CR England - The real story

If you don't abandon your truck, you don't get called for abondoning it. I've talked to at least 10 people who have abondoned trucks on their DACs, and as the story comes out, they were angry and left it sitting somewhere - they only have themselves to blame. If you give 30 days notice, by Qualcomm, e-mail, and a written/typed letter, and then follow through and do the 30 days, turn it in right, don't trash it, etc, you simply aren't going to get a smack on your DAC.

I had a bad experience with CRE, but as a newbie, just getting into the business...if you KNOW you won't make much, and you're doing it ONLY to get initial training and some experience on your DAC..it's not bad. Just don't expect a single thing more than that, 'cause it ain't happening.

 

if you do the schooling and leave in less then a year you get a bad dac(unless you do the written notice) AND credit report. you have to complete that year in regards to schooling. i'm a lucky one. i live in salt lake and my trainer also lived in salt lake and she had a dedicated run. i did 4 weeks OTR. and got pneumonia. called in sick 24 hours before hand. but they never called back. my dac says review required before rehire. (got lucky there) but i did have a 5k collections on my credit. waited a year and disputed the account. they have soooo many people going through they won't even bother proving the account. so it was erased.

i have seen stories though that people have turned in there 3 week notice. get back to terminal and still get abandonment on dac. and a collections on credit report for damanges. one guy even had a load home, delivered, took truck home and clean out his stuff. and dropped off at terminal 2 miles from house. he has a abandoned truck and abandoned load on his dac. and he gave 4 weeks notice.

 

Why does everyone assume you get a bad DAC? If you give notice and turn in your equipment, just like you would at any job, whether you're a driver or construction worker, what's bad to say about you?

The credit dispute is easy, and can be done as soon as something hits your bureau report.

AS far as the DAC goes, IF those folks actually have those entries, and its not some trucker story, that's easy enough to dispute. I have a copy of a written letter (by me) and two e-mails where I gave notice. I also did another e-mail a week out to confirm everything was all cool when I dropped the truck off. If I got anything negative, it would be easy to dispute.

I guess my point is...it is SO easy to give notice, and the proper thing to do with any employer, why would anyone just abandon their job and not expect something negative to follow them? Karma is for real.

 

Thanks for all in the input. I'm going to digest all of this CRE stuff.
Been reading the treads on CRS. Alot of folks seem to have a good opnion of them.

 

Hey There,
I think the reason is that as newbies we start out looking for simple reliable information, so we can make an informed choice. As we read through the posts, some seem sincere, some seem antagonistic.
For me, when it is about my big ### truck passing your ##### truck, it seems more machismo and ego rather than sincere and reliable. Sometimes the passion and anger seems very much like a disgruntled fired ex driver, and doesn't carry weight.

As a newbie, we believe we are prepared to work hard, not refuse loads and will be liked by dispatch, and therefore wewon't be one of those waiting for loads.

As for why, we would consider signing the lease, well, for me, the only reason would be, that I have read other posts about how horrible other peoples habits are, not showering, stinking up the cab with farts or worse female drivers being raped by their male co-drivers and a lot of other concerns as well...

So, if I have to go with England... I want to drive solo, the only option is to lease and try make it work...

The truth is... the will always be newbies starting with England, and a lot will sign the lease so they can drive solo and get the experience to go to another company...

What would help us the most... tell us how we can survive it... how we can make England and it's lease work for us...

If you think about it, if it is true that England makes money off of failing newbies, than helping the newbies survive while they are getting the experience they need to move to another company... will actually hurt England more than all the warnings...

I am not currently driving for anyone, I am waiting to hear from a couple of companies... I want to get my CDL, and be an OTR Trucker... I hope not to have to go with CREngland, but if that is my only option than that is what I will do... and I don't which I am more concerned with... the dreaded LEASE or living and driving with a complete stranger who I may at best not get a long with, or a worst not even be safe with...

So, can one make it work at CREngland just to get their CDL and experience...

Thanks, and Take Care
Ben

 

Very profound post, and that's not meant to be antagonistic.

I see CRE as a failure to me, but that's based on trusting some friends and their lack of being able to do accurate math. One of my bestest buds insisted he was pulling down .40-45 cents per mile net in his CRE lease. Turns out, when I got in, and we got together and started doing the math, I was able to show him that he was only doing HALF of that...

That said, as a newbie to the industry, the have a great training program (initial), great equipment, etc. Living with someone for 30 days, then 60 days, can be tough. The hardest part about teaming, I found, was not just getting along, but actually getting GOOD sleep during your non-driving time. After getting off the road, I was still catching up on sleep for a good 2-3 weeks.

I can accurately state that at least 90% of the team drivers out there (with any company) and driving sleep-deprived. Not only does it make you dangerous, it makes you grouchy and ready to knock someone's block off..unless you are the mildest mannered of people.

England doesn't make money off of failing newbies, I don't think. They make their largest chunk of change by leasing trucks, even short term, to folks who have to pay the entire .14 cpm variable mileage allowance and full insurance.

There are several people I've talked to who have been with CRE for 6-8 years, they're on their 3rd and 4th leases, don't pay variable mileage at all, and have private insurance. I paid $222 per WEEK for truck insurance, one guy showed me his insurance premium of $247 a MONTH. THAT is a lot of difference.

CRE makes it money on turnover. Lease the truck, run the loads, they keep $600-1000 per week in variable mileage, enjoy all the tax deductions, have you pay for all maintenance and repairs..etc.

