who has work for CR england

My first job driving for a big company was with CRE back in 1982. I've only had 3 jobs driving OTR in my 28 year career. I worked for them from 82-92. I started out driving a cab over Mack with no power steering. In 1986 when they got one of the first "Anteaters" they gave it to me and we had it on display in Walcott at the Iowa 80 truck stop before it was turned in to what it is today. Back then they only had 450 trucks so it was quite different than what I hear today. Based on what I've read and what I see I would venture to say that there's a whole lot of other companies I would start out with then CRE. I keep a mental list of every one of their trucks and trailers I see, not one of them is dent/scratch free.

 

I know the situation you are in man. In 2007 when I got my cdl, I still had a dui from 1988 and 1993 on my record. Other than that NOTHING, not a ticket or accident...nada. I got turned down by everyone except Werner. When I entered the school they said nothing about my MVR until I had been in the school for 3 of the 4 weeks. Talk about being pissed off!
England has a pretty bad reputation as far as shafting drivers. I just dont want to see you get shafted by these people I have met several England drivers over the past three years and most say they cant wait to get out of there. I wish you all the luck man, keep your eyes and ears open.

 

Well, I just read that article. After reading it not once, but twice, I wonder just exactly how simple is it to understand that these lease programs only benefit the company.

 

Thanks for the reply. It just plain stinks right now. It's kinda like I'm choosing between a little somethin or a bunch of nothin. well atleast it's a holiday weekend so I have some time to ponder. I was hoping to get a year or so experience and try to work here at home because I have kids. I don't want to get all political but i wish our "leaders" would do just that and see whats happening to the working people of this country. Thanks again for the reply.

 

I have worked for CRE. From (officially) 04/15/08 to 10/20/08.
I went through their non training.
Actually I still had my CDL from 1996 so I was hustled through and out with a trainer before I knew it. The guy I was with was a nice guy and basically we just drove around for 3 weeks. Trucking is like riding a bike, you don't forget, you just need to get your sea-legs again with somebody holding the back of your bike.
I have talked long and hard in other threads about CRE, their training, business model and suggestions how to do better. However just to focus on the training part here is my suggestion for you Red Machine.
Wherever you live there is likely a vocational training school. Contact your state department of education and find them. They will give you a REAL trucking education for a fraction of the price.
I went to McFatter in Davie Florida. $636 for 9 solid weeks. I drove vans, tankers and flatbeds. I was given shop training and an opportunity to try out the fire extinguisher. It was real training not an Abbot and Costello routine.
CRE are a baby mill. They use people end of story. If you go there it will end in tears unless you have a plan to use them first.
Teaming sucks and leasing for just about anybody is like sticking a gun in your mouth.
Train locally and then get in with somebody else, anybody else just not CRE.
If you train at Lincoln Community College or in Marietta in Georgia Crete will accept you as a student. Contact Crete they will help you.
This is 100% better then CRE. Consider relocating to one of these locations at least temporarily. The fact is that when you become an OTR trucker the USA is your home and it really doesn't matter where the address is on your license is so consider Nebraska or Georgia.

I am getting fed up talking about this and people not listening so I will just advise you to read what I have written on some of the other threads and heed what I have said here. DON'T be a hard head and think you know best - YOU DON'T - I do I have been there done that. I am working toward buying my own truck now and in a sort of education myself. I listen carefully to everything that is told me, I speak to happy winners not miserable Mr Micawbers (look it up). It will be ok because I am spending 2 years learning before I commit.
Hopefully you get my point.
Good luck to you and keep at it until you find a way. Trucking is a good life for the right person and I wish you well.
Go forth young Jedi and may the force be with you.

 

I worked for CRE after getting my CDL through them in 2008. I drove as a company driver before they made teaming manditory. I didn't get rich but I did have enough to live off of from week to week and my wife got enough money to pay the bills back home. I made it home (MI) about 3-4 days every 6-7 weeks. I then went to the Relief/Recovery fleet and drove leaser trucks while they were on home time. In this fleet I was home 2-3 days every 2-3 weeks based out of Burns Harbor. Liked the relief driving but have great horror stories about recovering abondoned trucks. I would never lease a truck from this company or any other for that matter. But as a company driver I have zero complaints. The DM definately makes or breaks you, I had great ones and averaged 2750 miles a week. maybe not that many miles to some, but better than a lot of other company drivers I talked to. I was one of the lucky ones to actually drive and make $ and have fun at the same time. Again...I WOULD NEVER LEASE. To anyone out there, think twice and then think again!

 

hey . leasing a truck means borrowing right? i thought leasing a truck, it would be yours when finish paying for it. and owner operator? how to become one of them and how to buy truck from company and when you get through paying for it, its yours meaning i get the title.? thanks

 

actually leasing does lot mean owning. leasing is more like renting.

when you rent a car it's a way to keep you in a newer vehicle every few years and no you don't get the title after. you can finance it after the lease and then when your done with the loan you get the title after it's payed off. and with leasing a car you have only so many miles you can put on each year.

leasing a truck theirs a buy out at the end. if you want to own that truck or get a new one and start another lease.

 

About the only thing going for CR England from the driver's point of view is their school. It's a decent one.... The BUT comes in when you realize that there's a company attached to that school... and the company is about as crooked as they come.

You'll never drive solo with CRE. They're going to 100% team op... .. I won't repeat the other input here... but all of the negatives you hear.. I WOULD repeat.. I'd steer clear of these people even if it means you don't become a trucker.