Commercial Truck Driving-Entry Level

Get behind the wheel and gain hands-on Commercial Truck Driving experience!

Want to be a truck driver? The industry is wide open! According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay for a truck driver is $42,480 per year. At Bates, you can earn your certificate of training and Class A CDL with all endorsements in just two quarters. Students train in three axle tractors (9-speed, 10-speed and 13-speed transmissions, 28-53 foot trailers). All students begin on a commercial truck simulator and then progress to behind-the-wheel driving. Students learn logbooks, receive Atlas training, and complete weight distribution and backing exercises. Earn your Class A, B, and C CDL and get a job driving local (intrastate) or cross-country (interstate).

General Information

Career Advisor: Lee Williams
253.680.7403 | leewilliams@batestech.edu

Location: South Campus
Hours: 7:30AM - 3:00PM

Program Length: Two Quarters

National Median Salary$43,680
National Potential Annual Job Openings238,400

Career One Stop

This information is base on data from April 2020. For updated information, visit careeronestop, a database sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Tuition and Fees

At Bates, our tuition is affordable and there are options to help make it even easier to gain an education. Federal aid is available for many of our students. Scholarships are also available through the Bates Foundation.

See if you qualify for other funding through our special funding programs with the Workforce Education office.

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Note: Information is accurate as of its original posting date. The college reserves the right to edit, change, or update information as needed throughout the year. Up-to-date information is available in Student Services.

View the Program of Study

Certificate
COMMERCIAL TRUCK DRIVING – Entry Level
CIP: 49.0205 EPC: 715

Bates Technical College is the only school in Washington State certified by the Professional Truck Driver Institute. Students prepare for entry-level employment as commercial truck drivers with the goal of a Class A Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) with all endorsements. Training takes place in classrooms, on Bates’ truck driving range, and on the road, using a variety of equipment.

Note: Through an Opportunity Grant, special tuition and book funding is available to assist low-income adult students entering this program. Contact Ramon Burton, 253.680.7544, for more information.

Prerequisites – Applicants must:

Possess a valid Washington State driver’s license;
Have a driving record with no DUI, negligent, reckless, or hit and run infractions within the past five years;
Have no more than three moving violations in the past 36 months (a state vehicle operating requirement);
Must be able to pass the Federal Department of Transportation physical exam and drug screen;
Not have a felony within the past five years;
Be a minimum of 18 years of age to enroll in local commercial driving;
Be a minimum of 21 years of age to enroll in long-haul commercial driving.

At the successful completion of the program curriculum, students will be able to:

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Bates instructors are industry experts who enjoy working with and teaching students.

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