayed and some are inconvenienced, we are determined to make everyone whole. The hype in making more complaints doesn't help; we have to continue to function in order to make sure we are here to compensate everyone. I am sure that makes sense, but some customers are looking for someone to take their frustration out on. I understand, but I pray that once recognizing our having involved the court with verified financial resources owed to us that are available to pay out our remaining customers, of which we have already committed. What has been done to this organization is terrible; the delays on our resources for nearly a year and the credit card processing companies that have kept us from already having everyone paid.
There is no scam here; we are working closely with our trustee and fighting bad circumstances that are not our own. We have had employee issues like everyone else has, but we have dug in, and our remaining core team, which cares about students more than themselves, is working seven days a week to serve and compensate our customers. Once we have received our funds and made distribution, I will be happy to inform you and update you on the resolutions. We hope to put this all behind us and go back to focusing on driving education."
Mark Allen told ABC Action News they will reschedule lessons and issue refunds, but he did not say when. Meanwhile, the DMV says their investigation into the business is ongoing.
