Answers from a driver who stuck it out. 1 year with CRE

I'm in fleet B7, but I hope you'll understand that I am not comfortable giving you more personal information than that. I'm sorry that I didn't respond sooner, I dropped my iphone and needed to get it replaced. Pain in the butt!

 

with any of these companies the turnover is not always there fault plenty of ppl just dont belong out here. Plenty of newbies dont belong in anything but a company truck. Most have no conception how it feels to not go home for weeks on end. Some shouldn't be behind the counter of 7/11. That said these companies know all this and it is just a numbers game with them the strong do survive and most likely are the only ones that would no matter what parameters you gave them to succeed at the job
Trans am only has 3 weeks of training no teaming required in that amount of time no one was really prepared to lease. A class of twenty at first orientation lost one on the pee test another b4 going out OTR by the time 3 weeks were up we were down to 12 3 went company 9 went lease i know one lease and one company are gone a month later. Transam has 1300 trucks they bring in 1000 newbies a year so yes the attrition rate is horrible but how many ever would have really become real drivers anyway

 

I understand...i was in fleets D3, and F2 and finally A1 western regional...and no prob on IPhone..for I have done that a few times

 

I Know tarnsam...Out of my class of 45 at CRE only 12 ended up driving...during our training 5 were lost to pee, 3 to lying on apps and 12 failed driving test one way or another and what was left a huge bunch jumped ship the minute they got their hard copy. Yes its not for everyone and I will admit despite the bad times I would have never given it up had it not been for a family emergency. Thats why i am headed back out. besides my wife Driving was my second love.

 

My former boss actually wants me to poach student rejects for his outfit when I'm at the main terminals. I had to laugh. If a major carrier is rejecting said people (failed drug tests, can't pass a basic road test, etc....) why on Earth would he want to hire them?! I guess desperate times call for desperate measures. Oui!

 

LOL...thats true...know of few companies that are taking droppings from big companies...

 

I went to CRE's Premier Driving School in Fontana on Jan 3rd this year. There were about 50 of us. On Jan 19th finished the school and was officially hired, along with 19 survivors. The others got bounced after background check hiccups, failed physicals (one dude had a BP of 290/180) or just plain quit. They would hold people over from previous classes if they thought there was a chance for them.

Phase 1 training I was paid $46 dollars for each day I was on the truck. The trainer got a bonus for having a student on board. My trainer with over 20 years of OTR experience driving was pretty cool and helpful. We had the dedicated veggie run out of Yuma to IL, OH and NC. Usually ran a Conway load on the way back west. As a Phase 1 you only drive by yourself, with trainer allowed in the sleeper, on the highway. Any time you pull off the HWY you have to have the trainer sitting next to you.

Phase 2 training last up to 60 days and you're paid $.12/mile. Your trainer pays $.06 and the company kicks in the other half. The trainer also receives a cash bonus for having a trainee aboard. My Phase 2 trainer had just joined the 6 mo introductory lease just this past November. We've done over 5K miles a week every week and he's taking home over $1,100 per even though he has all the usual deductions. I'll probably sign a similar deal next week.

It's seems to me that you have to be willing to drive to make money. Some drivers are happy with making their payments and having a little left over for pocket money, others are willing to drive forever. CRE is right up front that an IC, in order to be successful, must only expect 3-4 days off every 6 weeks. Right now, this suits my personal position in life. I know there are many other opportunities out there but I don't have the experience to go after them. I'm going to use CRE to get that experience and who knows? I may find a happy home right where I am.

 

Blunder- What you went thru in trining is similiar to what I not only went thru as a trainee but only for the first couple months once I was out on my own. But trust me I was fooled. I did 5yrs with them and oh yea they will promise you everything up front to get you to sign the lease. Heres what you really have....once you sign that lease you pray you will get a DM that will give you those 5000k miles every week. If he/she doesn't you can fire them and look for a new DM but you may go thru 4 or 5 before you get a good one. You pray that your truck will average above 4.85mis a gal for fuel, other wise your on the fuel rebate and that takes even more money out of your pocket for fuel. Also you pray that truck doesn't break down because trust me if it does and you have to use your maintanance acct money to cover it, now they will take more money out per week because they want to to keep at least $500min in there.

And if you do go over what ur balance is, they start deducating that amount out to cover repair costs. Maybe not all at once but maybe $150-$200 extra a week to get you even. They also take so much out for permits and they cover the rest. There are good things and bad. Your 20yr driver will tell you only the good things and let you decide. Don't get me wrong there were good and bad things with CRE. I was completely honest with my students and ran in the best fleet at CRE.


If you want you can email me at rogercausey88@hotmail.com I will give you more info personally and show you where to see more pics of my truck at CRE.

 

Does any of the CRE drivers here know how often CRE may pass through Knoxville, TN. Considering on applying and while I have no need to being home often, just would like to know how often I may get through to see just how high the grass can really grow!

 

just depends on how often u wanna get home. My brother lives in Nashville and I would go see him when I passed thru but if I wanted time off I would request it three weeks in advance,