What our fees reflect
Every ICBC-approved school in British Columbia teaches the same 140 hours of Class 1 MELT. The curriculum is set by the province — nobody gets to shorten it. What differs between schools, and what you are really paying for, is where those hours are spent, who is sitting beside you, and what has quietly been left out of the quoted price.
Tricon’s fees are reasonable for the Lower Mainland, and they are built around delivering the course properly rather than around reaching the lowest advertised number in Surrey. We own and maintain our trucks. We teach theory in-house with a real instructor in the room. We run mountain training on the Coquihalla and through the Fraser Canyon. We have a certified assessment officer on staff so your air brake test can be done here. Those are the things that cost money to provide, and they are the things that determine whether you pass your road test on the first attempt and get hired afterward.
We think you will find that fair. And we would rather explain the number to you on the phone, in the context of your own situation, than post a figure that turns out to be wrong for you.
The short version
Quality training, at a fee that is reasonable for what is included, with funding help if you need it. For the exact figure that applies to you, call (778) 549-1727 — we are open 9am to 9pm, every day.
What’s included in a Tricon course fee
When we quote you, this is what the number covers. None of it is an optional upgrade billed to you later.
- All theory instruction. Taught in-house by our own instructors, not outsourced to a video portal you work through alone.
- All behind-the-wheel hours in our trucks, with fuel, insurance and maintenance covered. You are never asked to supply a vehicle.
- The air brake portion of your Class 1 training, taught on air-brake-equipped equipment.
- Mountain driving on real B.C. grade — the Coquihalla and the Fraser Canyon, not the nearest convenient hill. See mountain driving training.
- Yard time for backing and coupling at our own Surrey and Langley yards, so practice is not rationed by someone else’s schedule.
- Every in-course assessment required by the ICBC MELT standard.
- Your MV2970 Declaration of Completion, issued to you and filed with ICBC.
- Job-search support after you finish. Resume help, interview preparation and carrier introductions. See job placement.
What isn’t — and we would rather you knew now
Some costs in the licensing process are not ours to charge or to waive. We list them here because the most common budgeting surprise for a new commercial driver is discovering these after enrolling somewhere.
- ICBC fees. Knowledge tests, your learner’s licence, the road test and the licence itself are paid to ICBC, not to us. ICBC publishes its current fees on its own site.
- Your medical examination. The Driver’s Medical Examination Report is completed by your physician, and what they charge is between you and them.
- Retests. If you need to re-attempt an ICBC road test, ICBC charges for that attempt.
When you call, ask us to walk you through the whole picture — our fee and the ICBC side together. It takes a couple of minutes and it means nothing catches you out halfway through.
Why we quote by phone
A single price on a web page would be wrong for most people reading it. Here is what actually moves the number:
Which programme you need
Class 1 MELT, Class 3, an air brake endorsement on its own, or hourly individual lessons are four very different courses.
What you already hold
A driver already carrying Code 15, or one who is exempt from MELT on their record, is not buying the same thing as a first-time applicant.
Manual or automatic
The transmission you train and test in affects both the training and the restriction code on your licence. It is a decision worth making with someone, not alone.
How much extra time you want
Some students want additional individual hours before their road test. Others do not need any. Quoting the same figure to both would be dishonest to one of them.
Which funding applies
What you personally pay can change substantially depending on the funding you qualify for. That is worth working out before you are quoted, not after.
Which location suits you
Surrey, Langley, and Duncan/Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. Programme availability differs by yard.
Get a real number for your situation
Tell us what's on your licence today and what you want to drive. Five minutes on the phone and you'll have an accurate figure — no obligation, no sales pitch.
Paying for your training
Cost is the single most common reason someone puts off starting a Class 1, and it is usually the most solvable one. There are two routes, and they can be combined.
In-house funding
We offer in-house funding for qualified students who want to begin Class 1 MELT training without paying the full tuition upfront. It is a simple application, reviewed case by case, with flexible payment arrangements — and critically, you are not waiting on a government decision before you can start.
Government and employer programs
British Columbia funds commercial driver training through several channels, because the province has a driver shortage it wants filled:
B.C. Employer Training Grant
Where a carrier sponsors your training, this can cover up to 80% of eligible costs, to a maximum of $10,000 per participant.
