Travel Trailer Driving School: How to Find Training

So you got a brand new trailer all ready to go on a road trip, now the question is how do you drive with a trailer? Luckily for you, there are different resources and schools to receive training on how to drive with a trailer.

Some different travel trailer driving school options are online schools like rvtraining.com, a local RV driving school, and if you are short on cash, YouTube is a great resource, although should not be a complete substitute for school.

Some people need training in person and some can just learn from videos, whichever person you are, we can find an affordable option to help you get on the road for your trip. As I was searching for travel trailer training options, it seems to be that RV training covers travel trailers as well.

How to Find Training and Why You Would Want Training

When looking to find training for traveling with your travel trainer, you can find both online and in-person instruction.

For in-person training, it will depend on what state you live because there are different training schools spread out. It may be difficult to find a nearby one which may require you to travel a distance.

If this is not possible, online training is certainly a good option. Or even there are some instructors that will drive out to come see you. This may require additional fees if you choose this option.

It is important to go to training because in some states it is required that you are trained before you take off on any trips. Not only that but with certain training, you can receive a certificate. Some insurance companies will accept this certificate and give you a discount.

Below I’ve listed an online course and in-person website that can lead you to find an in-person training school in your area. On this website, you can find what school is closest to you.

I’ve also included a list of schools in each state that you can look at to see which one is best for you.

Online Training Option: RV Online Training

If you are a person who learns well from videos and online instructions, the RV 101 Tow Your Travel Trailer Like a Pro Video Training Program will most likely be best for you.

I like this program because it is available on any internet device like a phone or computer and provides fun ways to learn how to drive a travel trailer.

This is also a great resource because you don’t need to seek out a local training school and be afraid to forget the tips because you can bring the tips with you on your phone as you travel with this course.

Throughout the course, you will go through 5 chapters that cover everything from knowing the proper tow vehicle capacity to backing the travel trailer.

This course will teach you how to match your vehicle with the trailer like making sure you have the right weight to pull it. After learning this, the course teaches you how to hitch your travel trailer and all that entails ensuring that you do so safely so that there are no problems while you drive.

It is run by an instructor who has had 20 years of experience with teaching and helping several people with RV’s and travel trailers.

What website: rvonlinetraining.com

Price: To enroll in this course it is $39.

What the course includes: Program designed in a reading format that also includes games, videos, and trips to understanding travel trailer and RV driving.

In Person Training: RV Driving School

If you are looking to find training in person and hands-on learning, then there are in person RV driving schools.

A reason why several people love in-person training is that you can receive a certificate which insurance companies will take and give you a discount for completing it.

If you are looking into choosing an in-person training school, there are different ways they can help you: 1) Driving instruction which isn’t a class but rather a personal instruction for helping you understand how to drive your vehicle. 2) Safety seminars and 3) Commercial instruction.

What The In-Person Lessons Offer

While using this driving school, you receive instruction in your very own vehicle. There are no specific classes or videos like the online course, but instead, you are taught all the specifics in person with your specific trailer.

While you participate in an in-person meeting, they will teach you how to inspect your RV for safety, how to use the brakes properly, how to back, learning about what to do in tight spots, how to change lanes, and more.

There are different price ranges for these lessons which are a bit more expensive compared to the online option. For a private lesson for one person, it is $495, which includes 4 hours on each of the days. There is also an option for two people to attend private lessons, which is only $695.

If you are looking for just a refresher on how to drive with a travel trailer or RV, then there is actually a Refresher Course for $250. It is for people who took the course previously but still need some more instruction. It’s great that the price is lower especially for those who need a little more help.

For People Renting an RV or Travel Trailer

There is also a course for those who are renting a travel trailer or RV which is only $250 for one day of instruction.

Other In-Person Benefits and Instructions

There are also safety seminars you can attend as well which are different from the driving instruction but are seminars for all people to help ensure everyone knows about safety regardless of how long they’ve been driving.

Commercial instruction is an instruction class for people who are in companies that require them to drive large vehicles like RV’s.

How to Find In-Person Training Schools

To find some locations, you can check the website: rvschool.com to find a location near you. Some people have asked for an instructor to come to them to where they live but this may include more charges so to find the best information if this is a possibility for you in your location, call or email them.

What website: https://www.rvschool.com/

Price: $250-$695

What the course includes: In-person instruction with your specific vehicle and certificate.

Best Training Schools in Different States

I did some research on some more in-person training schools to help you find a travel training school that offers different helpful skills that may be close to you. Schools may vary by state but these are some more recommendations to look into.

