Phase 1/Phase 2 Experience

Discussion in 'CR England' started by teotl, Apr 30, 2011.

  1. teotl

    teotl Bobtail Member

    26
    47
    Apr 30, 2011
    CA, USA
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    My Phase 1 experience:

    My trainer made me drive when he didn't want to drive, had nothing to do with training and I was forced to drive regardless of how much sleep I'd had. As apprentices we're "not allowed to drive between 12 and 6am," but he forced me to if he didn't feel like it even if I was in the middle of sleeping. I should also note that I'd just gotten off a schedule of sleeping around 9 and getting up at 4am for school.

    One night around 2 am near Amarillo, TX, I took a break because I was swerving all over the road. I'd been driving for 9 hours (EDIT: He could barely drive for 4 hours without stopping for a 3 hour nap) and decided that maybe I should take a 45 min nap. I told him this and he said OK. When I pulled over he said "OK, 15 minutes. Hurry back." I asked him what about the nap. He said for me to deal with it. Ok.. I got out and went into the bathroom. I was scared because I didn't want to kill us both by running off the road. he got out and followed me and kept giving me weird looks. I asked him what his problem was and he said "you, you're my ####### problem, get your ### back to the truck." At this point I was terrified. I'd been told never to drive while fatigued but he was trying to force me. I then refused to drive claiming that I didn't feel safe. He screamed at me and told me I was useless and a terrible driver and demanded for me to give him my phone, claiming that it was keeping me awake (untrue; I put my phone on silent when I'm asleep). By this time I was in tears, he was literally hulking over me and he's about 4 times bigger than me. I was shaking so I called my fiance who told me to get off of the truck because this man was obviously irate and violent and was attempting to take away my means of calling the police if anything happened, and call safety.

    During the 4 1/2 weeks I was on his truck I was allowed 5 showers after begging him to stop.

    When I reported all of this to CRE, my TC was very rude and asked why I was saying all this about her trainer. No concern about his conduct. When I was done with phase 1 I didn't know how to back.

    My Phase 2 experience:

    I got a GREAT trainer for this. He worked with my schedule and was not a dick, never yelled at me, taught me how to back more than phase 1.. (still not much), taught me about paperwork and trip paks, let me plan trips, etc. Only problem was that I was getting paid .11 cents a mile instead of the .12 you're promised (http://www.crengland.com/truckdrivingschools/index.jsp?page=timeline). When I brought this up they said it's because I was dedicated (I signed no papers stating that I would get paid less on a dedicated run) and that if I didn't like it I could get on another truck. I refused, not wanting to get another psycho like my phase 1 trainer when I had a decent trainer right then. I lost about $400-500 because of that.

    I was yelled at again yesterday in the TC office in front of everyone and almost reached out and slapped that.. person. She screamed at me for taking hometime (7 days after 2 months.. I had to get my license and go to 4 doc appts), she yelled at me for misunderstanding a paper that said there were TWO phase 2 upgrade classes.. I could go to the 7am OR 12pm class.. apparently it's a two part class. This pamphlet did not say that, I had thought the classes were the same class at different times.

    All said and done, I still don't know how to back and I don't want anything to do with this company. I, or anyone for that matter, do not deserve to be treated like this. CRE is a very bad company and they lied to me. They ARE comitting fraud and I feel used.. $3,000 later.
     
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  3. Mainframe

    Mainframe Light Load Member

    51
    21
    Jan 3, 2010
    beloit, wi
    0
    i've been training 2nd phase students now for two years, been getting horror stories from my trainees. i make sure they are rested, they generally don't drive the graveyard (i do that, it's my favorite part of the night), and i buy all of the food. i also make sure we gaet time for showers, laundry, etc. fast food is rare, but when i'm cooking things like meatloaf, cinnamon rolls, fresh veggies by the pound, baked ptatos with butter, noone misses rotten ron's.
    i recently went to upgrade to being a first phase trainer, and i saw one of my second phase students there doing the same. apparently i had a big effect on him, he couldn't stop talking about me. i'm proud of all my students, i know i gave them the best fighting chance to make it in this dog eat dog arena.
    i'm so sorry that this happened to you. the tc you speak of, i think she's gone. i know that i have no problem with any of them, and i get rave reviews from all my students, and the way i train, not one of them has failed any final upgrades, ever.
    its a shame that some people are so unscrupulous in such a dangerous occupation, but as i understand it, cre is weeding out a bunch of the rotten apples from the first phase trainers. i'm now doing it to hopefully take the place of some jerk that can't treat people right. i don't just train my drivers how to drive, i train my drivers how to train.

