Starting CRE Gary on Oct 8th anyone else?

I hope everything's ok. My girl is close to Burns Harbor; she's hangin' around, waiting on a load of dispatcher brains to go to Wisconsin to swap out for another load to go off to somewhere.

 

Sorry to learn of your family emergency. Although, I read your laughter and assume it wasn't Earth shattering.

I would encourage you to do that. Contrary to what some folks might prefer to believe, I harbor no ill will toward those who work for CRE, my beef is with the way the Sons-0-Chester run the company. Success stories make my day, but I don't read very many coming from CRE's Big truck truck drivers, quite the opposite.

I firmly believe that to be true. If you decide to expand your horizons by seeking other Big truck truckin' companies that would be a better fit, I hope you'll keep us informed. I've been posting here for a few years now and continue doing so because of the amount of help the posters here provide those who seek information and advice.

Your explanation as to why you're interested in driving a Big truck reminded me of someone, --- myself. Had I taken the advice of those who believed I would be making a big mistake, I never would have known how wrong they were. My biggest regret is that I didn't ignore them sooner. Big truck truckin' is what'cha make of it. A positive attitude combined with a firm desire to make it all work is the key to the door on the left.

While I was driving for Schneider I was offered and encouraged to accept an offer to become a driver trainer, and at first I was hesitant to accept the responsibility. However, they made me an offer I couldn't refuse, and I took the job. Within a few months I was asked if I would consider taking mostly female trainees, --- because the majority of the trainers were married and wives tended to object to hubby being alone with another woman. Go figure.
To make a short story a tad longer, accepting that offer was one of the best correct decisions I've ever made. Of all the things and responsibilities I figured went with the territory, the one thing I hadn't considered is how much I'd learn from my trainees. The Big truck truckin' industry as seen from a woman's perspective. What an eye-opener that was! I learned things from my female trainees that helped me then, and still do to this day. I owe them thanks for what they taught their trainer.

As an added bonus, several of the male trainers who really didn't want to train women thought they owed me something for relieving them of having to deal with women trainees. I collected a lot of free coffee and meals as a reward and thanks of appreciation. Now, I suppose I should have come clean by mentioning what I'd come to learn about female trainees, but, .... the coffee and meals were icing on a triple chocolate cake, --- and I wanted to have the cake and eat it too. I reckon one man's ceiling is another man's floor.

I mention this as an example of listening to the complaints of others without considering your own preferences. I heard how lonely OTR driving is, and how their goal was finding a local gig so they could be home every night. Me? I happen to enjoy my own company and don't get that lonely feeling. But when a local gig became available I jumped at the chance, figuring I had made it to the end of the rainbow. What I soon discovered was I rather enjoyed waking up in one place and going to bed in another place, hundreds of miles away, and that I slept better in a Big truck's bunk than in a stationary bed. Dealing with Los Angeles traffic on a daily basis, with a tight schedule almost every day, drove me nutz. I missed the open road and longed to return to doing what I was told NObody really wanted to do as a steady diet.
The more I live, the more I learn.
The more I learn, the less I know.
Hopefully, you'll soon learn what I learned.
Listen to what others say, and realize what they say may not be applicable to you. However, when the same complaints are voiced by a large number of those who drive for the same company, and those complaints remain consistent over the years, consider that a red flag. In cases like that, it's more than just disgruntled former employees with "poor work ethics" who "wasted too much of their time sitting in truck stops playing on the internet", as the Sons-0-Chester would have you believe. Realize that not all are "bashing" the company. To my way of thinkin' --- it ain't "bashing" if it's true.

I read, "it doesn't really matter which Big truck truckin' company you start with, --- except for the color of their Big trucks, they're all the same" --- and I disagree. Choosing the wrong company could result in the start of a new career ending before it got started. IMO, based on years of observation and thousands of posts written by those who learned that the hard way, --- (too) many of which lost everything they so desperately tried to save. C.R. England preys on folks like that, knowing full well what the results can be, and continue to do it to 'em anyway. I despise that, and will continue to send up red flares in hopes that it causes reconsideration. I derive absolutely no pleasure in an opportunity to say I told you so. Ergo my attempts to dissuade those who fall for CRE's claims, and encourage them to reconsider their options.

"No other Big truck truckin' company is interested in hiring me, so I have no other choice but to go with CRE", I read all the time. I beg to differ, --- another choice is available. Just say "NO", and don't go. Keep trying other truckin' companies that don't subscribe to the unethical business practices that CRE is famous for. What AfterShocks me is how many truckin' companies are adopting the same way of doing business that CRE has found to be profitable for them, at the expense of those they hire. And with so many other Big truck truckin' companies with ties to the England family, --- Swift, (Carl Moyes), Knight, (Maude Knight married Chester R. England back in 1916), Pride Transportation (Jeff England), and Central Refrigerated, (owned by one of the England brothers), --- and considering that Dan England is a Chairman with the American Trucking Association (A.T.A.), the possibility of using the combined influence to affect changes within the industry becomes a real possibility. The future of Big truck truckin' is lookin' kinda bleak.
These are things most wannaBees don't know to consider when choosing which company would be their best choice.

