I want out

77smartin · Oct 22, 2015

Lekwid said: ↑

Still hanging in there. After 2 breakdowns on a international 10 speed they gave us an automatic freightliner. Speaking of break downs, last one happened last week. 4 days stuck in grand Junction, co hotel at 25$ a day layover pay smh. They then greydog us to salt lake for the new truck. Only got to complete 1 300 mile trip. The check this monday was a measly 45 dollars smh. They didnt include the layover pay which still would have made a pitiful check. Still want out. This company truly is horrible. I'd advise no one come here. After I leave ill be doing a nice youtube video on all the bs this company has to offer.
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Don't waste your time with the video....move on and up.

MM3Deg · Nov 5, 2015

Salad said: ↑

Don't take this the wrong way, because I don't know your situation.

If you're already in the mindset that where you're looking at is bad, you'll be just as unhappy there as you are at CRE.

Now the real difference between these companies is minuscule. The pay at CRE is definitely not great, but nor is it anything to get excited about at any of the Megas your first year. You have to put your time in, and thinking the whole time that you're the best student, or the best driver out of the team they assign you is a recipe for failure. It will take an already difficult situation and make it worse. You've done things that made the other guy/gal nervous or downright terrified yourself I'm sure. The biggest thing to know is that an absolutely fractional portion of Rookie drivers ever actually 'wreck'. Bump and jumps are common, smacking into empty racks, hitting those little yellow parking lot things and stuff like that. But the likelihood that one of you will injure the other or actually wreck the truck is tiny.

My advice is try to get along with the teammate you have. (If you can't at least get along with them you will never be able to sleep behind them.) My friend used to hit the rumble strip, hard brake, and grind gears all nite long. But I got along with him and we joked about it. I used to have a bad habit of staying to long in the fuel lanes, he joked about that. We each had our little 'accidents' and 'near misses' on bumping into crap but we laughed it off because stuff happens. We didn't constantly judge each other and we were able to team together.

I'm not saying it's ideal, but I am saying that you aren't as good as you think you are so cut the guy some slack. If you can help him with something he's struggling on do it. The silent judgement is for children, and there is no room for children in this industry. If he won't take your help, he's being a child and the above counts for him. Call in and say that you want a new teammate. Don't demand it, and don't be rude. Key words in my experience are "Don't Feel Safe" "Can't Sleep". Those will get teammates shuffled, send it in on the Qualcomm before you call in and say it. If your fleet manager won't work with you, call safety. It's a safety issue and the safety department at EVERY company takes it seriously, even if dispatch does not.

Barring all of that I'd say get in 6 months before you try to hop ship, it will stop you from hopping from a bad situation into another one (and losing 2-3+ weeks pay on the deal). After you get 6 months with CRE, start looking into someone else if you want, I suggest:

Con-Way Truckload <- Inverters, Sirius Radio free in all trucks, pets, riders

Schneider <- Lots of opportunities to learn different trucking and good pay, also one of the good guys

Danny Herman Trucking <- Good company to work for, my friend is happy as a lamb

Or if there are smaller outfits closer to your home you could give them a call.

The biggest myth I ran in to trucking is that it's better somewhere else. People dogmouth every company, those are the guys that couldn't find water in a lake. It's better when you make it better in your mind. The only real good paying OTR jobs require dedication and experience. The places to acquire that dedication and experience are unimportant because they are only stepping stones. If you put in 30 years at Walmart after driving for Swift for 3 years, is that 3 years at Swift really such a big deal? 10% of your driving career in order to have 90% of a career that is both rewarding and genuinely better. I want every driver to be successful in what they do, but promoting the idea that you can't make ends meet at any one company is ridiculous because you can. Put yourself in the mind set that you're doing your job and making money and the stress you've put on your own shoulders by thinking the company is bad will lighten and things will get easier.
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Great post!

I went with Swift, for the no cost veterans training. I knew I would have to do my rookie year some where.

I have been very impressed and amazed every step of the way.

I managed to get on a dedicated, regional account. New truck... Good shots at three day weekends, and home 1-3 days during the week.

Not to say the job is without its BS...
But my complaints seem silly compared with things I read on these forums.

Things like getting back early, thinking I will have 16 hours to do chores and sleep... Only to have evening dispatch come in and swap me to earlier load at hour 7.

Not being able to depend on my five day preplan.

It is frustrating... But ultimately... Pretty darn good problems to have.

I run a full clock each week and back a truck 2-6 times a night 5 days a week.. Around some pretty tricky landscape.

Did shopping mall architecture really think all delivery would come via mail buggies???

I feel I have done in 6 months... What would normally take 1-2 years.

Lekwid · Nov 24, 2015

Update got on with englands sysco dedicated route out of Virginia. Home every weekend and at .40 cent a mile. Ran totally different and almost feels like its a different company than the otr division. I'll complete my year here but its still bye bye england after that.

Lekwid · Nov 24, 2015

Leaving syracuse gotta pick up a backhaul from kraft in Bethlehem pa hate backhauls

Lekwid · Nov 24, 2015

Also would advise anyone thinking of going to england to please go to prime, swift anywhere but here. Ive been thru prime and its light years ahead in every category for a student. Pay, training, trucks everything. I got lucky and after 4 months waiting got on a dedicated fleet. Anyone that has anything good to say about england is in denial. On a perfect week you will make about (otr)800. Almost 6 months here had one week like that. You will average close to 2500-3000 miles a week and bring home maybe 500 if your lucky. If you break down and you will ( 3 times so far for me) your paid a measly 25 a day layover that you have to fight for the ar codes just to get paid that. They dont communicate within the company afterhours will screw you over. You can put in for home time a month in advance, when that date comes it still takes them 2-3 weeks after that to get you home. I could go on and on and on about whats wrong with this company. Ive said a lot? Lol this is just the tip of the iceburg. The thing that pissed me off the most was my first team found out his father was in the hospital with brain cancer. Took them 3 WEEKS to get him home and his father passed before he got there. The same ol bs "its depending on the loads" same for your hometime. What cracks me up is you will run by your home (within 100 miles) all the time but as soon as you request hometime all of a sudden theres no loads going that direction lol ok ill stop just wow this company.

Lekwid · Nov 24, 2015

There no success stories, the only success to be had is to do your time and get out.

Lekwid · Nov 24, 2015

And I urge the community to please look at the bad england drivers in a different light. Its not their fault the were huddle into lines on a 100 degree day to practice backing maybe got 2-3 turns at it a day unless you wanted to be a few shades darker. Not their fault they were trained over the road by a trainer with 6 months experience that didnt really train just used said student as a mule for the miles to fatten his check. Ya your gonna pass your upgrade when they walk you step by step when to turn etc on your backing lol

IH Truck Guy · Nov 24, 2015

Ya,but they have that really cool logo.

Makes me kinda want to work there.......LMFAO

Lekwid · Nov 24, 2015

This ugly logo on the side of my trailer yuck

austinmike · Nov 24, 2015

I get the impression you arent fond of CR England.

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