An instructor’s greatest ‘paycheck’ is seeing the next generation soar

By Dave Dein – March 20, 2026

As educators and instructors in the trucking industry, we often measure success by pass rates and pre-trip inspections. But the true intrinsic reward — the reason we show up to the classroom and the range — isn’t found in a manual. It’s found in the transformation of a student into a peer.

There is no better example of this than David Kastiro.

David’s journey at Patterson High School began amidst the chaos of a global pandemic and significant personal financial hardship. Life took him as far as Texas, but the pull of his goals brought him back to California with little more than a few dollars and an unshakable drive.

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