But don't just take my word for it. Google C.R. England and see where that takes you. Make yourself a snack before you begin reading though, --- it'll take awhile to read everything you'll find. If there's any snack left, try Rip-Off Report. Take notes and compare reality with the fantasy offered by the Son-0-Chester. If, after reading that, you're still inclined to give 'em a try, ---- I wish y'all good luck.
Although I'd wonder if you really are what your handle suggests, (CrazyMT).

​

 

"A load of dispatcher brains"?
Hmmmmmmmmmmm -----:smt017-
"To go to Wisconsin"?
Hmmmmmmmmmmm ----- :smt017

Wisconsin is known as "The Dairy State", ----- Dairies have cows.
Hmmmmmmmmmm ----- :smt017

I'm guessin' that "load" consists of 100% pure, unadulterated,
bovine excrement.

Is your girl worried that the load might be hijacked? :smt102

​

 

The way things are changing, and have changed, due to many reasons including the economy, the various truckin' companies have found it necessary to be creative when figuring out how to keep the doors open with less and less freight to transport. Some did away with their training programs, while it appears others expanded their training. Things are changing day to day in some cases, with companies that were borderline to begin with becoming another bottom feeder training company.

I've been out of the industry for a few years now and kinda out of the loop when it comes to requirements and offerings. I usually refrain from pinning down which companies are still offering a fair deal. Right now, I think, is at best, the worst time in the past 20, or more, years to attempt to enter the industry. Where there was said to be a driver shortage, now-a-daze there's a glut of applicants applying for the job, --- more out of necessity than any real desire to drive a Big truck. Actually, previous driving experience seems to be a hindrance rather than desired. Moving the freight as cheaply as possible appears to be the trend. Companies like CRE depend on an over 200% yearly turnover rate to assure the need to train more wannaBees. If they provided a comfortable atmosphere, folks would tend to want to remain there, which doesn't fit the plan. Make conditions miserable, folks won't want to stay, and the revolving doors keep on a-turnin', going both ways. It works for them and other companies wonder how, and imitate by implementing the same, or similar tactics,

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World out there now. Not wanting to steer anyone in the wrong direction, I refrain from recommending companies that I'm no longer sure of their integrity.
Sorry. I really wish things weren't like that now.

I still read good reports about Schneider, but I'm not sure if they're offering training at this time. My experience with Schneider was such that I recommended them to others. They weren't the easiest company to be hired by, but worth the effort to try. A lot of the smaller companies that were known to treat their drivers well, have closed their doors, some were bought by larger companies for the equipment, but mostly for the customers gained.
Guess which of the larger companies were involved in some of those purchases.
YuP.
You're correct.

 

Just let me advise you as a former lease/operator for CRE... DO NOT let them con you into a lease. Team or single Company driver (show me the money) is where you want to sit and if possible, with a co-driver of like interests and a passion for driving. There's nothing worse than a driver that, after driving for a day or two, decides they don't 'feel like driving' anymore.
GET OUT OF MY TRUCK !!!

 

@AfterShock- That remark on bovine excrement nearly caused the inside of my house to be covered in a fine misting of beer, lol. Thanks for the laugh.

@ The OP- I just registered for CDL training at my local community college. That's what I would recommend to anyone that could swing it. I realize that not everyone is in a position to go that route, but that's the route to go, if you can. The primary reason that I'm taking that route is that I don't ever want to be in a position in which I am indebted to my employer. I did that, once. I did not like it. Also, I need personal space. Places like England will not give me personal space during school. I realize that there will be a period in which I will probably have to share a cab with a stranger, but it will be one stranger, not several. After that, I'm hopping Ms. Pikeys rig. I don't mind sharing space with her.

Another benefit to the CC is that they have a max class size of 5 people. Small classes foster a better learning environment. And, they claim that the instructors are happy to stay after class with you if you feel that you need more instruction on a given topic. I guess that I'll see how true that is, soon, lol.

The downside is that I need to put down a down payment, and I'll have a small loan to pay off. And, I hate debt. This will be the 1st loan that I've ever taken out. But, it will be worth it.

 

Sorry amigo.
My bad.
I shoulda issued a spew alert.
What brand of beer were you consuming at the time?
My insurance might replace the beer.
You're welcome.

 

I started at swift before I went to cre, I cannot say it was great but the school was worlds ahead of what England was offering. I think a college or third party school is probably the best choice, because that opens more options up, my understanding is it if you go to a third party school then a company like TMC, that you will have a much more fair environment, it might involve harder work even, since companies like England will let you just skate by until they don't want you, but in the end it is probably a smarter choice.

Also, do remember that different types of freight are differnt jobs, with TMC you have to deal with chaining and tarping flatbeds, with CRE you have to deal with that reefer cutting on in the middle of your sleep, with swift I had to deal with a liftgate and pallet jack (driver unloads on dollar general), with tankers there is the surge and hazmat is really desirable, etc. My point being that there really is different working conditions and requirements between companies.