RV Basic Training Boot Camp: Trainers Come to YOU

The RV Basic Training is a company with trainers that travel to you to help instruct you in your vehicle. There are trainers that are located in the following states including California, Idaho, Utah, Texas, Florida, Ohio, Virginia, and Alaska.

This in-person site offers different boot camps that can help with a variety of different skills. Some things you can learn through these camps are safety training, one on one training, medical training, how to drive the fifth wheel, how to tow a trailer, and more.

There is even corporate driver training for those who are required large vehicles for their company.

I also really like their website because they offer several driving tips without paying anything. There is a page that teaches you how to set your mirror, how to turn and pivot point.

They also sell an RV driving course manual for $30 which may help with your course and to help you remember what you learned as you travel.

What Website: https://www.rvbasictraining.com/

Price: $450 for a full training day, plus sometimes a fee to pay for the trainer to travel to you.

What the course includes: Instruction on adjusting mirrors, basic driving skills, stopping, driving challenges, defensive driving, and more. Also includes a free copy of RV Basic Training Motor Home Driving Tips Manual and certificate of competition.

National RV Training Academy for Maintenance

This Training Academy teaches people how to maintain their RV or trailer and understand the technical training for it.

The National RV Training Academy is a great place for training those who work at RV Dealerships, Professionals who teach others about RV’s or RV owners looking to learn how to repair their own vehicle.

This academy is located in Athens, Texas but is a great one-week long course to give in-class instruction with a major portion taught in hands-on labs. There is also a home study option where you can get all the training on a USB memory stick if you are just an RV owner.

The in-person training includes videos and handouts online, along with working with other students in the lab to increase understanding.

There are more advanced classes you can also look into. For instance, if you are a part of an RV Dealership, there are 5 weeks of different courses that teach you how to maintain air conditioners, refrigerators, heaters, and more.

Each of the different sections whether you are part of a dealership or a teacher, offer different resources to best help you in your career or with your personal RV and travel trailer.

What website: https://nrvta.com/

Price: $1,644

What the course includes: Instruction on how to maintain RV’s and travel trailers.

Trailer Training Recommended YouTube Videos

Now, this is a great option if you have a question that needs to be answered, but I am not sure if YouTube can always teach you everything you need to know about driving a travel trailer.

I mean you can’t get a certificate from watching YouTube videos which is why it’s not the best option. However, there are specific videos that really help especially if you get out on the road and need a refresher about what you’ve learned.

I found some helpful videos that can help you learn about how to understand the basics of travel trailers like how to back them and such.

How to Back a Travel Trailer

This is a simple video that teaches you how to back a travel trailer. I like it because it is simple and also gives some 5th wheel trailer tips. Although it is a nice short video, I also found a longer video that can help you understand a trailer “tail swing” below in the next video.

I like this video because it shows how you can practice in a parking lot and how to maneuver around to help you understand how to drive with a trailer. This is a very detailed video and can even help you park parallel.

Setting up a Travel Trailer

Once you drive out to your campground destination, you may want some tips about how to set up your trailer at the campground. This video is a great option if you are looking to park it for the first time.

This is one of my favorite videos because it goes through the whole process to ensure you set up your trailer correctly.

Here is another helpful video that talks in detail about how to setup an RV Trailer at a campsite. It teaches you how to level and stabilize your trailer to ensure it is positioned in the proper way.

If you are only looking for a simple video to help you understand how to hook up the water and electric for your camper, then here is a short video only about 2 minutes that explains it briefly.

Besides setting up camp, I also found some tip videos to help you avoid swaying and how to use a camera to help tow or back up with a trailer. I’ve included them in the section below.

How to Avoid Swaying and Towing Tips

If you are worried about swaying or notice your vehicle swaying while you are driving, then this video below is a good one to check out.

This video below helps give some tips about when you are turning and towing a fifth wheel or travel trailer. It explains how if you put a camera on the back of your vehicle it can help you back up.

What to Bring in Your Travel Trailer

When you purchase a travel trailer it is crucial that you bring the right items so you can enjoy your camping experience. I’ve included a video about some things to bring with your travel trailer to train you on what you will need in your trailer.

Overall, there are several YouTube videos that can assist you in your research to find proper travel trailer training. However, it is important to remember that it shouldn’t replace official RV or travel trailer training.

Specific travel trailer and RV Courses can provide specifics that are crucial to driving, especially in-person lessons can help you with your specific vehicle. That and I always feel better when I have someone helping me in person but I know there are several people who learn through online videos easily!

As you choose your training school option and utilize what the school teaches you, you will be able to drive a travel trailer like a pro in no time. Plus if you ever need more tips, YouTube can be helpful like I mentioned in the above section.