After a short training period (I had previous experience) I began my short lived career with CR. England.
My experience started right after my graduation from their training program. Right off the bat, I sat for 1 week in the terminal waiting for my first load to get me home. I had already been away from home for close to 2 months. They gave me a previous lease truck that had just been turned in and I was promised that the truck was in "perfect" working condition. (I applied as a company driver).
Upon completing my short 2 days of home-time I went out on the road. Right off the bat I started having problems with my trucks air lines. The gauges would drop a bit, then rise, then drop back down, then rise. They would do this very quickly. After several talks with the shop, they kept telling me that it was "normal" for a Freightliner Classic XL to do that. This continued for the next 3 or four weeks as I did some not-so-good loads. They kept dispatching me on 800-900 mile runs and giving me 3 - 4 days to get to my destination with no chance for a drop - and - hook.
I get to my first real hometime and enjoy a SAT and SUN hometime. I check on the computer and they wanted me an entire days drive away from my home for my pickup at the time I said I would be available for duty. (I got back home Sat. Morning and put in that I would be available for duty at 8am monday morning).
After a bit of harassment from my DM I had my pickup time changed and went on duty. During my pre-trip inspection, on my tractor, my air gauge was barely above 60psi. I emediately called the shop and my DM. My DM proceded to cuss me out for not getting this taken care of sooner even though I had made several attempts to get it fixed before. As a company driver all repairs had to be authorized by the shop.
I get the truck to the nearest shop where it goes out of service with 3 rips through the air lines and also a mechanical problem that they diagnosed while in the shop. Once the truck was fixed I left my home state of WA. And as I entered Oregon my a/c cut off on me. The company told me that they had "just placed" the truck on their resell list and dispatch me to their home terminal to swap out trucks. I dropped off my load a the consignee and had a small incident in the parking lot. I clipped the bumper against a fence and pulled the bumper from the truck at a 90 degree angle. I fixed the bumper myself but reported it as it was in a Customers Yard. It didnt even cost the company any money.
I get my new truck and its getting closer and closer to when I HAVE to be home for a sleep study test. I live in WA. State and im currently on the East Coast. Im starting to get frustrated as they are bouncing me back and forth on short stints on the east coast. After every load during this time, they keep promising to reroute me back home for my study. After about 2 weeks, they finally get me routed to the home terminal and I missed my initial sleep test. I had only 4 days untill my medical card expired and I could not get it renewed untill the sleep test was finished. They gave me a load that delivered in Spokane on THE DAY that my medical card expired. I haul butt and get down their 3 days early and they tell me I have to sit on the load untill the original deliver date and time.
The morning of the delivery I wake up and make a second stupid rookie mistake - I was parked in a IDLE AIR spot and as im backing my truck out, I barely knicked my driver side mirror on the idle air post. There was no dammage to the mirror housing. Unfortunately, it knocked the mirror out of the housing and it shattered on the ground.
I reported it to my DM, who proceded to cuss me out, then put me on the phone with the shop. The shop gave me another good cussing, then they transfered me to my safety manager, who ALSO proceded to cuss me out. I kept my composure, and decided to deliver the load before I had the mirror fixed. (The customer was 1 mile away). I spend the next 5 hours at the shop and finally get home with about 3 hours to spare before my Medical Card was Expired.
I send messages to my safety manager and my driver manager as to my test date and procede to make an appointment for a physical so I can drive back to the company for a Company physical after my testing is complete. (To remain legal while operating a comercial motor vehicle)
The sleep study was an over-night study and I got home the next morning. I left a message for my driver manager via my housephone and went back outside to move my truck to where it would have a qualcomm signal. As I leave the house, I hear the sound of my trucks engine starting up. I run up the driveway to where the truck is parked and they company had sent a representative to come and pick up the truck.
I again called my driver manager and he said that I never gave him the information for the date (s) of my sleep test so he thought I had quit and had filled out my termination paperwork. I had him transfer me to my safety supervisor who didnt even know what was going on and tried to resolve the matter with the DM.
The DM eventually told the that it would "cost to much money" to reverse the decision and that it was final. After a little more fighting with the safety department and the human resources department, they made it very clear I would not be accepted for employment anymore and wouldn't give me any reasons.
A short while later I tried to get work for a different carrier and then my DAC report showed up. My application to the other carrier was denied because CR England had put that I had 2 preventable DOT accident while employed their with no other explanation.
I contacted CR Englands human resources department to figure out exactly what they reported and the cirmumstances so I would know. I also pulled a copy of my DAC report for myself and it showed 2 preventables DOT accidents with no other explanations or comments. I have been continuously denied employment by many carriers due to this. The HR department told me to "drop it" and that Im f*ing lucky that they didn't put any abandonment on the DAC as well.
Since then I have even taken refresher courses with trucking schools and still no companies will hire me. CR England virtually ruined my trucking career and I would never recomend this company to ANYONE! Period.
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