CR England...Cedar Hill, Tx location

So...since Orientation Friday...been waiting around a couple days for a call from Placement. Call came today, got my Training Coordinator, my Driver Manager, and my Driver Trainer. My Driver Trainer was here at the yard picking up his new truck...we met up, talked a bit, and now we're just waiting on a load. Probably get one in the morning or sometime tomorrow and I'll start my Phase 1 training.

 

What I know about the auto shift trucks....
1. I was told CR England's entire fleet would be auto shift by March 2017
2. The class right after mine they added 2 auto shift trucks to the training fleet and gave students the option of training and testing in those trucks...BUT...they would have a restriction on their license.
3. I'm driving an auto shift now, during my Phase 1 training

 

Agree...glad I don't have it, lol.

Only thing I can say intelligently about the auto shift trucks at this point (6 hours on the road) is that I believe they are a HUGE advantage concerning safety and new CDL drivers. The auto shift takes shifting OUT OF THE EQUATION, leaving a new drivers mind to focus on so many other things....which, in my mind equates to safer driving. I'm glad I don't have the restriction but I'm also glad I'm in an auto shift truck. I don't know how true it is, but we were told most of the larger carriers are switching to autoshift trucks because of the better fuel economy.

 

So SL City to Pasco, WA.
Our next load was
Pasco, WA. to L.A. via I-5 and lots of snow and mountains. I got some good experience, I can say that. Put 10 hours in today...stopped just north of Sacramento to switch drivers. I'll get some sleep and we should be in L.A. Drop that load, pick up another and I'll be back in the seat headed back to Wa.

 

We had short trip up to Sacramento to switch trailers with a guy now back in Colton. We've got a local today...pick up in Anaheim then back here to Colton. Tonite we'll pick up near here and head to Portland. I'm driving as much as I can to try and get my required 180hrs for Phase 1 training done quick...at that point I can upgrade to Phase 2 and get some home time. I've heard England will upgrade some students shy of 180 hours...I'm gonna check into that.

 

I tell you what..I'm sure I'd like driving in the NW during the summer but in the winter it sucks...to much weather slows you down. Yeah..I'm gonna avoid this region during the winter time once my training is over, lol.

 

You hear a lot of bad things about C.R. England, but I can say this so far....

The training from the get go is fast paced...if your a slow learner, it's probably not for you. Everyone else, Pay attention and take instruction, ask questions, you'll be fine. I can highly recommend the Salt Lake City instructors and testing up in Salt Lake City is a plus considering its in house...not your state DMV.

When you get to Phase 1...I guess it's a crap shoot as to whether you get a good Driver Trainer. Luckily I got a good one, he's younger than me and pretty layed back. I get plenty of drive hours. If things progress as they have been, I'll be getting my (C.R. England mandatory) 180 hours in the shortest time possible...that being said, I do believe I'll probably get upgraded between 160-180 hours.

Running in the N.W. during training has definitely given me an advantage over some of the southern guys. I don't plan on running up here after training...but at least I have that experience if I do.