Community Workforce Response Grant
Provincial funding aimed at filling skills gaps in local labour markets. Commercial driving is a recurring priority occupation.
Skill Enhancement Training Grant
Support for individuals training toward occupations B.C. has identified as in demand.
Indigenous Skills Training Development Fund
Dedicated training funding for Indigenous learners across British Columbia.
We do this every week
Working out which program fits is genuinely confusing, and the eligibility rules are not written for the people who need them. Ask us — we help students through this constantly and we will tell you honestly which routes are realistic for you. Full detail on funding options.
Comparing driving schools fairly
If you are getting quotes from several schools — and you should — compare them on more than the headline figure. These are the questions that reveal what a price actually buys. Ask us the same ones.
- Does the school own its trucks, or rent them? A school running its own maintained fleet controls your schedule. A school renting equipment does not.
- How many students share a truck on a training day? This single number decides how many hours you actually hold the wheel versus sit in the back.
- Is the air brake component genuinely included? Some quoted prices are lower because air brakes are billed separately later.
- Where is “mountain driving” actually done? B.C. requires it. Ask which highway. The answers vary enormously.
- Is theory taught by a person? Self-paced online modules are cheaper to deliver, and it shows when you reach the truck.
- What happens if you need extra hours? Ask how additional time is charged before you enrol, not after.
- Are the instructors ICBC MELT-designated? They are legally required to be. Ask anyway.
- Can you reach a human at 7pm on a Sunday? We are open 9am–9pm every day, including holidays, because that is when working students can call.
A course that costs slightly more but gets you through your road test on the first attempt, with a licence employers respect, is cheaper than a discounted course you have to supplement with extra hours and a retest.
Fees and funding — frequently asked questions
Why aren't your prices listed on the website?
Because a single number on a web page would be misleading for most of the people reading it. What you pay depends on which program you need, whether you already hold part of the licence, whether you need the air brake course on its own or as part of Class 1, how much individual instruction you want, and which funding you qualify for.
We would rather spend five minutes on the phone working out what actually applies to you and give you an accurate figure, than publish a number that turns out to be wrong for your situation. Call (778) 549-1727 and you will get a straight answer, not a sales script.
Are your fees competitive?
Yes. Our fees sit in a reasonable range for ICBC-approved Class 1 training in the Lower Mainland, and everything described on this page is included in them rather than added afterward.
We are not trying to be the cheapest number among other schools. Schools competing purely on headline price generally get there by cutting seat time, sharing trucks between more students, or moving costs out of the quoted fee. You will find our pricing fair for the training you actually receive.
Can I pay in instalments?
Yes. We offer in-house funding for qualified students who want to start Class 1 MELT training without paying the full tuition upfront. It is a simple application reviewed case by case, with no waiting on government approval before you can start.
There are also several provincial and employer-sponsored programs that may cover a large share of your cost. See funding options or ask us on the phone.
How much of the cost can funding cover?
It depends entirely on the program and your eligibility. The B.C. Employer Training Grant, for example, can cover up to 80% of eligible training costs to a maximum of $10,000 per participant where an employer sponsors the training.
Other provincial programs target specific groups — people entering in-demand occupations, Indigenous learners, and workers affected by local labour market gaps. We help students navigate these every week and we will tell you honestly which ones look realistic for you.
Do I have to pay everything before I start?
No. Deposits hold your seat and start date, and the balance is arranged around whichever payment or funding route applies to you. We will lay out exactly how it works before you commit to anything.
What are the ICBC fees on top of the course?
ICBC charges separately for knowledge tests, your Class 1 learner's licence, the road test and licence issuance. These go to ICBC directly, not to us, and ICBC publishes current amounts on its own website.
We mention this specifically because it is the most common surprise for students budgeting their first commercial licence. Ask us and we will walk you through the full picture, ours and theirs, so nothing catches you out.
Is the air brake course included in Class 1?
Air brake training is part of the Class 1 MELT curriculum, and it is included in your Class 1 course here. If you only need the air brake endorsement on its own — for an RV, or to add Code 15 to an existing licence — that is a separate, much shorter course with its own fee.