CDL Paid Training

I signed up for CDL training with CR england for the Fontana,CA facility after researching CR england and reading their reviews I was horrified with what I read can any one verify these for me .please HELP

Look Jerry, you don't have to go to C.R.England if you don't want to, but we always tell people to ignore all that trash talk on the internet. Here's the deal: C.R. England has taken the approach that they will have less strict requirements on bringing people in to their school. Therefore they get a lot of knuckleheads whose wives are sick and tired of them being at home drinking beer that was paid for with their unemployment benefits. C.R. England has a great training program, but they have some pretty lousy applicants, and when those applicants don't get everything handed to them on a silver platter they cry foul!

Breaking into trucking isn't a cake walk, and probably about 85% of C.R. England's applicants find out the truth after about a week and a half. Then they start thinking about all that cold beer at home that uncle Sam's been paying for, and they take their little prima donna selves to the internet moan and groan sites and try and see if they can't out do the last terrible review.

If you've got a good strong work ethic and can face difficulty down and get the job done you are going to be golden - that is just the kind of person that can make it in trucking, and to be honest with you that is what the instructors at a school like C.R. England are looking for. They will notice the ones that stand out in the crowd and are getting things accomplished despite the naysayers, and the difficulties.

Let me just warn you about one thing that I don't like about C.R. England. They will push, I mean really hard, the idea that you can make a ton of more money by leasing one of their trucks. Don't you dare fall for that trick. I think this is the main reason that many people leave England after making it through their school. They fell for the leasing bait, when they didn't even have a clue about how to run a trucking business, and now even though they just thought this was the way to make gobs of money, they are finding out that they are basically an independent contractor who doesn't have a clue about what they are doing. Trust me this will be a fatal mistake for your career. You can be a company driver for them and do just fine, but you will be forced to stand your ground on the fact that you want to be a company driver.

Now that I've said all that you also need to know that they are not the only game in town that will train you and promise you a job after schooling. Check out this link to Company-Sponsored Training . You have a lot of options, and I hope you will do a little research and see if you might want to choose a different path.

Also, check out our Truck Driver's Career Guide, follow all the links in there and you will have a much better understanding of what it is that you are getting yourself into.

We've a lot of valuable information here on this site, and a great deal of helpful people too, so feel free to jump in here with any questions you have and we will do our best to offer you something helpful and constructive without all the moaning and groaning that has become synonymous with truck driving in the last few years. We love what we do, and it shows. We see no reason why you can't enjoy a prosperous and rewarding career in the trucking business.

And, I got so busy blowing hot air that I forgot to tell you welcome, we are glad you're here!

Good grief it's absolutely impossible to follow up with anything after what Old School said.....as usual! But I would like to verify.....

C.R. England has taken the approach that they will have less strict requirements on bringing people in to their school. Therefore they get a lot of knuckleheads whose wives are sick and tired of them being at home drinking beer that was paid for with their unemployment benefits. C.R. England has a great training program, but they have some pretty lousy applicants, and when those applicants don't get everything handed to them on a silver platter they cry foul!

That is totally true. We've had a number of people go through their program and come out the other side just fine. I think the biggest problem with the company is their pay scale. It's always been low by industry standards. I can remember when I was a rookie in '93 and I asked one of their drivers what they made and it was really low. That hasn't changed. Otherwise there's no reason you can't get your career off to a great start with CR England.

But like Old School said....make sure you look around. If you see someone you feel is a better fit then give em a call. But ultimately that first year is just for learning anyhow. You're not going to make a fortune at one company and go broke at another. You'll do fine wherever you're at the first year and long before that first year is up you'll know if you want to try a different company or if you're happy where you're at.

Exactly as Old School says! I believe your success or lack thereof will be tied to your attitude. A few people I know were horrified when I chose Swift. I chose Swift because it works for me and they wanted me. I'm going in with an open mind and positive outlook. Ignore the naysayers, if you have a good feeling about CR England than go with it!

Yes old school has it right. A couple of points to consider on getting a CDL ... "Company Paid" training may (may not) require a contract of employment. They might "own" you for the first year ... or call every one of your references every day looking for their money if you drop out. Or that loan you just took out .. watch out for "Colleges" and such that are getting into CDL Training ... it may take a semester (or two) .... and something no one else seems to realize ... yet ... look at the license plate on that community college tractor trailer! In some states ... if their budget comes from the "State" ... they may have a government plate ... and if they do ,,, some third party examiners may (may not) "restrict" your CDL to government vehicles only and you will have to retest (in a representative vehicle) to get that "restriction" removed ... just like testing in an automatic.

"Owning" your CDL is important. Smaller private truck driving schools that are "accredited" are much better! But in my opinion, all "behind the wheel" training (at least 1and 1/2 hrs a day) should be one on one. If there are seats in the sleeper .... (or if there is no sleeper) stay away. The Federal Motor Carrier Regs state that a sleeper berth "must be equipped for sleeping..." how does a sleeper with seats conform with that???

Anyway, my point is to buy your own CDL. Own it. Earn it. There will be many changes in training over the next year, regulations will allow cross state training where a permit will be good outside your home state. These larger companies that are putting two trainees with a student in a truck will be more prevalent. (and its common knowledge the C.R. England allows their "trainers" to take "team" students on the road.) Class sizes will become bigger and instructor to student ratios (should NEVER be more than 5:1 in the "yard" or 1:1 in the truck) will take the biggest hit .... which will mean more students just squeaking by the "system" and pushed out here on the road. AND ... that instructor that trains you should NOT be the one that tests you. Third party CDL Examiners only! ... I would insist on one not employed/associated with/by that school ....

Major companies have found the golden bucket at the end of the rainbow when it comes to training new drivers. Add in words like, veteran, temporary employee (because they allow you to operate a CMV during training you are an "employee" even though you may not be hired yet ...) and other grants etcetera ... their tax breaks and their credit ratings soar when their student numbers are high.

Good luck Jerry and be safe ....

If your not 100% sure on CR England check out Swift. They have a company paid training facility in Fontana. Roadmasters is another school in Fontana but it's not company sponsored so you will have to pay out of pocket for that one or get financing through the school. I just graduated from Roadmasters Oct. 30 and I have no complaints about the program they have! Good luck to you