C.R. England drivers ... tell me about the company

[matcat]

I was only talking about passing the CDL exam. A few posts I have read here and otherwise say that the classes are large and instructors are spread thin. I plan on being able to pass that exam with flying colors. Of course I will take everything that my mentor has to offer, I just hope that I can get a good one!

I don't know much about how central does training, but I know swift when I got my training through them, the memphis school would start with 300 new students every week, and something like 50 or so would actually go on and pass by the end of the 3 weeks.

I went to their Richmond school, my class started with 34 the first day, and by graduation time only 9 made it, and only 3 actually stayed on to go solo after trainers, and only 1 made it past 6 months... me, and that was only by about a month .

[calmur]

Thank you, that pretty much is what I'm catching onto; but even the guy who couldn't pee into a cup deserves to blow off steam. I've worked about a dozen jobs in my life and I've never worked one job where there wasn't someone who was out to make my life miserable. It just isn't worth it to be miserable.

I'm beginning to think driving is a bit like marriage; some men go from gf to gf, or wife to wife over the least complaint; but there are some of us who have choked through the tough spots and end up 30 years later with the same lady. May not be as much drama, but its nice to wake up and feel that knee in your back.

Thank you for your input; I'm suppose to meet with the England recruiter tomorrow, she'll have "a lot of 'splainin' to do". I wanted to hear the good and the bad, but asked the question upside down. I should have asked only for the good and known I'd hear the bad too.

My father, of beloved memory, always told me, "son there are two kinds of people in the world, you and everyone else. Be yourself." Well being myself is being upbeat.

I know I'm rambling, but when I was laid off last month it never crossed my mind that it was about me; my boss had to lay off 1 in 3 of about 95 employees, and I really liked him, so I asked him if he was alright. It threw him off, he was prepared for anger and instead got a smile and a "it has been a pleasure." Honestly, I'm a bit pissed that 5 1/2 years can come down to 5 1/2 minutes; but I've always survived...thank God! I will survive this round too!

Thank you for your input.

Cal

Hey calmur,

I bet you did all the research that you could before you came to C.R. England. I did all that research and came up with a similar company called Central Refrigerated Services Inc., then I came on here and asked some of the same questions that you have asked.
I got most of the same answers about Central Refrigerated that you are getting about C.R. England. From what I am finding, a lot of OTR drivers change carriers more than they change their underwear!

I am like you in that I will tend to look for the good in people. The complaints about these companies seem to be a former employees way of sticking it to the man! I even read about a guy that got terminated because he couldn't pee in a cup. Reading between the lines I would bet he would not pee in a cup because he knew he had drugs in his system. I have peed in many a cup and I know for a fact that they would have let him drink 10 gallons of water if that is what it took.

I would say that you will be alright if you go to C.R. England with a positive attitude. I leave for Central Refer next week, and I have already been studying my CDL manual. I plan to be prepared when I get there so that I do not have to rely on my trainer.

One thing that I will say is that I chose Central Refrigerated over C.R England because of the pressure that England puts on it's students to become Lease Operators. I do not want to get stuck with a lease so early in my new career.

Best Of Luck to you at C.R England. As for me, I intend to give details of my experiences for those that will follow.

[homer]

i never worked for england
i went to the swift school in 95.i got 2 years experience and got a job with no sleeper
i have read enough in landline magazine about the class action lawsuits by the lease purchase victims. also on here about the lease operator with the minus 1000$ paychecks to be glad i did not apply there. i think any of the other large carriers mentioned here would be superior.
i have no regrets. it was a great oppurtunity and ill be at it as long as they give me new medical cards

[Hawkjr]

90 Days with a Trainer?? OMG!!!

[Firemen537]

Hi guys and Ladies hey i have a ? for you to i have been driving for 17 years now and come from a long history of OTR drivers in my family.I have heard rumors about Prime And CR England,I am sitting home collecting unemployment and going nuts i want to go into buissness for myself driving but don't have the funds to do it,What should i do or were should i start.I don't want to be another company hoar been there and done that running my ass off and not making no money.

[seal3k]

Hi guys and Ladies hey i have a ? for you to i have been driving for 17 years now and come from a long history of OTR drivers in my family.I have heard rumors about Prime And CR England,I am sitting home collecting unemployment and going nuts i want to go into buissness for myself driving but don't have the funds to do it,What should i do or were should i start.I don't want to be another company hoar been there and done that running my ass off and not making no money.

Don't take this the wrrong man, and im not a moderator. Thread jacking not kool

[Jumbo]

Hi guys and Ladies hey i have a ? for you to i have been driving for 17 years now and come from a long history of OTR drivers in my family.I have heard rumors about Prime And CR England,I am sitting home collecting unemployment and going nuts i want to go into buissness for myself driving but don't have the funds to do it,What should i do or were should i start.I don't want to be another company hoar been there and done that running my ass off and not making no money.

You want to go into business for yourself but you have any money? And you have heard the rumors about Prime and England? If you are waiting for us to tell you where you should go to get your own truck with no money you will be here awhile. Also, If you felt like a company ***** running your ass off and not making any money then you should look for another company. A lease purchase deal will really make you feel like a *****.

