PATTERSON, Calif. — Patterson High School is expanding its Supply Chain and Logistics Management Department with the addition of veteran truck driver and instructor Rob Caughey.
According to an article submitted by Patterson High School to the Patterson Irrigator, Caughey brings over a decade of commercial driver training experience and 15 years on the road to the school’s acclaimed program.
A legacy of local leadership
Caughey transitions into the role previously held by program founder Dave Dein. Dein stepped down at the end of the last school year to focus on the Next Generation in Trucking Association, a national nonprofit he co-founded.
The Patterson program began 10 years ago with Dein at the helm. Today, Next Gen in Trucking provides free resources and curriculum to high schools nationwide. Because of their dedicated mission, more than 50 high schools across the country now offer truck driving courses to their students.
“Stepping into the role built by Dave Dein is the opportunity of a lifetime,” Caughey said. “I’ve spent 15 years on the road and over a decade training drivers for top-tier fleets, but there is nothing more exciting than continuing Mr. Dein’s legacy of empowering the next generation of logistics professionals right here in our community.”
Specialized instructor training
To prepare for his new role, Caughey recently completed Next Generation in Trucking’s premier “Accelerate Training” program. The free, 40-hour course provided onsite, one-on-one training to ensure he is confident teaching the multi-layered Next Gen curriculum.
Dein, who personally conducted the training, expressed high confidence in his successor.
“Patterson High School is extremely fortunate to have Rob Caughey come on board,” Dein said. “We knew it was going to take a special type of person to step into this role and I can’t be more excited that Rob is the right person to take the PHS program to the next level. Not only is he more than qualified to take on this position, more importantly he has the heart and passion that is by far the most important quality to ensure this program will continue to be successful for years to come.”
With the completion of the program, Caughey is now an official Next Generation in Trucking Certified Instructor.
From local business to national fleets
Before entering the logistics industry, Caughey spent 20 years as a self-employed business owner. He successfully owned and operated two locations of U-kneada Pizza & Subs in Sonora and Jamestown, managing daily operations, staff and community relations.
He later transitioned to commercial transportation, spending 10 years at Dot Foods in Modesto, where he served as a driver trainer for eight years. Most recently, Caughey spent over five years with Frito-Lay, contributing to the fleet’s standards by serving on the dedicated safety and trainer team for four years.
Throughout his entrepreneurial and trucking careers, Caughey has maintained a strict focus on leadership, high operational standards and mentoring the next generation of professionals.
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
