Current CRE students?

Hey there JM, I finished school 2 weeks ago, but at the slc yard. Now am out with trainer. Before I signed up I did a lot of research about CRE. Not to many people around this forum will say to much good about them. All I can say is it is an inexpensive way to get started in your career. You just have to be smart about it. Do not lease, they wil try their best to get you too. If you don't lease it will take 3-4 months to get Company solo. Most importantly be safe and careful, if you bang up their equipment, you will be gone, along with your career. Also if you do the six month commit, with 0 tuition, make sure you re willing to hang in there for six months, It's possible the will screw your dac. As far as the school, I kind of enjoyed it. The first day you will have a physical and drug test, then study for pemit test on wed. Thursdy start backing practice and test on all 3 manuvers on sun. Monday, start driving for real and take road test on Friday. Sat. And sun. Orientation, and mon. Assigned to trainer for phase 1. It goes fast and you will have fun, study for permit test before hand. BTW get along great with my trainer and all is going well. Best of luck on whatever you decide.

 

Good advice, Browny. See you guys out there on the road. Keep the shiny side up and the rubber on the road.

 

They are offering me to start school in IN on the 26th. Swift is offering the same start date. I am a bit confused with who to go with. Swift is more expensife up front ($280) but CRE pays less it seems. Any thoughts?

 

Yeah same. I've heard both about both. I agree with the only 6 month commitment. Waiting to hear from their clinic if I'd be ok with being BiPolar. Swift said it's ok with them if my doc and DOT said it's ok. I got my doctor's approval, and saw their approved DOT physical clinic. So with Swift they are aware that I am on disability for Bipolar, but am treated, and ready to return to work. Whereas CRE said it shouldn't be a problem, but I need to talk to their clinic first, which is requiring me to wait for a call back. The other company I applied for was Prime as they are close to me. I know Prime and Swift are equal distance (45 mins) terminal from me, not sure where CRE is in PA. Tried to find it on their site. I'll have to look harder. At first Swift was only option. Though, I heard bad things, it was a no brainer. Deal with it, and get my year in. But now, I am finding myself with 3 options. Prime I would go with in a heartbeat, but haven't heard back (and need to decide by tomorrow). So if I don't get in with Prime, then it's down to CRE and Swift. Swift I am guaranteed in, and seems like the pay is a bit better and quicker, but you have a bit more up front cost (explained in a sec) and a longer contract, whereas CRE is cheaper to start, but seems to make less, but shorter contract.

Swift said I need to bring $220 for "independent testing" when I arrive for training. Then after 2 weeks in TN, I come home and have 1 week training here and have to pay $60 for test fee. Which doesn't make sense. I paid (in PA) $28.50 for CDL permit. Was told by DOT and by the DMV that this includes knowledge test, skills test, and photoID. So I can understand the $220, but the $60 I think maybe he is wrong, or maybe I do have to pay it I don't know.

With CRE, I have to just pay $50 admin fee. I already have permit so there is no cost for that, and no test fee. So it's cheaper off the bat to go with CRE, and shorter term. But seems like long run I'd make more at Swift.

Sorry for the rant, explaining my circumstance while trying to decide myself. I want to get started asap so that I can start making money asap. But I don't want to make the wrong choice, because it's a big choice that comes with a commitment. And reading reviews on here is hard to read facts from biased reviews.

 

If your coming to Indiana to get CDL keep in mind the State of Indiana requires you to take there standard General motor vehicle test before you can even test for your cdl. and if you have M/C endorsement you will have to take that test also.

 

I have normal class C and Class M drivers license. I have CDL Class A PERMIT with airbrake endorsement only. So you're saying I would have to take standard drivers license? The way the recruiter made it sound, I'd be there for 10 days for training, they'd do the skills test for my license for cdl A and then just transfer it. But if you're saying I'd have to take the reg drivers license, plus cdl permit and cdl license maybe Swift would be better. There you go for 2 weeks training, then come back to PA for road training for a week and get tested up here in home state.