January 29th, 2010
A federal ban is now in effect as of 1/26/10, prohibiting text messaging while driving commercial vehicles. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray Lahood, is quoted as saying, “We want the drivers of big rigs and buses and those who share the roads with them to be safe. This is an important safety step and we will be taking more to eliminate the threat of distracted driving.” Future regulatory actions that FMCSA is looking into include electronic device usage while driving. We will hear more information in the next few months.
The fine is steep at $2,750 under a civil and criminal penalty. Large enough to grab drivers attention. The fine will definitely distract commercial drivers from text messaging while driving.
Anne Ferro, the Administrator for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), made it clear that this new regulation will avert unsafe behavior inside the cab and that the text messaging ban is under the FMCSA regulations umbrella.
FMCSA’s past research proves that drivers take their eyes off the road 4.6 seconds for every 6 seconds of text messaging. In mileage, that’s a football field! And those who text more than 20 times a day while driving, are 20 times more likely to create an accident than those who do not. The statistics explains why actions were taken for banning text messaging while driving.
For those who would like to read the new text-messaging ban, it will be in print 1/27/10 in the Federal Register. To follow the U.S. Dept. of Transportation progression to fight against drivers distracted while on the road, go to www.distraction.gov. They have an aggressive agenda that will be an exciting piece of history to follow.
Tags: text messaging
Posted in Industry News, Trucking News | No Comments »
January 20th, 2010
If you’re ready to get into the trucking industry you probably have a lot of questions. Here are a few questions you should ask so you can make an informed decision.
For starters you should make a list of questions you have before you start your search. Next see if you can make a list of truck schools that have a good reputation. Most likely a company with a long-standing reputation will offer the best training in the field. When contacting these schools, ask the questions from your list and make sure they give you the education you need. Take a look at the following list and add these questions to your list before you start your search.
- What is the classroom curriculum? Be sure that driver safety, commercial transportation rules and regulations, and the driving basics are taught.
- How many hours driving are required in the course? Make sure this does not include sitting in the passenger seat! You need plenty of experience driving and handling a big rig.
- Find out the type of equipment used at the truck school. They should be comparable to what you will be driving in a career. Stay clear of automatic transmissions and older models that are no longer used by companies.
- Does the school offer job placements? Those schools owned by truck driving companies are more likely to guarantee you a job. If the school is privately owned, see what their percentage of job placement is before committing to the school. Ask about their relationships with other trucking companies.
- What are the costs? Is there a financial aid program? How about tuition reimbursement? A truck driving school may have a completely different fee schedule than another one. Costs can range widely from $1,500 up to $7,000.
We hope this information is helpful to you. Our truck school program is currently enrolling students. If you’re interested in getting started please visit CREngland.com.
Authored by: Dave Ferrara a.k.a. BIGrigdave
Tags: truck driving school advice, Truck School
Posted in Truck Driving School, Truck School | No Comments »
December 31st, 2009
Abcnews.com ran an article today about a new law that will go in place on the first day of 2010 in Oregon. We are bringing this up to our truck driving school blog because it is important that students get used to this law from the get go.
The law makes it a ticket able offense in Oregon to be talking on you cellular handset while driving. First thing in the morning on January 1 of 2010 drivers may be ticketed for breaking the law.
The law is aimed at reducing traffic accidents from driving distractions related to cellular phone use. Many people know of the risks associated with text messaging while truck driving, now Oregon is taking away the handset. Oregon is not the first to pass a law outlawing this, but they may be forming a trend.
The article also mentioned a loophole in the law for jobs that may require use of a cellular phone like a tow truck driver or taxi drivers. Police are ready for when drivers try to use the loophole as an excuse for why they are breaking the new law.
For a truck driving student at CR England, using a cellular phone while your driving is against policy.
The original abcnews.com article by Brad Cain, Associated Press Writer: http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=9455532
Tags: cellular phone ban, truck driving school advice
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December 28th, 2009
If you were unable to find work before the end of 2009 we may have a position for you. CR England is looking for individuals that want to start a new career in the trucking industry. With or without experience CR England has trucking jobs to fill and also has training options available through their truck driving school. Finding a new career at the start of the New Year could make it feel like Christmas in January.
There is no doubt that the holiday season this year has been a much-needed break for many people. The only bad news is that after the gifts have been opened and the Christmas lights go out, it’s time to go back to work. If you’re out of work, your probably returning to the job hunt so the New Year may not be so exciting.
If trucking jobs sound interesting, maybe we have an exciting option for you.
Premier Truck Driving Schools offer industry-leading training to those who meet the CR England hiring criteria. If you have been waiting in unemployment lines or searching online for a job at this point your probably exhausted. Many employers have reported receiving hundreds of applications for a single position so you there is plenty of competition for work. That alone is certainly making the job search tiresome. CR England on the other hand is looking to fill numerous driving positions. With no experience you can attend a company owned truck driving school and be headed towards a great trucking jobs opportunity.
If you think a career in the trucking industry might be something that you would enjoy we have great news; filling out an application with CR England may be the last application you fill out this year and next. “Christmas in January” is just a few days away. Get there by visiting our company website at www.CREngland.com .
Tags: Truck Driving School, Trucking Jobs
Posted in Jobs, Trucking Jobs | No Comments »
December 17th, 2009
WTOV9.com ran an article that talked about local steelworkers form Yorkville that had been laid off. The article noted that some people were looking to make truck driving their new career. This bit here is aimed at anyone who is laid off and considering CDL careers.
In this economy it’s a great idea! Trucking companies are always looking for truck drivers. Some companies may only be able to hire drivers with experience and others may tie training and hiring into one process. Bottom line is there are jobs to be had in the industry even while things are slow. Even better news is that as things recover, usually the trucking industry is ahead of the back.
When you choose to train with trucking companies that train you, you won’t have to go looking for a job when the training is over. On the other hand, when you chose to get your training from a training only business or trade school you may not find that jobs are easy to get.
Remember those trucking companies that only hire drivers with 1 year of experience, you won’t be eligible to work for them. Almost all major carriers due to liability issues will want you to get retrained before they give you the keys to 100k worth of equipment. That means the number of possible employers will be slim or you will have to pay to get retrained. All this added headache because the training only business or trade schools are really just selling you the training.
One caveat to this is a training school that has an agreement with an employer. They do exist, but may be few and far between. They are certainly OK. If your not getting training with a major carrier make sure you ask about the job prospects before you pay.
We hope this brief write up can help you see the differences between CDL training types. And finally here is a word of advice on this issue. If you don’t go to one of our Premier Truck Driving Schools that’s fine, our program may not fit your situation. Just make sure you get training from a place that already has a job lined up for you otherwise you will driving away from CDL Careers instead of getting closer to one!
The full WTOV9.com article can be found at: http://www.wtov9.com/news/21972901/detail.html
Tags: advice, cdl training, Trucking Companies
Posted in Truck Driving Schools, Trucking Companies | 1 Comment »