How the program works
C.R. England owns Premier Truck Driving School, with four campuses (Salt Lake City, Colton CA, Valparaiso IN, Fort Worth TX), and offers a zero-upfront-tuition plan tied to a driving contract with the carrier. The advertised pitch leans on speed: a CDL 'in as little as 10 days.' Be careful with that number; a fast license is not the same thing as being ready, and the contract that follows is the real product.
The history here is the cautionary tale of the whole category: C.R. England paid a $19 million settlement (cash plus debt forgiveness) over 'guaranteed job' claims made to roughly 12,600 Premier students, and a separate $37.8 million settlement over its lease-purchase program. The reported structure is about nine months of contract starting after roughly two months of on-the-road training. New grads run refrigerated freight, much of it team early on. Whatever a recruiter says about jobs at the end, get it in writing, because the gap between the pitch and the paper is exactly what the lawsuit was about.
The terms at a glance
| Term | What we found | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Zero-tuition plan available, tied to a driving contract | Advertised |
| Pay during training | Driver-reported figures only (roughly $430–$600/week through the training phases); not officially published | Driver-reported |
| Commitment | Reported ~9 months after about 2 months of road training (~11 months total) | Driver-reported |
| If you leave early | Historically around $2,500 per the litigation record; current terms not published | Court record; verify current |
| First-year freight | Refrigerated, national or dedicated, frequently team early on | Reported; verify with recruiter |
Anything marked "ask in writing" or "driver-reported" is exactly that: a number the company doesn't publish. Make the recruiter put it on paper before you travel to orientation.
What to watch with C.R. England (Premier Truck Driving School)
- Treat any job-guarantee language with maximum skepticism here; that exact claim cost this company $19 million in court.
- A 10-day CDL means the learning happens on the road afterward; ask exactly how the trainer phase works.
- Avoid the lease-purchase path as a new driver; run our lease calculator on any offer they make.
Questions to ask any training carrier
- What exact dollar amount would I owe if I left at month 3, 6, 9, and 12? In writing.
- Is being let go treated the same as quitting for repayment purposes?
- What did the median driver from my training class gross in their first year?
- How long is the trainer/team phase really running right now, and how is that time paid?
- Which terminal would I be assigned to, and what's the realistic home time from it?
Official sources and verification links
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C.R. England (Premier Truck Driving School) official training page
The company's own description of the program. Always the starting point, never the whole story.
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FMCSA Training Provider Registry
The official place to search approved training schools and file a complaint.
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BLS Heavy and Tractor-trailer Truck Drivers
Federal job and pay data for heavy and tractor-trailer drivers: typical pay, how many jobs are expected, work hours, and injury risk.
FAQ
Is C.R. England (Premier Truck Driving School)'s CDL training really free?
It has no upfront tuition bill, but you pay with a work commitment, and leaving early creates a debt under the program's terms. Read the contract or financing agreement before orientation, not at it.
Where do these C.R. England (Premier Truck Driving School) program details come from?
From the company's official pages and, where marked, from driver reports or court records. Terms change; we last checked June 12, 2026. Always confirm the current contract with the company in writing.
How do I compare this against paying for school myself?
Run both paths through the school ROI calculator with cautious numbers: your real weeks without income, the repayment terms, and a modest first-year pay figure. The cheaper-looking path isn't always cheaper after the contract.