Professional Truck Driver Training

At age 53, after a couple of decades working in the building trades I decided that it was time for a career change. After some careful consideration, I settled upon the idea of driving for a living, which led me to the Thompson Rivers University website and their Class 1 Greenhorn Driver program. This spring I was fortunate enough to achieve that goal and completed the comprehensive five-week program, ultimately passing my Class 1 license. I cannot speak highly enough of Ray and his team. I would like to especially commend my two instructors, Awna, who taught the airbrakes course and introduced me to driving the beautiful Kenworth T800 during the first week and particularly Wayne who coached me throughout the remaining four weeks, all the while displaying endless patience and good humour as I slowly mastered the 18-speed transmission and negotiated assorted corners and grades. With my licence in hand, I moved back home to the Sunshine Coast of BC and started my new career, initially as a relief driver for a local freight company. I have now just been hired as a driver by the Sunshine Coast Regional District. The transportation supervisor for the SCRD described Thompson Rivers/Columbia Transport training as “the Yale of driving schools” and I have no doubt that this reputation was instrumental in helping me get my new job.

Matthew Evans

I would like to thank Ray Trenholm and Mike McPhee from TRU Columbia Transport Training. I enrolled for the 73 hour Class 1 course and I am so happy I made the decision to do my training there. Kamloops is such a perfect area to do this type of training as it offers so many different areas around and within the city, to challenge a student with some experience, or help a student that has no experience. I spent all my training time with Mike McPhee and cant say enough about how great of instructor he is. He used all the areas within and around Kamloops to help me improve my driving skills each day we went out, which all lead to a successful road test with ICBC at the end of my course. He did a great job preparing me for that day. Thank you also to Ray Trenholm for staying on top of the application process and helping make that happen. I would highly recommend this school to anyone who is thinking about pursuing a career in the trucking industry. The school has great equipment to train on, excellent instructors, and Kamloops is the best area to truly challenge you to become a "Professional" truck driver. Also special thanks to “007” the 2013 W900 Kenworth I had the pleasure of doing my training and road test with.

Robert Pelland

Just a note of appreciation for Ray and his team. Thank you for your time, patience and knowledge. TRU and Commercial Transport Training has taught me that being a truck driver is not just about driving a Big “Rig”, it is the challenge of being a professional, anticipating the moves of other drivers, being prepared for the unexpected and the responsibility, especially when it comes to safety of the public and myself. I feel confident that I will succeed with this training and would highly recommend the Greenhorn course to anyone that wants a head starting in the trucking field…

Mike Knudsen

The Thompson Rivers University driving program delivered by Columbia Transport Training did not only meet the outlined curriculum but in so many ways exceeded it. The skills that were taught and the manner in which that happened will ensure they are retained as part of a new skill set for years to come. The instructors without exception were able to communicate their vast and varied knowledge base into our training. Not only the skills necessary to obtain a license but the real world skills necessary to become a successful driving professional. I spent most of my time with Mike McPhee and found him to be an exceptional instructor as well as an outstanding individual. It was a great experience and I would certainly strongly recommend your institution to others who were interested in a career as a professional driver. I would also like to thank you for accepting me into the program and for your continued support and guidance throughout it.

Kevin Mitchell

I’d like to thank Ray Trenholm and Thompson Rivers University for the excellent 104 greenhorn driver course that I just complete. After being in Sales Management for 20 years , I decided to make a drastic career change – with not truck driving experience, I knew I would need some top notch education. The Greenhorn course provided that and more. At first I thought 104 hours might be overkill but I was wrong. It was only after 80 hours, did I feel confident in most driving conditions. The last 24 hours were mostly mountain driving eight hours per day which really solidified everything I learned. I highly recommend calling Ray and finding out more about the course.

Brandon Williams

I would like to say thank you for giving me the opportunity to attend the commercial Driver Training course. It was an experience that has changed my life for the better in many ways. This was in fact one of the most challenging courses I have ever taken. I have to say before I took it, I was pretty cocky and figured I would pick it up no problem. Boy was I wrong. This course and my instructor were excellent. Everyone was friendly, extremely patient, supportive, knowledgeable, encouraging and went the extra mile to help me anyway the could to accomplish what I need to. I now not only have a Class one Drivers licence, the ability to go earn a good living and support my family, I also have the confidence in my abilities as well as the skills to handle situations when they go wrong. I definitely recommend taking this course at TRU to both women and men that are interested in getting their Class One or upgrading their license.

Rayella Parr

Just a quick note to pass along my thanks for a truly terrific course. I must admit, I began with more than a little anxiety about starting something like this at my age. My fears were quickly put to rest however, with the calm professional attitude of the instructors. I never felt any undue pressure and was able to learn all I needed to know in the allotted time. I would highly recommend this particular course to anyone looking to get into the truck driving industry.

Richard Fifer

From the moment I applied for the program to the moment I received my Class 1 Driver's License, Columbia Transport Training provided a positive, enjoyable, professional learning experience. My first contact was with Ray Trenholm - Manager of Driver Training at TRU. Ray guided me through some of the preliminary requirements and paper work necessary to put me in position for the program. All submissions were made electronically culminating in acquiring my Class 1 Learner's License, Air Brake endorsement, current medical and drug screening. After a personal interview, I received my start date an d the instruction began. Although I anticipated some preliminary classroom or simulator instruction, I was not disappointed when Ray presented me with a short list of materials I would need for my first day of instruction and told me, "your classroom is an 18 speed Kenworth" . . . One-on-one instruction is the hallmark of this program. I was very fortunate to have Wayne Field (25 plus years trucking experience) as my primary instructor. In a very short time, he introduced me to the responsibilities and skills necessary to becoming a professional driver. Always challenging, Wayne and the other instructors work through the mechanics of driving a tractor (truck)/trailer combination in a relatively short order. Then the hard part begins, turning a "Green Horn student " into an AWARE driver. Thanks Ray for a wonderful experience. I endorse and without reservation, recommend this program as an excellent jumping off point for a professional driving career.

Barry Clarke