At TruckingTruth, we've done a ton of research for you! We've contacted the company recruiters at CR England and put together a fantastic review of the CR England paid CDL training program.
We'll start you off with our opinion of their paid CDL training program and then we'll take you through all of the key features and important information you'll need to know. Some of what we'll cover:
Did you know CR England was founded by Chester Rodney England in 1920 and is now run by the 4th generation of the England family?
Key points of the C.R. England training program include that it only requires a 9-month driving commitment to fully pay off the tuition, and there is a heavy emphasis on driving time, rather than classroom time. They operate and partner with schools across the country, and one important thing to consider is that students will be responsible for paying for all of their meals and permit, license, and administrative fees.
C.R. England, like other large carriers, is well-funded and has a long history of turning out successful drivers from their program. Their tuition is on the higher end for company-sponsored programs, but they require a shorter commitment. Regardless, you'll want to spend at least a year in your first driving job, and C.R. England will suit most people just fine.
CR England was founded in 1920 and is based out of Salt Lake City, UT. They have grown into one of the largest refrigerated carriers in the nation with over 4,500 trucks, 6,500 trailers, and 5,600 drivers. The company operates 24/7/365 throughout the united states and specializes in long-distance freight operations.
In addition, CR England operates its own driving schools. This allows the company to recruit and train those with no CDL or truck driving experience.
While there can be fluctuations based on the need for drivers in any particular area, CR England typically hires drivers nationwide in all states except for North Dakota, South Dakota, Florida and Montana.
The hiring requirements at CR England are about average as compared to the industry standard. Work history and a decent driving record are very important as well as being free from any recent felony convictions. It’s important to be honest about any background issues you might have as CR England doesn’t perform their full background check until you arrive for orientation. That’s a bad time to be told you aren’t eligible for hire.
CR England has schools located in the following areas, with Salt Lake City being the most widely used training facility:
C.R. England also uses many partner schools throughout the country through Premier truck driving schools.
Company terminals and drop yards are located throughout the united states with CDL schools located in the following locations:
Your full tuition of $4995 is fully paid with a driving commitment of 9 months (6 months for military veterans).
If you do not fulfill your end of the contract, you will be responsible for the entire amount, plus training costs.
You will need to pay for your permit and license, and any other state-specific fees. Total Up Front Costs: $130 to $180, depending on location.
In addition, students will need funds for basic living expenses while at school.
No, students must supply their own meals.
Yes, the cost of lodging is part of the tuition fee.
Yes, the total cost of the program is $4995.
If you complete the contract with C.R. England, you do not have to pay back the tuition. If you choose not to complete the contract, you will be responsible for the full tuition at $4,995 and training costs.
The cost of C.R. England's training program tends to the higher side, but it is completely paid off after 9 months of driving, which is less than the standard year-long contract you'd find at most other companies.
Keep in mind that drivers also need to be prepared to feed themselves until they start drawing paychecks, about 4 weeks. They are also responsible for permit, license, and administrative fees.
If you are attending a school outside of your home state, you will need to get your permit first. In-state students are not required to have their permit before attending.
Not required, but can be used for identification purposes in place of birth certificate.
None are required.
Schooling lasts from 15 to 20 days depending on which location you attend. During this time, you’ll study and pass the CDL written exam at which point training will become a mixture of classroom and on-truck training.
Generally during the first week, you will meet your instructor and learn about safety procedures, mechanical operations, and log requirements to truck driving. There may be homework every day throughout the duration of the course.
CDL training school averages 17 days. This is followed by a 180 hours company paid training program and 1 1/2 month Phase 2 training period.
There is no set amount of time, basically as much as you'd like to get. Range time is from Friday 1330-2100, Saturday and Sunday 0600-1700 depending on the student load. C.R. England has 8 backing lanes working during these times and 4 lanes after hours.
Depends on class size, 1-6 students, can be more if practicing after hours.
Only about an hour per day will be spent in the classroom. The rest of the time will be spent out with the instructors.
