Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

The Open Road is Calling You As a Truck Driver

Bonnie Trown of United Truck Driving School explains how you can get your foot in the door as a truck driver.

Let’s start with a brief rundown of your school.

United Truck Driving School has been in operation since 1978. We have four campuses located in San Diego, Riverside, and Orange Counties, and we’ve successfully trained thousands of students since our beginning.

Ok. So, tell me about the program.

We teach the Class AP, Class A, and the Class BP programs. The courses range in length from 3 weeks to 4.5 weeks. The “A” license allows a driver to operate a tractor / trailer combination vehicle, what you might commonly refer to as a “big rig” or an “18 wheeler.” A Class B vehicle may be a dump truck, trash truck, delivery truck or anything over 26,000 pounds with no articulation point. The “P” at the end of either license means passenger and allows the driver to drive a bus. Because we do the Class B training in a bus all of our Class B students end up with a BP license.  We use all manual transmission vehicles so that our students do not leave school with a restricted license. Courses range in price from $3,350 to $4,850.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Can you break down the enrollment process?

Prospective students must first meet with an admissions representative who will go over the programs that we offer as well as the employment possibilities after graduation. The admission rep will discuss options for payment and qualifications for becoming a licensed truck driver. They will also provide applicants with a brief tour of the school. Program fees charged include the application fee, and each incoming student will be given an entrance exam to verify that they can benefit from the training program.

What’s the average age-range of your students?

Students must be at least 18 to be issued a commercial driver’s license from the State of California. A driver must be at least 21 to qualify for an over-the-road job (state to state). Most truck companies are looking for at least a 1-year driving history. That being said, the average student is about 40 years old and looking for a second career. About 6% of truck drivers are women, a number that the industry hopes will go higher. Some students are in their early twenties, looking to get started in a solid career. Our oldest student was near 70 with job offers at graduation. Students come to us from every background.

How often does completion of the program result in work?

Students are job-ready in four weeks or less, and our placement rate is 87%. If a student is eligible to go over-the-road they will have job offers before they complete school. If personal background or family issues require a local job, the students’ motivation will play a part in how quickly they are employed. For the student who is willing and able to qualify for the over-the road job, the placement rate jumps to 100%. All over-the-road jobs would be considered full-time, as would most local jobs. No employer wants to own a truck that is not moving.

What does an entry-level truck driving job pay?

The average wage for an over-the-road truck driver is $35,000, with many earning much more. Payment is by the mile. Local drivers are usually paid about $16 per hour.

Let’s say someone starts out doing over-the-road jobs. How long until they can land a local or regional job that keeps them closer to home?

Because the over-the-road driver is racking up so much driving experience, they usually find themselves eligible for the regional or dedicated route in the first year. The experience gained in an over-the-road job will also make them more desirable to many local companies in that same time frame.

What kind of person would you say is best suited for this type of work?

First of all, someone who enjoys driving. I am always amused by the prospective student who says that the school is too far to drive to from their house. That person probably shouldn’t be a truck driver. Really, anyone who likes to drive is probably a good candidate. Jobs can range from “no touch” freight to moving companies so the level of physical demand can vary to suit any driver.

Do you have any additional advice for those considering a career in truck-driving?

Talk to us. Get your questions answered. You can’t make a reasonable decision until you have all the facts. Talk to someone that you respect who’s in the industry. And then, look around your house. Probably everything you see there came on a truck. Food, clothing, furniture, that car in your garage… it didn’t get all the way to where you bought it without coming part of the way on a truck. Truck driving is a career that can last a lifetime.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Why Unified® Review: What To Expect Dropshipping (Positive & Negative)

Next Article

Pet pig perches in pocket

Escondido doula gets a taste of celebrity

Bonnie Trown of United Truck Driving School explains how you can get your foot in the door as a truck driver.

Let’s start with a brief rundown of your school.

United Truck Driving School has been in operation since 1978. We have four campuses located in San Diego, Riverside, and Orange Counties, and we’ve successfully trained thousands of students since our beginning.

Ok. So, tell me about the program.

We teach the Class AP, Class A, and the Class BP programs. The courses range in length from 3 weeks to 4.5 weeks. The “A” license allows a driver to operate a tractor / trailer combination vehicle, what you might commonly refer to as a “big rig” or an “18 wheeler.” A Class B vehicle may be a dump truck, trash truck, delivery truck or anything over 26,000 pounds with no articulation point. The “P” at the end of either license means passenger and allows the driver to drive a bus. Because we do the Class B training in a bus all of our Class B students end up with a BP license.  We use all manual transmission vehicles so that our students do not leave school with a restricted license. Courses range in price from $3,350 to $4,850.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Can you break down the enrollment process?

Prospective students must first meet with an admissions representative who will go over the programs that we offer as well as the employment possibilities after graduation. The admission rep will discuss options for payment and qualifications for becoming a licensed truck driver. They will also provide applicants with a brief tour of the school. Program fees charged include the application fee, and each incoming student will be given an entrance exam to verify that they can benefit from the training program.

What’s the average age-range of your students?

Students must be at least 18 to be issued a commercial driver’s license from the State of California. A driver must be at least 21 to qualify for an over-the-road job (state to state). Most truck companies are looking for at least a 1-year driving history. That being said, the average student is about 40 years old and looking for a second career. About 6% of truck drivers are women, a number that the industry hopes will go higher. Some students are in their early twenties, looking to get started in a solid career. Our oldest student was near 70 with job offers at graduation. Students come to us from every background.

How often does completion of the program result in work?

Students are job-ready in four weeks or less, and our placement rate is 87%. If a student is eligible to go over-the-road they will have job offers before they complete school. If personal background or family issues require a local job, the students’ motivation will play a part in how quickly they are employed. For the student who is willing and able to qualify for the over-the road job, the placement rate jumps to 100%. All over-the-road jobs would be considered full-time, as would most local jobs. No employer wants to own a truck that is not moving.

What does an entry-level truck driving job pay?

The average wage for an over-the-road truck driver is $35,000, with many earning much more. Payment is by the mile. Local drivers are usually paid about $16 per hour.

Let’s say someone starts out doing over-the-road jobs. How long until they can land a local or regional job that keeps them closer to home?

Because the over-the-road driver is racking up so much driving experience, they usually find themselves eligible for the regional or dedicated route in the first year. The experience gained in an over-the-road job will also make them more desirable to many local companies in that same time frame.

What kind of person would you say is best suited for this type of work?

First of all, someone who enjoys driving. I am always amused by the prospective student who says that the school is too far to drive to from their house. That person probably shouldn’t be a truck driver. Really, anyone who likes to drive is probably a good candidate. Jobs can range from “no touch” freight to moving companies so the level of physical demand can vary to suit any driver.

Do you have any additional advice for those considering a career in truck-driving?

Talk to us. Get your questions answered. You can’t make a reasonable decision until you have all the facts. Talk to someone that you respect who’s in the industry. And then, look around your house. Probably everything you see there came on a truck. Food, clothing, furniture, that car in your garage… it didn’t get all the way to where you bought it without coming part of the way on a truck. Truck driving is a career that can last a lifetime.

Comments
Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Coyote tracks in frail San Diego avocado grove

Second place winner in Reader neighborhood writing contest
Next Article

Mid-range fleet scoring bluefin limits off Ensenada

Rockfish to open at all depths April 1st (no foolin’)
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.