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If you plan on starting a job as a truck driver in Washington, you should learn more about what it entails.
Check out the info we have brought you in order to get a better idea.
Article Table of Contents
How to Choose a Training School
Washington has 20 schools that specialize in truck driving and diesel technology.
Before enrolling in any school, you should compare their benefits in order to make the best choice.
For example, you can get your tuition costs covered by the school if you apply for a scholarship.
There are some schools that offer these, such as The Washington Trucking Association.
This school provides the WTA/Dave Weldy Vocational Scholarship which is worth between $500 and $1000.
When choosing a school you should also consider the time you can put into training.
While some truck driving programs only last 6 to 8 weeks and provide a Class A license, diesel technology programs last for up to 2 years.
These also provide an associate’s degree or at least a diploma, which can help if you want to get specialized.
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| 7 Star Truck Driving School LLC | 11 Asotin Ave, Toppenish, WA 98948 |
| All Star Driving School | 24620 Military Road S, Kent, WA 98032 |
| Bates Technical College | 2201 S 78th St., Tacoma, WA 98409 |
| Big Bend Community College | 7662 Chanute St., Moses Lake, WA 98837 |
| C H Trucking Academy | 340 S 6th St., Sunnyside, WA 98944 |
| Central Valley Truck Driving School | 11 Asotin Avenue Toppenish, Washington 98948 |
| Check Ride Driver Training | 13632 NE 177th Pl, Woodinville, WA 98072 |
| Columbia Basin College | 2600 N 20th Ave, Pasco, WA 99301 |
| Commercial Driver School (CDS) | 11000 34th Ave S., Lakewood, WA 98449 |
| Commercial Driver School (CDS) | 4305 Auburn Way N., Auburn, WA 98002 |
| Commercial Driver School (CDS) | 1386 SE Lund Ave. #3, Port Orchard, WA 98366 |
| Commercial Driver School (CDS) | 1386 SE Lund Ave. #3, Port Orchard, WA 98366 |
| Driver Training Solutions | 7405 S Hayford Rd., Cheney, WA 99004 |
| Driver Training Solutions | 2021 E James, Pasco, WA 99301 |
| Drive509 Truck Driving School | 606 N Fiske St Spokane WA 99202 |
| DRM CDL Training | 424 E 19th St., Tacoma, WA 98421 |
| Evergreen Truck Driving School | 8500 Perimeter Road South #101, Seattle, WA 98101 |
| Fort Simcoe Job Corps Center | 40 Abella Ln, White Swan, WA 98952 |
| GMC Training Institute | 109 W Second St., Grandview, WA 98930 |
| Grays Harbor College | 1620 Edward P Smith Dr, Aberdeen, WA 98520, USA |
| Independent Truck Driver Training, Inc. | 2532 S 12th Ave, Union Gap, WA 98903 |
| L T Training | 17802 N Redowa Dr., Colbert, WA 99005 |
| MTZ CDL Academy | 14006 RD 13 NW Quincy, WA 98848 |
| North Cross Commercial Driving School LLC | 3122 Cedardale Rd., Mt. Vernon, WA 98274 |
| OK. C.D.L. Training, LLC. | 4 Tonasket Shop Rd. Tonasket, Washington 98855 |
| Pacific Truck School, LLC | 9842 Martin Luther King Jr. S Seattle, WA 98118 |
| Pegasus Corporation CDL Training | 921 Cornwall, Bellingham, WA 98225 |
| Peninsula College CDL Program | 1502 East Lauridsen Blvd. Port Angeles, WA 98362 |
| Saddle Mountain Trucking School | 2451 West Bench Rd Othello, WA 99344 |
| Seattle Truck Driving School | 106 Frontage Rd N, Pacific, WA 98047 |
| Skagit Valley College Truck Driver Training | 2405 East College Way Mount Vernon, WA 98273 |
| Skagit City Trucking School, LLC | 2418 Old Highway 99 South, Mount Vernon, WA 98273 |
| Spokane Community College Professional Truck Driver Training | 1810 North Greene St Spokane, WA 99217-5399 |
| Stateline Trucking School | 251 N Commercial Ave Pasco, WA 99301 |
| Taylor Driving Schools (TDS) | 646 N. Burlington Blvd, Burlington, WA 98233 |
| TDA Educational Systems | 34004 9th Avenue South, Suite A13, Federal Way, WA 98003 |
