3 yrs exp, but left trucking 4 yrs ago making $120K+, where do I pick up?

The reason why I don't want to be a trainer ever again.

A few months before I joined CRE, living in my trailer that I sold to the neighbor next door for $8K right before I joined.

Jan 2008 - 22 years old


While I was at CRE Driver Training in Dallas

March 2008 - Almost 23 yrs old.



After about 2.5 years with CRE
November 2010


My final month with CRE
May 2011 - Cozumel Trip - just turned 26 years old


A little better angle


So yes, training took it toll, but I got caught up in the money. I was making in a week what most people I new made in a month. But, I paid with my health.

Just hit 30 this year, and I don't look at things the same anymore. Family and health come before anything else in life.

 

At CRE yes, I would say most Phase 1 Trainers milk for miles, since about 98% of phase 1 trainers only run 1 trainee on board, so If they want to survive and make money, its almost like you have to milk for the miles.

This reason alone is why I ran 2 students at a time. No milking required. No students driving while the trainer is in the sleeper, getting rest for his shift. None of that with two trainees onboard. The catch? I got very, very little sleep.

 

This is why I would always tell my students, if your not gonna be a trainer, go to another company. At the end of their training, I would show them my paystubs. I would teach them how to conserve fuel, keep tires properly inflated, always try to get light loads, only fill up the tanks halfway, etc. So many things that many drivers don't ever think about to save money. Heck, many times I would even go 500 miles out of route to avoid I-80 so as not to get shut down or slowed down. I told them to just watch and learn everything I did. At the end of the training, I always showed them my pay stubs to show how much I made.