Going To CRS

For a refresher you do not have to take permit tests.
You do not have to take the driving test (for the state), what they will do is evaluate your driving while you are there, help you if you have any issues and then send you to orentation.
The school costs less for a refresher and you will have it paid off in 9 months, or less if you apply your safety bonus towards it and get the bonus. That is what I did.
I was at the school for 1 week, then shipped out with the class that had started the week before I got there to go to orentation, though I was in the NY school when it was open. So we flew down to Conley for orentation.
If you have your licence and had been driving recently like I had, just no OTR, then it is kind of a rip off. I did not learn anything, and spent my week at the school training the trainees. Then had to pay 2 grand for the privalage. I drove there truck on the road a total of 2 hours, so they could be sure of my driving ability. And 45 min driving one of there trucks back from the dealer where it had been for repairs. They dropped me off there while they were with students.
But I wanted to get back into OTR and could not get an OTR job without recent experiance. All my experiance since 1992 was local. Only did OTR for a few months when I was 21. Now I am almost 40 lol.

So, if you have your CDL and just don't have 6 months verified OTR experiance in the last 3 years, you can do a refresher.
If you have the experiance not to need the refresher they are not hireing right now. All new drivers Central is hiring are thru there schools.
If you want to get on the road and a refresher will be needed, they are as good as any for it, and better than some.

I have to put a little comment also.
There were 2 people in the NY school while I was there for refreshers. Neather could drive. One needed the full 2 weeks to get to the same LVL as the other students, the other they sent home. He just would not listen, and was not safe.
I was with another student with my trainer the first 2 weeks out. He was a refresher also.
He was not all that good eather. Scared the hell out of me a few times. Yes, there were 3 people in the truck. So we could not stop since there was not enough room for us all to sleep. Truck ran 24/7 till he got off after 2 weeks. I was out another 5 or 6 days. Then they had me recover a truck in VA. and bring it to conley to upgrade. The full miles for upgrade did not really apply for refreshers at the time. Don't know how it is now.

 

Chomedome,
Thanks for all the information. I was OTR for one year about 6 years ago. Than local LTL with R&L Gator (Green and White Trucks). Employed now but not as driver. So I guess I will have to go through the whole school, unless they let me attempt to drive and its been a few years. Better safe than sorry and take school.

 

Iam convinced half of these posts are from people who work for central post nothin gbut lies the complete opposite of what really went down

 

That was a complete and useless post. Next time, try to back it up with facts and with what happened. People are on here trying to make an informed decision and all your post was, sour grapes.

Yes this is a tough job, yes their going to get screwed, but at least try to explain how so that maybe they can go about it a different way. Thanks

Oh, and BTW- i don't work for Central but still have problems with my company.

I have been a very good boy and not said one thing about the title of this thread but the voices in my head are making me say it now. hehehehe

CRS- can't remember s t. I suffer from that you know.

 

Well actually they do work for Central or will if they finish the school just not office staff if that is what you mean!

 

Well the reality here in Fontana is... 25 started, 8 of us have so far earned our CDL, 1 has to re-test. 16 either didn't make it past the first day, their past came back to haunt them, or didn't pass the various tests.

 

Typical of any class at a CRE orientation...wonder how many
will be left after the "meat grinder" that is CRE training on
the road ???

My class over 4 yrs ago at CRE in Mira Loma had 45 start
the first day, but by 4:00pm we were down to 17. End of
day 2 there were 7 and only 5 of us made it to training. Not
1 of our class was employed with CRE by the end of 60 days.

 

pjw, if it makes a difference we are talking about Central Refrigerated not CR England

 

I am still waiting for the Monday Update....
Will I have to wait for Tuesday?