PHS is one of the first high schools in the nation to launch a truck driving program for students. Eight seniors began the yearlong program in August and the seven who remain are getting 180 hours of instruction in driving skills, safety standards and inspections.
. . . The Patterson Unified School District secured technical education funding for the elective program and got a deal on the training simulators, which range in price from $70,000 to $150,000. Industry partners who regularly hire drivers, including Morning Star Trucking, Penske Logistics, Foster Farms and Northern Refrigerated Transportation, have representatives on the program’s advisory board.
“A lot students don’t realize you can make over $100,000 a year driving a truck,” said Dein, a former truck driver.
According to Indeed.com, the average salary for drivers is more than $65,000 a year, but annual earnings between $70,000 and $80,000 are common for veteran drivers, and truckers are seeing hefty raises as companies compete for the limited supply of drivers.
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