[Snowman7]

You want to go into business for yourself but you have any money? And you have heard the rumors about Prime and England? If you are waiting for us to tell you where you should go to get your own truck with no money you will be here awhile. Also, If you felt like a company ***** running your ass off and not making any money then you should look for another company. A lease purchase deal will really make you feel like a *****.

Thats was almost two months ago Jumbo. By now he's half way to a six figure income at CRE!

[Jumbo]

I agree. Four digits in front of the decimal point and two after. But all six in red ink.

[Bumper]

I was talking with a Werner trainee at a shed last week. He was telling me that he has to drive 60,000 miles before he can be released on his own. 60,000 miles!! In this economy he might not graduate to solo driver until next year!!

[VPIDarkAngel]

I was talking with a Werner trainee at a shed last week. He was telling me that he has to drive 60,000 miles before he can be released on his own. 60,000 miles!! In this economy he might not graduate to solo driver until next year!!

I've only two words: BULL CRAP! Last I checked, it was 300 hours of line 3 time... unless they changed policies.. again.

[SickRick]

Talked to a CRE Driver last week at a produce shed last week here in FTL. Told me DO NOT GO WITH CR. He had a trainee onboard and was averaging 2,500 miles a week WITH the 2nd driver onboard (whereas trucks with trainee's onboard are "usually" run as "teams" - and "should be getting" 2X that mileage).

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU LEASE A TRUCK FROM THE SAME COMPANY THAT DISPATCHES YOU - UNLESS - (and I've NEVER heard of this happening), you can TAKE THE TRUCK and lease on as an O/O with ANOTHER COMPANY if you're not happy with the dispatch.

If you lease a truck from a REGULAR LEASING COMPANY - you are free to sign on with whatever company you choose. If you lease FROM the company you drive for, you can ONLY HAUL THEIR FREIGHT. Your LEASE PAYMENT comes OFF THE TOP OF YOUR SETTLEMENT, whether you're running 50 miles or 5,0000 - THEY GET THEIRS FIRST.

Rick

Whose just starting to apply to all the "coolie carriers" with a FLORIDA HOME ADDRESS (yeah - GOOD LUCK TO ME!)...

[bigtruckman]

So I guess, the best question would be - OF ALL THE GREAT SATANS - which one is the "lesser of evils"?

No one ever seems to want to ANSWER that question, EVERYONE however - is more than willing to talk feces on any company that a newb enquires about. Would be SO NICE - since this board is about helping one and other - for someone to actually ANSWER THE QUESTION...


i can answer that question if you want a decent learning experience as a newbie i would chose werner, i didn't have problems once i learn the system (paperless log) it took maybe a month to learn but the next few months was cool. would still be there but the Dot sweep me up with the swift cdl problems

[jagerbomber3.0]

Wow!! If you want some entertainment from reading some hard core bitching and moaning, go read the CR England threads over on Ripp Off Report. WOW. There are multiple women on there even claiming to have been raped by their trainers!! There are some hard core cases of being pissed at the company on there.

[Blacksheep]

C.R Dingaling is a sh*t company run Forest run..................don't waste a second with these bottum feeders.
Plenty of good companies out there.

[SickRick]

So I guess, the best question would be - OF ALL THE GREAT SATANS - which one is the "lesser of evils"?

No one ever seems to want to ANSWER that question, EVERYONE however - is more than willing to talk feces on any company that a newb enquires about. Would be SO NICE - since this board is about helping one and other - for someone to actually ANSWER THE QUESTION...


i can answer that question if you want a decent learning experience as a newbie i would chose werner, i didn't have problems once i learn the system (paperless log) it took maybe a month to learn but the next few months was cool. would still be there but the Dot sweep me up with the swift cdl problems

Interesting - as that was MY QUESTION (know the verbiage looked familiar).

I DID do an app with Werner - need to call back and get my "package" (resume, cover letter, license, MVR, etc. etc.) to the recruiter.

Got a call from a "friend of a good friend" tonight - guy just happens to be a CRE Trainer. Says they're no better (or no worse) than any other company out there. One thing in particular he mentioned is that you're either going to be lease or team with them it seems. No more solo's.

For me - I'm getting into this because I CAN'T STAND PEOPLE (been in customer service for 30 years). I just wanna haul freight, listen to music and be LEFT THE HELL ALONE. Sharing a "rolling walk-in-closet" on a FULL TIME BASIS is not exactly what I have in mind for my future. OTOH - for the after-CDL-school "finishing touches" of training and that first 6 mos. to 1 year of "required experience" to move upwards and onwards - ANY JOB at this point is better than sitting home, UN-EMPLOYED and logging on LINE ONE...

Rick

[kreeper01]

be forewarned:

Every
New
Guy
Leaves
After
Ninty
Days

This may happen to you, do not jump for these fools when they tell you to jump.

3 months with a trainer, geez, i was with a trainer the most of 6 weeks with these fools.

[rapatorr]

I to was approached by C.R England about 4 months ago,probably the same day I applied,no joke, they were trying so hard to recruit me, I said I didn't know yet, but they kept asking, they had me signed up and ready to go, till I googled it, like the other fellow said, and there it was, Rip-off alert, so needless to say I didn't do it.
Don't do it, heard a lot of bad stuff