CR England CDL School

Topic 12788 | Page 1

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Jason L.'s Comment
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This is my experience with CRE's school... It's almost a year since I finished, but because there are so many negative reviews, I'll throw a good one in there.

As far as the paperwork and legal stuff in the beginning, they were a little mixed up on a few things but overall it wasn't so bad. Just make sure you have EVERYTHING including a MVR because I wasn't told I needed mine but come time to take written tests it was requested. I was just lucky that my state offered them online for only $5.

After the paperwork, it's all about watching a lot of videos and slides... And listening to the teachers and some range instructors talking. For the most part they get everything they can into your head as far as the CDL manual goes for whichever state you're testing in. Once the manual is covered, you go test for the permit.

The teachers I had were pretty good and definitely helped you if you needed any.

If and when you pass the written test, you're back in class for a day learning about backing/parking and a few other things... Then it's out on the range where they can teach you to straight back, parallel park and offset park a semi.

After a day or two of that, they take you out on the road for a couple days and if they feel you're ready they send you in for the road test. After the road test, you're back in a different class going over hiring paperwork and watching a couple more videos.

As far as hotel accommodations, when you first get there you'll be in a fairly decent hotel. After you get your temps, they ship you to a pretty nasty hotel.

I went to the school in Burns Harbor, IN and it was around May 2015. There have been some changes since the DOT changed a law saying you have to take the tests in your home state (I'm from Wisconsin) But I can't imagine much has changed.

If you don't want to pay for the schooling, you sign a contract for 9 months (6 months if you're ex-military) and you go out with a trainer after schooling is complete.

I didn't get along all too well with my trainer, and even though I'm a smoker I couldn't stand the very bad smoke smell in his truck. So I only lasted a week with the trainer and then I had him drop my at a bus station and I made my way home on my own.

The schooling itself is very good and the teachers/instructors are as well, but you have to be ready and willing to team... I wasn't going for the team thing.

Originally the schooling was supposed to last 17 days, I was done with everything in 10. So if you're a fast learner or have the past experience I did, you'll get through pretty quick.

This review is basically just about the schooling itself... Since I didn't stick with the team driving I can't say what the phases are like and how the company itself is.

CDL:

Commercial Driver's License (CDL)

A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:

  • Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
  • Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.

DOT:

Department Of Transportation

A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.

State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.

MVR:

Motor Vehicle Record

An MVR is a report of your driving history, as reported from your state Department of Motor Vehicles. Information on this report may include Drivers License information, point history, violations, convictions, and license status on your driving record.

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