The CDL program is a fast paced course so it’s better suited to those who learn well in a short amount of time. As compared to most other company sponsored programs, there is a heavy emphasis on actual driving and range practice, rather than classroom time.
Phase 1 Training you will be required to complete 180 hours behind the wheel driving, which takes approximately one month. From there you will begin Phase 2 training with a Lead driver which takes approximately 1.5 months. When you begin Phase 2 training, you can request home time.
Phase 1 is paid $10 per hour for driving hours, and your states minimum wage for on duty not-driving work time. The average pay in Phase 1 training is $505 per week.. Phase 2 training is $0.28 per mile split for all paid miles the truck runs even when you’re not driving. The average pay in Phase 2 training is $580/wk.
The first couple of loads are generally run at a solo speed or slow team speed, after that they run team freight if needed.
Not usually, but can be if necessary.
Yes, while the truck is in motion students must sleep in the bottom bunk.
Any trainer / trainee disputes are handled through the trainees assigned dispatcher on a case-by-case basis.
Yes. Trainees are placed based on smoking preference and gender.
6 months with the company, no chargeable accidents in past 60 days, no higher than log level 2. Must get driver manager approval.
The company paid training program appears to be very comparable to other companies of its size, as is the pay scale for trainees.
Spending about 1 month with a company trainer is a decent amount of time, especially since that’s followed by a 45-day period teamed up with a lead driver.
Starting pay varies by route, state, and solo or team. Generally it varies from $.24/team split to $.35 cpm solo.
Average driver pay for 1 year experience is $986/wk, trainer average is $1,377. Top 10% pay is $1,449/week ($75,348/year). Pay results will vary depending on many factors, including tenure-based pay rates, your fleet, how hard you work, and how much you drive.
Once you obtain your CDL you can begin earning trainer pay in as little as 6 months of driving.
It depends on the lane and how much you are willing to drive.
No, C.R. England does not currently offer a fuel bonus program to company drivers.
Full discounted life, health, dental, and vision coverage is offered. 401k with company match.
$21.06 to $101.94 per week depending on chosen plan.
Benefits begin the first of the month following 60 days of employment.
Vacation time varies by state, but generally:
While the starting pay at CR England is slightly below the industry average, after one year of employment, driver pay is about average for the industry.
C.R. England also emphasizes it's higher trainer pay, available after 6 months of safe driving. We would usually recommend waiting at least a year before getting into becoming a trainer. At 6 months experience you are still, basically, a rookie.
Pets are not allowed on company equipment.
Must have at least 30 days accident-free driving, passenger must be at least 8 years of age, driver must obtain accident insurance for passenger through the safety dept. Driver and passenger must sign release prior to commencement of the trip. One passenger at a time.
6 months experience needed. After about 3 months experience it is possible to be taken to a dedicated or regional lane sooner if they live in an area where there is a need.
Not typically. Most NYC runs are local positions run by drivers with significant experience.
Drivers are expected to run the given load if they can legally do so. No options for a different load unless the driver has home time and we switch some loads around.
Depends on type of run and lane. OTR is generally 3-4 days every 3-4 weeks, Regional and dedicated home times are lane specific, and range from daily, weekly and every 2-3 weeks
About 65% of the freight is drop and hook.
No, C.R. England does not offer leasing.
CR England is a refrigerated carrier only. While a limited number of local, regional, and dedicated positions are available, the majority of drivers operate in the OTR division. Drivers for regional and dedicated positions are chosen based upon experience, service, performance, and safety records.
Even though the regional and dedicated freight at CR England is growing, new drivers should expect to remain in the OTR division for at least one year. Even at that point, most regional and dedicated drivers are hand chosen. Those positions normally do not come with any additional home time or pay increases.
One aspect to consider is that C.R. England will generally try to avoid sending inexperienced drivers into New York City.
C.R. England has a varied fleet, using a mix of Freightliner, Kenworth, Peterbilt, international, Western Star, and Mack trucks.
Trailers are newer model Utility and Great Dane’s equipped with refrigeration units.
Yes, 100% of the fleet is on electronic logs.
Company drivers are restricted to 62.5 mph.
