[matcat]

Originally Posted by Ford390pwr

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

Originally Posted by Ford390pwr

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]

Originally Posted by 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.

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

[Jumbo]

Originally Posted by 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.

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]

Originally Posted by Jumbo

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!!