News And Events

Attention PEI members: I’m excited to help spread the word.

The PEI Education Center was created by the industry, for the industry—because no one understands your work like those who’ve done it themselves.

The Onboarding Bundle, which includes EHE 101: Introduction to Energy Handling Equipment and EHE 102: Introduction to Repair and Maintenance for Energy Handling Equipment, is the most efficient way to start strong in your career or train new team members. These courses provide foundational knowledge and practical skills built specifically for the energy handling equipment industry. They are also available in Spanish, ensuring that more people have access to great education.

Whether you’re new to the field or looking to get your new hires up to speed, this bundle delivers training that’s both relevant and respected.

Enroll today and get your team started with the tools they need to succeed.

Not a PEI member yet? Here’s some reasons to become one.

After all these years I’m excited to have just done my first podcast with RTO. Special thanks to Ready Training Online’s President Jeff Kahler and  Producer  Kelly Sundberg for such a great conversation.

Episode 0141: Every Storage Tank is Different, Interview with Ben Thomas from UST Training

Exciting news for Iowa UST operators. UST Training provides FREE Iowa online Class A/B UST operator training.

Qualifying UST operators can get our training FREE if you meet the following conditions:

• You must be within 4 hours travel time to the UST site for which you are responsible,
  
• You must be within a 2 hour drive if the UST site is unstaffed,
  
• You must fill out all your contract information (including the IA DNR UST Registration #) before you start, and
• You cannot already have been trained as an Iowa Class A/B UST operator.
  

Then congratulations, our course is free!

Or, how a little company can have a big impact on the prevention of leaking underground storage tanks while protecting the nation’s drinking water supplies for over three decades.

• In the UST industry since 1986.
• In the UST training business since 2002.
• Nation’s first state-approved Class A/B course in Oregon in 2003.
• Online Class A/B and C training since 2007.
• Over 1,500,000 Class C certificates issued to date.
• Over 20,000 Class A/B certificates issued to date.
• Class C approved in 49 states and 3 territories.
• Class A/B approved in 30 states and territories plus Indian Country.
• Trained all UST operators in AZ, GU, CMNI and USVI.
• Helped create training courses for UST agencies in 4 states: ID, ME, MT and TN.
• Live Class A/B courses in over 20 states and territories.
• Over 100 YouTube videos (Tank Savvy Minute).
• Over 23,000 newsletter subscribers.
• Over 900 blog posts.
• 11 strategic partnerships with petroleum trade groups and associations.
• Over 35 affiliate companies and trade groups reselling our training.

We wouldn’t be where we are today without our many friends, colleagues, associates, customers and supporters. Thanks for all you do!

From the desk of Ben Thomas, President, USTtraining.com

One of the highlights of my career has been watching the growth evolution of UST operator training. Being the first person in the US to train and certify state-approved Class A/B UST operators, I’ve seen the industry grow from literally myself and a few others in Oregon to what seems like a sprawling array of choices nationwide. The old days of suffering through PowerPoint slides, heavy 3-ring binders, and hotel coffee and donuts all seem like a thing of the past. By now, the arm-chair convenience and mass scalability of online learning should be self-evident. Plus online learning appears to be generally accepted by the regulatory community as well as most Class A/B and Class C UST operators.

The good news:

• Millions of people have been trained to keep UST systems safe.
• UST compliance seems to be slowly improving nationwide.
• Environmental safety features have been modernized at many, if not most, UST systems.
• Online training has allowed UST owners with high staff turnover to train lots of people rapidly with minimal time and impact.

However,

Missed our last webinar? It’s on YouTube. Check it out! A big thanks to our speakers who each offered their expertise to help new UST owners and operators be the most successful they can be.

Our 2025 webinar series started off strong with Tony Caputo of Warren Rogers Associates giving an excellent overview about the critical difference between losses and leaks of UST systems.

If you weren’t able to attend, here’s the link on YouTube.

And here’s what’s ahead. Sign up today!

February

What Every New UST Operator Should Know
February 12, 2025, 10:00-11:00 AM Pacific Time

Are you new to owning or operating an UST system? Are you overwhelmed with the complexities of the rules? Do you not know what your biggest risk factor is? Do you not know what to focus your efforts on?

Save yourself years of trial and error and hear from this esteemed panel of experts whose years of experience can help you become an expert UST operator as soon as possible.

Ben Thomas, President of UST Training, will host a panel including seasoned UST inspectors, UST operators Jon Tuttle of Stinker Stores and Adam Sansoucy of Cumberland/EG, UST tester Don Reeves, Mascott Equipment, John Olko of OWL, and even top EPA UST official, Tony Raia.
Register Now

March 2025

Update 10 years later:

From the TankSavvy Blog Vault…Nov. 4, 2014…

Any shrewd consumer knows you get what you pay for and the lowest price on the job is just that–the lowest price. Here at UST Training we’ve kept our prices the same since Day 1: $12.95 for a Class C UST operator license and $150 for a Class A/B UST operator license. And, barring catastrophe, we plan on keeping it that way. We may not be the cheapest trainer in the market but we believe we are the best.

The beginning of a New Year is an exciting time to look back at our contribution to the UST training industry by evaluating feedback from customers. I would like to share with you the results of surveys we received from our Class A/B UST operators nationwide.

We ask each operator to fill out a survey after completing the training but before getting their certificate. The pie charts below are an aggregate from thirty “A/B” states plus Indian Country.

“We are excited to announce the dates and location of the 2025 TLEF, and we really looking forward to seeing you all later this year at our annual “homecoming”! We’ll have more information coming your way in the next few months regarding submitting proposals, registration, and field trips, and other events.” Your TLEF  Team, Todd, Julie, Amanda, and Zane

August 18-21, 2025
Minneapolis, MN

Hope to see you all there!