| Teamsters/AGC Training Center | 2410 East Saint Helens St. Pasco, WA 99301 |
| T Enterprises Truck Driving School | 210 E Lewis Place, Pasco, WA 99301 |
| Troops Into Transportation – Joint Base Lewis-McChord Campus | Bldg R9654, Cook Avenue Joint Base Lewis-McChord WA 98433 |
| Trans Union Truck Driving School | 4624 River Rd. East, Tacoma, WA 98443 |
| VATA Commercial Driving School | 6846 Martin Way East Olympia, WA 98516 |
| Yakima Valley Community College | YVCC Grandview Campus 500 W. Main St, Grandview, WA 98930 |
| Walla Walla Community College Commercial Truck Driving | 500 Tausick Way Walla Walla WA 99362-9267 |
| West Coast Training Class A CDL | 3805 Dike Road Woodland, Washington 98674 |
Opting for a small class can also be beneficial as you will get more driving hours and more time with your instructor.
In return, this will provide you with an increased skillset.
After your program is over, you will need to pass a written test as well as an aptitude exam.
There are some schools that offer different types of programs.
For instance, Clark College provides 3 options: a one-year diploma, but also an associate’s degree and an associate’s of Art in Teaching degree.
Western Pacific Truck School has a Class A training class that lasts for a month, and a Class B course that lasts for only one week.
How to find a job in Washington
There are many companies that hire truck drivers in this state, as some need about 150,000 workers more to make up for the shortage.
There are also schools that provide job placement, so you will not need to search for employment after you complete your course.
You can easily find a job with a trucking company, repair shop or leasing center.
The largest companies in Washington are C.R. England, Matheson Trucking Inc., and Gordon Trucking.
If you are wondering how much you will earn, this depends on your skill level and experience.
You can see below, the average salary for a truck driver in the biggest cities in this state.
Annual Salary Range:| Location | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Seattle | $48,473 |
| Spokane | $43,954 |
| Tacoma | $47,237 |
| Vancouver | $46,193 |
| Bellevue | $48,473 |
| Kent | $47,142 |
| Everett | $47,410 |
| Renton | $48,426 |
| Federal Way | $47,237 |
| Yakima | $43,855 |
Regional Salary in Washington
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellingham, WA | 1,150 | $57,960 | $27.86 | $76,940 | $45,990 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | 400 | $55,790 | $26.82 | $66,030 | $42,670 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | 1,950 | $59,640 | $28.67 | $76,010 | $44,590 |
| Longview, WA | 770 | $56,560 | $27.19 | $69,570 | $44,520 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | 790 | $61,280 | $29.46 | $79,630 | $46,380 |
| Olympia-Tumwater, WA | 1,110 | $57,330 | $27.56 | $73,330 | $42,880 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 19,120 | $63,110 | $30.34 | $81,310 | $47,590 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 3,470 | $55,800 | $26.83 | $71,430 | $42,950 |
| Walla Walla, WA | 240 | $52,030 | $25.01 | $67,210 | $38,980 |
| Wenatchee, WA | 460 | $54,240 | $26.08 | $71,990 | $40,490 |
| Yakima, WA | 1,720 | $53,110 | $25.54 | $71,830 | $38,310 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
According to ONet, truck driving jobs will see a 15% growth up to 2022, while diesel mechanics jobs will see an increase of 11%.
Conclusion
As you get more experience in your truck driving job, your salary will also increase accordingly.
The first step in starting your new job is getting enrolled in a program and getting your license.
Read the full guide: How to Become a Truck Driver
CDL Schools by State
I would like to know if any free training or scholarships available for the CDL program?