CR England Girl

If you have some home time or just have some time to kill in between loads stop by the local theater and check out this newly released film called “Trucker”. The film is an independent film starring Michelle Monaghan. It may or may not be for you.

However it is getting a lot of media attention and since it has been a while since a film about trucking came out thought it was worth another mention.

Here is a YouTube Video of some scenes from the movie.  Let me know what you think-

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. has named C.R. England the 2008 Dedicated Grocery Carrier of the Year and the 2008 Grocery Carrier of the Year – the first time the massive retailer has honored transportation company with two prestigious awards in a single year.

Dan England, chairman of the board of C.R. England, said “These awards are a significant honor for our company and our people. We’re appreciative of Walmart for acknowledging our corporate commitment to customer service and operational excellence and our ability to find solutions to meet their transportation challenges. We value our partnership and are grateful for this recognition.”

Congrats to all the hard-workin’ folks over at C.R. England!  To read the press release announcing the rewards in its entirety, click here.

May 14-20 is National Transportation Week (NTW), which is intended to increase general interest in the transportation industry throughout the country.  This year’s NTW entails a handful of events and outreach programs, including the Design for Transportation National Awards and an artwork competition for fifth graders, designed to educate young people and encourage them to pursue careers in transportation.

The NTW encourages a myriad of companies within the transportation industry to sponsor lcoal or regional events to create awareness, including trucking companies.  The ATA is supporting National Transportation Week by sponsoring outreach programs across the country, including the Share the Road and America’s Road Team programs which represent the truck driving industry at various public events.

Want to learn more about National Transportation Week or how you you can get involved?  Visit the official NTW website.

There’s growing concern amidst those in the transportation and freight industries about the impact that escalating fears over the swine flu will have on operations, including potential restrictions on the flow of goods between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Moreover, the continuing spread of the virus could also delay a resolution between the United States and Mexico regarding the cross-border trucking controversy (see here).

photo via Today’s Trucking

Health officials say the outbreak should be cause for concern, not panic. However, given the nature of their job, truck drivers are being urged to be extra vigilant when on the road. The Department of Homeland Security has a Pandemic Influenza guide specifically for highway motor carriers that the ATA (which has a pandemic planning page on its website) recommends truckers familiarize themselves in the event the outbreak worsens in the U.S.

Regarding the outbreak, the ATA said, “ATA is aware that, depending on how aggressively the swine flu continues to spread, certain government actions might be taken which could impact trucking operations, especially cross-border operations with Mexico and Canada, and potentially at a domestic level.”

To learn more about the current international swine flu situation, click here. To learn more about swine flu, visit Wikipedia.

A quick note: The virus is not transmitted through food and cannot be spread through pork products, so eat up!

It’s no secret that times are tough and subsequently, virtually every industry in the country has been impacted by the economic crisis – some more significantly than others.  Even the trucking industry has started to feel the crunch, despite a steady increase in applicants looking for work.  In fact, many truck driving companies (including a handful of well-known, national ones) have completely stopped trucking school operations and even instituted hiring freezes.  But there’s one trucking corporation you won’t see taking such measures…wanna take a guess?

The four schools owned by CR England (see here) are still in operation and there are no plans of slowing down or downsizing, especially since the number of individuals interested in truck driving has significantly increased since the recession began.  The company is still hiring and encourages anyone interested in beginning a long-haul truck driving career (or drivers wanting to switch carriers) to find out more about the company’s training (click here for further information on CR England’s truck driving schools  including training requirements, training timelines, and tuition).

CR England offers safety-driven training programs that utilize top-of-the-line equipment.  Since the company places the utmost importance on safety and comprehensive training,  any drivers who would like to work for CR England are required to complete company training based on their level of experience; even experienced truck drivers must attend a three and a half day company orientation prior to being hired.