    england didn't teach me how to teach, i did. but they also know that i do it right, and they want more trainers like me. i'll put out as many good drivers as i can to help train properly so we can get rid of the nasty pieces of garbage that are out there for the dollars and nothing more.

    i stuck it out, and i made more money last year than i ever have in my life. i'm going to try and purchase this truck, i like it. i finally have it set up right. it is getting close to 600,000 miles, but i take care of it, and it runs like a champ, and will as long as i have it.
    i'm sorry that someone stole that opportunity from you like someone did to me many, many years ago. but, i finally did get up to ride that horse again. if you did manage to get that cdl, go get a local job, and be mindful of what you do. learn there, then try the big rig thing later, in a few years with another company.

    you might want to go through all of my posts, just to see what kind of person i am, and see how i handle things...
     
    Last edited: May 16, 2011
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  4. pmalibu

    pmalibu Bobtail Member

    21
    6
    May 14, 2011
    saint petersburg fla
    0
    its nice to know there may be one good one there that i might get,ive spent the last week doing nothing but reading posts about companys and doing as much research as i can.i was a local trucker in fla for 15 years,but havnt driven in 12 years all the jobs out there want 3-6 months recent verifiable so i must retrain.(im sure i can adapt quickly back into it)and its looking like cre for me is the best deal .all the bad posts about these companys should make them look at themselves more closely and make changes right away before they put themselves outta business
     
  5. pmalibu

    pmalibu Bobtail Member

    21
    6
    May 14, 2011
    saint petersburg fla
    0
    i should say as long as the recruiter is being honest its the best deal,cause iif it all changes at point of arrival i will just hop back on the bus
     
  6. Mainframe

    Mainframe Light Load Member

    51
    21
    Jan 3, 2010
    beloit, wi
    0
    england has really been pushing to get the rotten guys out. i was one of some 30 drivers going for upgrade. wonder of wonders, one of my former students was also in there getting his !st phase training, too! he kept on talking about me and my methods, and i kept on blushing....

    all of my other students that train keep telling me they use my means and methods, because it works. i don't just teach the driving, the safety, the maintenance. i also teach you how to live on the truck, so you don't get fat, so you can prevent friction between drivers. i also teach you how to eat goo, without getting fat. the last time i was at a fast food joint on a truck was... hmm, let me see.... hold on, i gotta look up my reciepts... ahh, here it is.... 2004... whoa!
    yea, that long.
    hell, i make my own coffee on the truck. i won't buy the truckstop coffee, i spilled some on the floor of the truck, and it ate its way clean through the transmission....


    in short, not all of the trainers suck. you are going to hear more of the bad ones, but there are more good ones than the bad ones. notoriety is just that, seeing just the bad, like a media spin.

    for myself, even though i am not a practicing religous man, i live my life as if i had Jesus next to me, as a friend, not as a protector. why make His job hard? i do things in such a way that i wouldn't have to worry for anyone i have on the truck. the only bad habit i have is smoking, well maybe biting the crap out of my nails, too.

    i don't even have a tv on the truck, and the radio is usually off. the mood is light, the jokes flow freely, and there is always some yo-yo four-wheeler to laugh at... got plenty of movies! speed racer is a favorite. "feel that shimmy?" "yea, how do i stop it?" "stop steering and start driving. this isn't a dead piece of metal. its a living breathing machine, and she's alive. shes always talking to you, telling you what she needs, what she wants. all you have to do is listen."

    we are getting a new batch of trainers in every month, and weeding out the chaff that can't seem to get it right. some always slip through.

    this can be a rewarding job. stick it out, pay attention to details, and get the run done first, then maybe play.
    i made 52k last year. i spent out of that some 16k back into the truck, mostly for tax purposes. i just got fot the first time, a check for just over $2400. its a fact, not blowing smoke. i don't make the best of money all the time, i have had my share of problems. i've had down weeks, and mechanical trouble. i watch my truck, grease it myself, i simply take care of it. if the wheels aren't turning, i'm not making money.

    i'll admit i have an unfair advantage over probably some 90% of over the road drivers out here. i am a mechanic of vehicles and heavy equipment, and i also have run the money aspect in the office. i just want to set up my trainees to be able to make good decisions and run safely. so they can make money, too.

    gotta go, i've gotta dock this thing...
     
