Civilian Off Road course information
1-Day Basic Off Road and Overlanding Training (Scroll down for PayPal menu to select date. )
ONCE YOU SIGN UP READ THE FAQ PAGE FOR WHERE TO GO AND WHEN TO MEET!
IF YOU ARE BUYING THIS AS A GIFT, SELECT "GIFT" FROM THE PAYPAL DROP DOWN MENU BELOW AND LET US KNOW THE DATE YOU CHOOSE LATER.
Sign up early - these classes fill with waiting lists. Every one of our 2023 civilian classes filled with large waiting lists. 2024 DATES LISTED BELOW.
2024 Civilian Basic Off Road and Overlanding Courses
(Although Rivians can join any class, we have a few Rivian only classes below.)
NOTE: We have people sitting on waiting lists for Rivian classes when we can take Rivians in ANY open class!
Sept 28, 2024 Open Class: THIS CLASS IS FULL! Complete contact form below to get on waiting list.
Oct 19, 2024 THIS CLASS IS FULL! Complete contact form below to get on waiting list.
Oct 20, 2024: THIS CLASS IS FULL! Complete contact form below to get on waiting list.
Nov 2, 2024:THIS CLASS IS FULL! Complete contact form below to get on waiting list.
Custom Off Road Training Dates for Groups of 8 or More at any location
READ FAQ PAGE FOR MORE INFO!
2025 DATES NOW OPEN! :
Sign up early - these classes fill with waiting lists. Every one of our 2024 civilian classes filled with large waiting lists.
Rivian, Cybertruck, and EV Hummer welcome in any open class. You will get instruction specific to your vehicle.
June 8, 2025: Rivian / Cybertruck / EV Hummer
June 14, 2025: Open class - all vehicles
June 15, 2025: Open class - all vehicles
July 26, 2025: Open class - all vehicles
July 27, 2025: Winching / Recovery class
August 16, 2025: Open class - all vehicles
August 17, 2025: Open class - all vehicles
Sept 6, 2025: Open class - all vehicles
Sept 7, 2025: Winching / Recovery class
Sept 21, 2025: Rivian / Cybertruck / EV Hummer
Oct 4, 2025: Open class - all vehicles
Oct 5, 2025: Open class - all vehicles
Oct 18, 2025: Open class - all vehicles
Oct 19, 2025: Winching / Recovery Class
Nov 1, 2025: Open class - all vehicles
Nov 2, 2025: Open class - all vehicles
This is your chance to learn off road driving and overlanding from the professionals who train search & rescue personnel, firefighters, law enforcement, and the military. We are the people who train the personnel at the offroad parks in California, including Hollister Hills SVRA. Ask any park ranger, and they will know us! In your search for training, you may find weekend instructors who offer training through an off road club or hobby business, but the instructors from The Driving Company are recognized by the State of California (POST) as experts in Off Road Vehicle Operations, and all have been through instructor development training. Our Lead Instructor, Dave Storton, holds a Master's Degree in Adult Education. The Driving Company has a perfect safety record since we started in 2003.
We can do off road and overland adventure training for you in any sort of vehicle; from a stock SUV to modified offroad vehicles. We will tailor the class to meet your off road training needs, your level of experience, and your vehicle capability. This class will pay for itself many times over, because the skills you learn will help keep you from damaging your vehicle.
Many people buy a 4WD vehicle, then they think it needs thousands of dollars in modifications in order to go offroad or overland adventuring. This is not the case! Don’t get frustrated and confused by all the trainers out there who talk about getting bigger wheels and tires, lift kits, suspension upgrades, and the like. If you bought a nice Jeep, pickup, or SUV to go on overland adventures you don’t need to spend even more money to take it safely on an off road overland adventure. We have encountered heavily modified vehicles on our fun trips whose drivers look confused about how we all got there in our stock vehicles. They spent thousands of dollars on modifications to the same place we did. If your objective is to visit beautiful and remote places without spending more money to modify an already capable vehicle, then this is the course for you. If you don't know what all those buttons and knobs do in your new 4x4, you will after this course! If you already did some upgrades to your 4WD, that is ok! We can teach you how to make the most of it and drive over those bigger obstacles! We have many students who bring their new 4WD to class in order to learn how to use features like lockers, sway bar disconnects, traction control, hill descent control, and more.
Topics Include:
- Off road safety in any stock SUV, stock pickup, or modified off road vehicle
- 4WD Theory
- Ascending and descending steep inclines
- Approach and departure angles
- Proper tire pressure
- Proper braking methods
- Handling weight transfer
- Proper vehicle configuration
- Spotting techniques
- Negotiating various obstacles
- Trail etiquette
Custom Courses
Course Dates Available for Groups of 8 or More
Prices per person.
Hollister Hills SVRA
1-Day Basic Off Road: $330
1-Day Recovery Course: $330 (keep scrolling for recovery course info)
Civilian winching & recovery
Winching & Recovery for Civilians
Learn off road recovery techniques from the professional instructors who train search and rescue personnel, park rangers, firefighters, and the military.
We have all necessary gear, you do not need anything - not even a winch. Come to class and learn about what you need, then purchase your gear later. Already have a winch or specialty recovery gear? We will show you how to use it safely.
1-Day Civilian Winching / Recovery
Hollister Hills SVRA.
2024 Winching and Recovery Dates:
June 9, 2024: THIS CLASS IS FULL! Complete contact form below to get on waiting list.
November 3, 2024: THIS CLASS IS FULL! Complete contact form below to get on waiting list.
2025 Dates:
Custom Off Road Training Dates for Groups of 8 or More at any location
Topics:
- Types of equipment and weight ratings to meet your needs:
- Recovery straps and ropes Snatch Blocks
- Screw Pin Shackles
- Soft Shackles
- Chains
- Land Anchor
Winch Operation:
- Safe Winch Operation
- Winching Accessories
- Team Work with Winches
- Self Recovery
Problem Solving:
- Mechanical Advantage
- Direction Changes
- Multi-line Pulls
- Calculating Required Pull Force
- Calculating Required Anchor Force
Use of Recovery Straps and Ropes
- Proper set up
- Communication Between Drivers
- Actual dynamic recovery participation
Realistic Scenario The class will culminate in a realistic off road scenario where you will be presented with a realistic recovery problem. You will decide what equipment is needed, you will calculate pull force required, you will rig the recovery, and you will execute the recovery, all under the guidance of our expert instructors. The Driving Company will provide all necessary gear for use in this course. At the end of the course, you will have all the information you need to decide what gear you want to buy for yourself.
NOTE: Unless you already have gear, do not buy anything new until AFTER you have attended this course. We have everything you will need, so you do not need to bring anything. This way, you will know exactly what to buy. If you already have gear, we will show you how to use it. Custom Courses Course Dates Available for Groups of 8 or More
Prices per person. Hollister Hills SVRA 1-Day Winching / Recovery: $330
We schedule these recovery classes on a day following one of our 1-day Basic Off Road Training classes so you can make a weekend of it!