As angry as I am with CRE over my misconceptions about net pay, and the lack of loads at times, I still feel it's not a bad situation for a brand new driver. You're getting good training in good equipment, decent pickup and delivery sites, no stupid pet tricks to get a trick into some crap hole dock in New York City

If you stick up for yourself in case you get a TOTAL moron for a trainer - DOCUMENT EVERYTHING, COVER YOUR BUTT - and you can deal with figuring out how to get some decent sleep (I used 1/2 a Unisom, I don't care what anyone says...what's the worse risk? Me sleeping on a little bit of a sleep aid, or trying to drive 10 hours on 2 hours of bad sleep?).

After the training sessions, lease a truck on the 6 month demo...then RUN LIKE HELL !!!

At that point, you're licensed, experienced, and broken-in - and can probably get a job with most bigger companies, although you may have to ride with a trainer for a week or two.

 

Thank you... That was very useful! Where I am at, is that I went thru DRSinc. and got approved, so the two companies they got me with is CREngland, and Cenral Ref. CREngland wasted no time in calling me, have not heard from Central yet.
I really want to become a OTR Trucker and have been working my ### of for the last 10 months. So I am no stranger to hard work, long hours and uncomfortable sleeping conditions.
I sold insurance door to door, so for the last 10 months I have been working 12 to 16 hours a day, some times sleeping in my car to save on hotel fees, working in snow, rain and heat pounding the pavement going door to door and havng a lot of those doors slammed in my face. But, I managed to do want I wanted, which was earn enough to pay my bills, and save of enough money to cover my monthly expenses for several months so that I can begin a career as an OTR trucker. It just seemed to me that so many newbies come in broke and can't make enough to cover their bills back home and hae the money they need on the road. So, I figured it would be best to start out ahead, so I am not always playing catch up.
Also, I am used to being away from home, and so I am not entering this with the belief that I will make it home often. I am prepared, willing an able to stay out and get my miles. Of course I will miss my loved ones, and my pets, but it wn't be forever, Just until get my CDL, experience and finish my contract to leave clear and free.
If I have to go CREngland, then so be it, at least when it is done and I have a cdl and experience then whatever company I go with will be better.
I do hope to hear from Central tomorrow, I will let you know. Both train out of SLC Utah.
I will be an OTR Trucker, no matter how steep the hill I have to climb to be one!

Thanks, Take Care
Bren

 

Hey There...
well, darn, I haven't heard from Central yet and I really do wat to get started on becoming an OTR Trucker.
So, I went ahead and got scheduled with England, and start school on the 21st. I am just going to do my best and make the best of it, I will keep my eye on my goal and bigger picture and know that later on down the road I will have my CDL and some experience behind the wheel which will lead to better opportunity.
I am aware that most have not had good experiences, so I am not deluded with a belief that it will be wonderful. Who, know's since my expectations are so low, it may actually be better than what I am expecting.
Right now I am getting things ready here at home, hiring a lawn service, and I did luck out, a friend of mine has a niece who is attending college here, she was going to to stay at my house and look aftermy dogs and things.

I do just want to say, that I know many out their have a very low opinion of CREngland, but please keep in mind that for some it is the only way for them to get started in this industry. So have a heart and when you see a CREngland truck with a trainee, they may not be an idiot, or loser, they may be a very decent person who is just doing what they need to do to reach their goals.

Thanks, and Take Care
Bren

 

Give Central a call - don't expect THEIR priorities to be YOUR priorities. Just call into their recruiting center and give them the run-down of what you're trying to do. I'd much rather have more information and still make the same decision, than to be wondering "what if" forever. You only start in this industry (or any other) once - do it right, make sure you get as positive a feel as you can for it.

I've gotten older and wiser through the years, and one thing I swore to myself - I'll NEVER have to ask myself "what if" ever again.

 

Hey There...
I hadn't thought of it that way before... I really appreciate your input. You are right, I only have one chance at a first start... So I do owe it to myself to give myself the best chances.
I was going to start school next week, but I called and pushed it back to give myself more time to try and get on with Central... It's the logical thing to do... I will always have England as an option...
I have been reading through more posts about England... I believe one reason why so many ignore the warnings and give England a try... is so many of the posts by those who had a bad experience are not very articulated, and the spelling is horrible... so they do come of as just rantings of someone who just is holding themselves accountable...

I look at the whole lease thing... You can get a lease with no credit check... so obviously it is going to cost... Just like buying a car at a buy here pay here place... Even if your credit is good and you can buy or lease truck from another place you are going to have payments and all the costs of being an O/O... And if after a few months you realize you are making it you can't just return the truck and walk a way. I had a friend who bought a car, then lost her job, so she couldn't make payments and voluntarily returned the car and paid her late payments... Then she received a notice that e still owed $7,000 on the car she returned. That is just how it is... years ago I moved out of my apartment 4 months before the lease was up, I had to pay three of those months because the apartment didn't get rented.
So, my point is, that it does appear that England exploits individuals who start a new career when they are broke, and offer them an opportunity, to lease their own truck and be their own boss, when banks or truck dealers won't, and they may not have the education or aptitude to really understand what they are getting into and the consequences if they don't succeed
Now, why one would want to go with a company that exploits so may, well I imagine it is the nice equipment, getting a cdl and experience.
What concerns me is the point you made... I only get one first start... and it is important that I get my cdl, experience and keep a clean DAC.... So a bit of prudence on my part would be wise ... better to have a good start down the road than a risky start now.
Thanks, Take Care
Bren