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  7. Tom_AF7J

    Tom_AF7J Light Load Member

    51
    1
    Sep 9, 2011
    Ogden, Ut
    0
    Cr England Needs to have all employee's go threw a Work Place relations Class. This is the only way that Problems like the ones mention above will work. Long gone are the days of the rough and tough trainers. Employees want to be treated fair and so do the trainers. Some drivers do get it We are Professional Drivers not Tugs or Gangsters. The course I took at My local Community College Was On Work Place Relations We did Have a final test which was All our Notes that we had taken from weeks of video and Class room work. Cr England Does not teach or Test you on Work place Relations But Should.
     
  8. THBatMan8

    THBatMan8 Road Train Member

    1,478
    469
    Feb 13, 2011
    Wherever I park
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    The 12-6 am restriction only applies on your first 48 hours on the truck. After the 48 hours, your trainer can call the safety department to have this restriction removed.

    Also, there will be times when you need to run hours you don't want to run in. Your load delivery time will dictate that. You're going to have to adapt to driving all hours of the day and night and not having a set sleep schedule.

    Everyone has different ways of how they handle people. If I were you, I'd go over the TC's head and report both the Phase I trainer and your TC to safety. My Phase I trainer tried this crap on me, and we had a few words. After that we were like peas and carrots.

    Phase I is comparable to hell week in military training. They want to see how much stress you can take before you snap, because this job is full of stress. The key is to stand up for yourself and not tolerate the BS. Many Phase I trainers are like this, myself included. It's nothing against you personally. This job is a whole new ball game when you get your own truck, and if you aren't prepared for it, you'll fall right to the ground. I want to pass a driver out of Phase I. Not a professional steering wheel holder. If you're a steering wheel holder, expect to have a heck of a month. That is the attitude most Phase I trainers have.

    There will be times you won't be able to shower for days on end, as not every load will place you by a fuel compliant truck stop at the end of a shift. There will be loads when you do need to run 9+ hours straight, because there will either be no inbetween truckstops/rest areas, or you will be late delivering the load if you stop.

    My advice:

    Be well rested before you start a drive shift, and get some energy drinks.
     
  9. JustinWaterboro

    JustinWaterboro Light Load Member

    84
    26
    Oct 26, 2010
    Porter, ME
    0
    [quote/]
    There will be times you won't be able to shower for days on end, as not every load will place you by a fuel compliant truck stop at the end of a shift. There will be loads when you do need to run 9+ hours straight, because there will either be no inbetween truckstops/rest areas, or you will be late delivering the load if you stop.

    My advice:

    Be well rested before you start a drive shift, and get some energy drinks.[/quote]
    Maybe when running teams, but when running there is no reason to go more than 2 days without a shower. Unless your trip planning sucks for when solo you are always given enough time from pickup to delivery.
     
    Last edited: Sep 14, 2011
  10. THBatMan8

    THBatMan8 Road Train Member

    1,478
    469
    Feb 13, 2011
    Wherever I park
    0
    Maybe when running teams, but when running there is no reason to go more than 2 days without a shower. Unless your trip planning sucks for when solo you are always given enough time from pickup to delivery.[/QUOTE]
    There will be times when you'll go more than 3 days without a shower. You won't always end a shift at a compliant fuel stop (Pilot, Flying J, or Loves) so you can use the saved points.
     
  11. MysticHZ

    MysticHZ Road Train Member

    5,811
    5,551
    May 28, 2010
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    Trainer is required to provide the opportunity to shower at least every 2 days ... There are other places to shower or you can stop on route or pay for it.

    This is absolute and utter bull. It's just a rationalization to be a jerk.
     
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