Truck Driving Companies That Train You - CR England is one of 18 haulage companies running its own training programme. Several former drivers complained that the company does not provide adequate training. Credit: Sean Rayford for The New York Times
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Truck Driving Companies That Train You
UPDATE: In June, the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced that it was launching an investigation into several hiring practices that left workers in debt, including the transportation industry practices we write about below. The consumer protection agency said it wants to know whether the use of pay-as-you-go contracts by the companies we surveyed are leaving workers in debt and making it harder to find paid jobs. The agency is opening a three-month public comment period to assess the cost of training to pay off the debt and to see if workers understand the terms of the agreements they signed. Administration officials also want to know if companies in a number of industries owe employees and require them to purchase equipment and supplies in advance to do their jobs. – Sarah Butrimovich and Meredith Kolodner
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Wayne Orr didn't know he'd broken his leg on the drive home from Texas to his home in South Carolina, but he did know he couldn't always hold the pedals of the tractor-trailer he was driving.
As a new driver, he had only been out of training for a few months and had to work for six weeks without pay. Then, when his leg finally healed, he found out that his company, CRST Expedited, had fired him. Frustrated and in need of a paycheck, he got a new job driving for Schneider International, but once again he lost it. He said CRST threatened to sue Schneider for hiring him.
"I called CRST and they told me they wouldn't let me come back and I had to pay them $6,500 or I could never drive for another company," said Orr, 59.
He signed a 10-month contract to work at CRST in exchange for a two-week training period. If he stuck around for 10 months, the contract required him to pay the company $6,500 for training.
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After Wayne Orr broke his leg on the job, he says his company fired him but insisted he pay $6,500 for training. Credit: Sean Rayford for The New York Times
Every year, thousands of truck drivers sign up for training at some of the largest trucking companies in the United States. But training programs often don't deliver the wages and working conditions they promise. And those who leave early can be hunted by debt collectors and blacklisted in other industries, making it difficult for them to find new work.
At least 18 companies, employing tens of thousands of drivers, run programs that specialize in obtaining commercial driver's licenses. Typically, to receive free training, new hires must drive for the company for six months to about two years, often starting at a lower salary.
Utah attorney Michael Young, who is representing a former intern in a lawsuit against CR England, said the companies "have this indentured servitude with them and they basically have to run the machine and be the source of the company's profits." The company is a private trucking company in Utah that employs approximately 4,800 drivers.
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As e-commerce Americans expect fast delivery, shipping companies are under pressure to move more and deliver faster. The American Trucking Association, a trade association, has warned of a severe shortage of truck drivers. But researchers and driver representatives insist that high turnover is caused by the fact that many big companies don't make their workplaces attractive enough. The industry has been hit with class-action lawsuits over working conditions and wages, resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements.
"This training program is like a cash cow for them. They're selling you a lot of dreams." Wayne Orr, a former trainee in a company-sponsored truck driving program
At major carriers such as CRST and CR England, nine out of 10 drivers quit within a year, according to the haulage trade group. These companies need a constant flow of new employees to increase their revenue. Without tying them to contracts, companies risk losing newly trained drivers to those who offer higher wages.
"We think paying for CDL schools is a great benefit that we can provide, but we can't get it if people don't come and work with our team or pay us," said TJ England, C.R. England. chief legal officer. "If people just want to go to another company, we're trying to protect our investment."
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Iowa's CRST would not respond to specific questions for this article, but said in an emailed statement that its training program has "brought thousands of drivers into the industry who would otherwise have been denied commercial driver's licenses." As for Orr's claim, the spokesman says only that it omits basic facts.
The Hechinger Report interviewed more than 30 current and former truck drivers about the company's training program, 15 of whom participated. Despite intending to stay, nearly all 15 left before their contracts expired. According to a complaint filed with the Iowa Attorney General's office, out of the four months he drove for CRST, he was only home for four days, a quarter of what he was promised in the contract.
Others described waiting weeks without pay for coaches. Many said they were never told and sat waiting for trucks for hours, unpaid and even days without a new appointment. Many drivers said they were told they would make more money than they did. Since drivers are paid by the mile, waiting time reduces their earnings significantly.
In job postings and job postings, companies promise up to $70,000 in the first year, with even higher salaries in the future. But according to the latest data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for all truck drivers, regardless of experience, was $47,000 in May 2020. Only the top 10% earn more than $69,500 a year.
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However, many are attracted to trucking, even though it can sometimes be as demanding as entry into the middle class. New drivers can be trained at private schools, which are expensive, or at community colleges, which take more time. Corporate training programs are a popular option for those looking to earn a quick salary.
Many major trucking companies have responded to high driver turnover by launching their own training programs and requiring trainees to sign contracts to drive for up to two years. If they leave, they could end up thousands of dollars in tuition debt. Credit: Sean Rayford for The New York Times
Many large companies hold classes every week; maintaining a steady flow of people is essential. They represent their drivers, offer bonuses for each new person brought on board, and hire recruiters to chase down anyone who shows interest. In a driver training manual submitted as evidence in the 2021 lawsuit, CRST instructs recruiters to: "Create a sense of urgency. Tell applicants we have 'a few openings.'" Our schools and guides fill up quickly. "
At most corporate schools, interns typically spend two to four weeks in classrooms and parking lots. Many former trainees said that the instruction was inadequate and that they had little time in the truck.
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Amy Jeschke will be teaching C.R. in Indiana in 2019. England took He said he only goes outside twice during practice and spends the rest of his time in the yard practicing or reminiscing about what he's doing during pre-trip testing.
"Honestly, most of the time we didn't do anything," Jeschke, 46, said. "If you get on a truck once a day, you're lucky.
Joey Scamser, 44, who also participated in the CR England 2019 training program and lives in southern Illinois, said that even though he received his commercial driver's license at the end of the training, he still felt unprepared to drive. .
TJ England said the company provides students with quality training, including time in the classroom, scope of practice and on-the-go, and skill assessment around the world. Students who did not pass the exam will be given additional experiences, he said.
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After obtaining the license, the drivers deliver real goods for their new employers. Usually, from 4 to 12 weeks, they are accompanied by a trainer. According to the company's website, they receive a standard weekly salary that varies by company but is usually between $500 and $800. England said wages at his company were $560 a week in 2019 and are now about $784.
The trainers themselves may have little or no training
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