Need Opinions

I started with CRE in October. I've had a good experience so far; clean hotels, good school, cool driver manager and a good trainer. I'm now in their Phase 2 which is team driving. I'm new to driving so I was going to stick it out with CRE for a year just to get my experience and fulfil my contract and then leave. However, I don't make much money a week, I'm averaging around $750 and the govt takes out about $165 of that for taxes. So I'm thinking of buying out my contract so I can leave to another company once I get my 3 or 6 month's experience. I'm looking for a company that has good local or regional routes and I'm not interested in company hopping so I'd like it to be a good place for long term employment. What can you guys tell me about Interstate , JB hunt, Covenant and Schneider? I've done a bunch of research on their sites but it's better to hear it from people who actually know about it. I live in California if that helps.

I'll tell you what most drivers here will tell you. You should strongly consider sticking it out. It's easy for me to say cause I'm not in your shoes, however in the long run it will serve you better to stay and finish your contract. Instead of looking for a way out perhaps you could communicate with your fm about getting more miles or what you can do to improve. You haven't been there long so you possibly haven't proven yourself yet. Continue to make your deliveries on time and safely and who knows what you could get out of it. Even if you leave now for greener pastures, with little experience you'll end up in the same situation.

Also as a side note. You said you did a bunch of research on those other companies but none on the company you're with? Cre England is not bashed here on TT but their pay is notoriously low for new drivers, although they do bump the pay up after a period. I believe we have an England driver here. She may chime in at some point. Best of luck.

Welcome X.B., CT got it right. My opinion and advice is buckle down, use this time to focus on learning your craft. Your opportunities after a year, assuming you are a safe driver, are almost limitless.

Phoenix is the CRE driver we have on the forum.

Hello X B, and welcome aboard!

I agree with CT, and let me give you some specific reasons why.

If you take the amount of money you will spend to buy out your contract and then contrast that with the increased money you think you are going to make elsewhere, I think that you are going in the hole on this entire transaction. You would be far better served by sticking with C.R. England until you are finished with your contract. We try to teach people to focus on the big picture or to take the long haul approach to this career.

Think about it this way. You are a rookie, that's not a condemnation, or a judgement, it is just true, you have just gotten started. It sounds to me like you are enjoying what you do, and that you are pretty good at it also, based on the dollar amount you say you are grossing. Here's the problem with switching around for greener grass in this business... You have just now gotten yourself adapted to the way that they do things at England, and that is a big step into how you make money in this business. Understanding how to manage your time in a way that works between you and your dispatcher , understanding the company Macros, and the whole procedure of processing your paperwork so that you are getting paid efficiently are things that are done differently at all the major trucking companies. One thing about being a rookie is that we don't really have a track record to present to our future employers, so it doesn't really matter where we go we are starting at ground zero and having to prove ourselves. You have obviously got a leg up on this right there at England.

It sounds like you are doing okay, but would just like to improve your income. I felt the same way when I was a rookie at Western Express, another company known for not paying the highest wages to their rookie drivers. I thought about leaving before my first year was up, but I knew that I would be starting all over trying to make myself known to the people who could help me advance my career. It just makes sense to hang in there for that first year wherever you happen to get started. I was able to make more money by improving my performance, and that served as a great foundation for my future career. It isn't all about the cents per mile that you are making, but more about how you manage your time and work efficiently within the system that is in place with your current company. I ended up making close to fifty grand my first year but had started out at .27/per mile. I was not under a contractual agreement, but it still made the best sense to stay where I was a know factor and double down on my efforts to establish myself as the best driver they had ever come across.

I think if you will take that approach you will find that it will teach you so many things about yourself, and about how to make it in this career. I guarantee you that it will serve you well as far as your next step or foray into finding another company. When they see that you have put in a good solid year safely at one company they will be falling all over you to make you the best offer. Right now, you are going to look just like another disgruntled rookie driver who may bring a whole set of problems with him, but after you have completed that contract you will shine like a diamond in their eyes.

Hang in there brother, you will be glad you did!

Thanks for the advice. And yes I know a bunch about CRE. As a team driver in Phase 2 you earn .14 cpm. If my teammate and I do 5,000mi a week that's $700. Like I was saying my experience with CRE has been really good so far so that's why I really wanted to stick it out to become a trainer or get on a dedicated or local route but even after you get the required experience to apply for the route/account you still have to abide by the wait list and the wait lists are crowded as hell, so is it with the Western Regional trainer route. I'm 21 and single so I have all the time I need so I planned on waiting until my 3 month mark and if there's nothing that's worth the process of me buying out my contract and switching over to another company then I'll just stay here and be patient

Thanks old school. And yes I've thought about me having to start over again and the process of how a newer company works. It's just I wish CRE paid more. I've had a lot to think about, I know a lot of people complain about not having a good experience with England so I'm glad that I'm one of the people who have it easy so far. I'd hate to give up what I've started with to go another company and have a bad experience just for a few extra bucks. So there's definitely thinking involved.

As for me buying out my contract it will be $2500 to buy it out. I have the money now but I'm holding on as there's still more things to consider rather than just jumping ship. But as I mentioned earlier it WOULD be nice to get more home time and get paid more. But I'll just see where the road takes me.

cool driver manager

X. B., I don't think you realize just yet how important your relationship with your driver manager is. It sounds like you have got it pretty good right now, and that is a strong reason for staying right where you are. You could go to a company that pays a little more and not be able to "click" with your new driver manager, and that could be a real issue. We've got a member in here who I think is going to be a really great driver (I'm going to go ahead and throw out their name - it's Tractor Man) but I'm thinking he has ended up with not the greatest driver manager. It's not that they are cruel or mean or anything like that, but they just don't seem to know how to keep him moving, nor do they seem to be real motivated to improve what they are doing yet. It has been a problem for him, but he has hung in there for better or worse, and hopefully that situation will improve.

It is a roll of the dice sometimes, and often times the devil we know is better than the devil we are about to get to know. I highly recommend you hang in there and keep working at doing your very best. Your driver manager knows what you are capable of and they will keep it coming your way as long as you are able to keep producing.