My Expierence at CR England

Holy crap! Really? Yikes!

 

No I moved on to Landstar and what a difference. As far as CRE they are not pushing the lease as hard as they used to and some of my old buddies from there said England is mostly creating company positions. I did the containers my last two years at CRE and now that division is going totally company. I hear a lot of the new guys are having trouble figuring out the ports let alone just driving the truck safely with 44K LBS of beef or pork for export.

The problem most new CRE company guys/gals have is home time and being placed in a team truck where both drivers are dangerously under experienced. I went to school in Mira Loma (now Fontana) and I actually went through school with one of the current instructors there. Since CRE is just going to use you as cheap labor just use them to get your CDL and get out. I would not worry about paying off that school note. A lot of my old students did payment arrangements as low as $100 a month.

 

Hey Dewey, thanks for reply. I live in Temecula, we're practically neighbors

I am probably asking for too much information right now and I dont want to put the proverbial cart before the horse (ha, pun intended) and just want to get started. I am totally stoked because this is a childhood dream to drive big rigs and finally have the opportunity to do it.

You and others are my best resource so if I may ask some questions:

• When you talk about students, you used to teach or is that part of how you make $ when you talk about driving in a team with under experienced drivers?
• Not having any driving experience in big rigs how long after I get my CDL should I stay to get enough experience to look at moving on?
• When asked to lease is that a way to hook you in longer? Is it a bad thing depending or just bad?
• What is the smartest and fastest way to make $600-$1000/week?

I am reading the threads but they seem to be older now...Appreciate any and all of the info

 

I just pulled my credit report and was shocked to to see my lease from horizon there. I had heard they didn't report it, unless negatively. Signed a 3 year lease, turned it after 1.5 due to family tragedy. Nothing but perfect marks from them. My last settlement check was for $14,000. If you want to see it pm me and I will show you.

 

I concur !!! And as a 7 month solo company driver who's had his CDL for 30yrs+ just couldn't take their "slave mentality" anymore !! Between the heaped on DOT regs (more to come July 1st) and a "Co policy" that was strictly 'qualcom' policed felt "getting it done" wasn't "Job 1" suppose I'm just "old school" for sure . . .

They do not 'support' their drivers when simple, harmless 'logging' mistakes are made . . . and treating ALL like a "accident waiting to happen" you are a potential CRIMINAL from the "get go" suppose "self-insured" has it's COSTS ??

I suspect this 'co liability' was less true of "lease operators" but still a swear word for sure ?

It's one thing to be paid slave wages but treated like one too? My DM was very "stand offish", do as told and "deal with it" ( which, when it comes to my "well being", is an attitude that treats ALL "don't really wanna know ya" the same your always "replaceable" for sure!!

 

I was a phase 1 trainer at CRE and had to move team freight whenever I had a student. When I talk about driving as a team company truck with under experienced driivers I mean two company drivers that are "certified" solo capable. Company team drivers at CRE split the miles they both run. So if that team runs 5K a week at 30 cents they split $1500 gross. When I first started with CRE back in 2008 they paid the truck whatever the most experienced driver pay rate was. One of the guys I graduated with got paired with a company guy who had been there for about 10 years. So his pay rate was around 40 cents times the total miles divided by two. So he was going better than most green horns but he found a local job in So Cal for a beer distributor after about 3 months of being OTR.

As far as moving on I would do that as soon as you finish phase 1. You can get better experience anywhere else and probably be home a lot more.

The lease was not being pushed hard when I left CRE. My last six students their all got company positions and the lease was not pushed onto them at all. But whatever you do stay away from that lease. If you really want to be an O/O save up the money to buy your own truck and lease on with a better company than CRE. The time it will take you to save up enough money for a down payment you will know if trucking is really for you or not.

The smartest way to make money at CRE is to leave as quickly as possible. You need to think long term and your driving record is like your resume. Also get all the endorsements you can. I have all of them (except passenger) plus my TWIC and TSA certified. So if you have all that stuff plus a clean driving record a lot more doors will open up for you and eventually you can make a good living as a professional driver. It takes time though so please do not expect great things overnight!

 

Awesome. Thank you for being concise. I am starting to see the light again! But! I spoke with Mandy at CRE yesterday.
The program: Start with the 17 day training in Fontana,
Right after you get assigned a truck and trainer and go for your 20k miles for phase I. She said that can take 2-3 months...

So I get to be with a total stranger in a truck 24/7 literally! Driving, sleeping, eating, farting etc? Thats like jail time (not that I would know about that but WOW).

She said the pay is $430/week..as in 7 days? Thats $60 per day? This cant be right is it?

I wont even get into phase II...

 

Yes you will be with a stranger 24/7. What did you think was going to happen, catch a plane to the truck each drive shift? Don't get it twisted, you are the stranger on a truck. You should be getting about 5000 miles a week because you will be running team freight. 4-5 weeks for phase 1, if you stay with the first trainer. The part where they tell you your trainer will be in the passenger seat, is just a way to give you a blanky to make you feel warm and fuzzy. The trainer has to turn around drive while you sleep. $64 a day while in phase 1. The trainer pays $32 or $36 to England to rent the student and they pay the differenece. Phase 2 is I believe 12 cpm, trainer pays 10cpm England 2cpm.

 

LoL got it. Thanks for clarifying. I am glad you are all so helpful. Schneider seems to have a great program. Check this out. Might get around CRE all together http://schneiderjobs.com/company-drivers/driving-school-programs

 

Check out the prime threads as well. From what I have read they guarantee 600 a week while training. That's the highest I've seen.