Civilian Off Road course information
1-Day Basic Off Road Training (Scroll to bottom for Winching & Recovery Course)
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2021 Dates
Note that the driving courses and recovery courses are offered on consecutive days.
1-Day Civilian Off Road Driving
Hollister Hills SVRA
Sign up early - these classes fill with waiting lists.
May 22, 2021 Civilian Basic Off Road FULL! COMPLETE CONTACT FORM TO GET ON WAITING LIST
June 19, 2021 Civilian Basic Off Road FULL! COMPLETE CONTACT FORM TO GET ON WAITING LIST
July 17, 2021 Civilian Basic Off Road OPEN!
August 21, 2021 Civilian Basic Off Road OPEN!
Sept 18, 2021 Civilian Basic Off Road OPEN!
1-Day Civlian Winching / Recovery
Hollister Hills SVRA
May 23, 2021 Winching & Recovery
June 20, 2021 Winching & Recovery
July 18, 2021 Winching & Recovery
August 22, 2021 Winching & Recovery
Sept 19, 2021 Winching & Recovery
Custom Off Road Training Dates for Groups of 8 or More at any location
Custom Off Road Training Dates for Groups of 8 or More at any location
This is your chance to learn off road driving 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 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. 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 adventures you don’t need to spend even more money to take it safely off road. 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 in order to drive over larger rocks to get 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 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.
Don’t have a 4WD yet and you are undecided on what to buy? Come to class and rent one of ours! We have had many students do this, and it helped them decide what type of vehicle they wanted. Many of those students came back to do the class again in their new 4WD!
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: $320
1-Day Recovery Course: $320 (keep scrolling for recovery course info)
4-wheel Drive vehicles available for rent:
$100 per day per student (2 students assigned to 1 vehicle)
(limited availability- first come, first served)
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. 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.
2020 Dates Hollister Hills SVRA
Sept 27, 2020 Winching & Recovery
October 11, 2020 Winching & Recovery
2021 Dates
May 23, 2021 Winching & Recovery
June 20, 2021 Winching & Recovery
July 18, 2021 Winching & Recovery
August 22, 2021 Winching & Recovery
Sept 19, 2021 Winching & Recovery
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 offroad 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. This way, you will know exactly what to buy. Custom Courses Course Dates Available for Groups of 8 or More
Prices per person. Hollister Hills SVRA 1-Day Winching / Recovery: $320
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!