December 02, 2020
The Inaugural Professional Truck Driving class has come to its conclusion, and we are happy to report that it went off without a hitch. In what appears currently to be an ever more present essential need in large part due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, Perry Tech had already been planning for some time and launched the newest program offering, led by Instructor Robert Tripp. The first class launched on October 20th, and over the course of the first of 5-weeks, 160 hour state-mandated, of training, the curriculum began week one with an overview of the Washington State Department of Transportation Commercial Driver’s Guide. Students studied various operator elements including pre and post-trip inspections, the required medical exam and legal documentation to prepare students for
the State’s knowledge exam.
In weeks two through three, the program switched gears from theory to practical application. Thanks to our community partner Granite Construction, a training ground area was established for the program where over the two week section students received hands-on experience in range driving along with backing maneuvers.
Week four took it to the next level where students progressed from the training grounds to the streets. This training included operating in various conditions including inclement weather, inner-city, freeway, inclines and declines. Other elements of this section included learning space management, operating manual transmissions and most importantly, road safety.
Week five finished out the student experience with studies focusing on preparation for the Commercial Driver’s License Washington State Skills Exam and collaboration with Career Services where the students spent time preparing to transition into the workforce. At the conclusion of the inaugural class, program graduate Paul Woolpert had the following to say about his experience, “The Professional Truck Driving Program at Perry Technical Institute has provided me an opportunity to pursue a new career at a critical time in my life. The fact that it is only five weeks, along with the fantastic student-to-instructor ratio makes learning a new skill incredibly easy. The instructor has 25 plus years of experience in the industry, and has the knowledge and expertise necessary to pass on the required skills to succeed as a professional truck driver. I highly recommend the PTI Professional Truck Driving class.”
If you or someone you know are interested in the 5-week Professional Truck Driving program, openings for the January 4, 2021 start are available. For more information contact Admissions at 509.453.0374.
