Crete bound - orientation on Monday 28th~

2BucTruck · Jul 18, 2014

Brandson said: ↑

They'll explain how much "choice" you have in orientation. Don in New Kingstown is a pretty cool guy. Basically, if they give you a crap load, send them a message back asking if you can't get something more, "productive". Sometimes they'll shoot you back a much better load. Obviously sometimes options are limited and they'll shove that first load right back atcha.
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Gotcha. Yep, New Kingstown is actually only 20 minutes from my house, went to the highschool up the Carlisle Pike - twenty some years ago Hopefully being close to the terminal and in the NE will get me home easier.

Wicked Wizard · Jul 18, 2014

Don't worry about the money and the loads right away. Remember you are a new guy. Learn everything there is to learn from your trainer and be extra careful when you go on your own. I have seen my share of newbies trying to please dispatch by running hard only to get into an accident and end their employment with Crete. Take it easy and treat this as a paid education

2BucTruck · Jul 18, 2014

Wicked Wizard said: ↑

Don't worry about the money and the loads right away. Remember you are a new guy. Learn everything there is to learn from your trainer and be extra careful when you go on your own. I have seen my share of newbies trying to please dispatch by running hard only to get into an accident and end their employment with Crete. Take it easy and treat this as a paid education
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Thank you for the EXCELLENT advice sir! I greatly appreciate you mentioning that. I'll try to keep that fresh in my mind. Actually, one of the reasons I picked Crete was because of their 8 week training period. I'll take all the training I can get. "Paid education," that's a great mindset!

federal221 · Jul 24, 2014

You won't hit the west coast/mountain west much
Maybe 2-3 times a year if that
I live in indiana and see a lot of mid west/east coast
I've been out to the mountain west and west coast
4 times

pattyj · Jul 24, 2014

I think you made a wise choice because local jobs aren't as glamourous as what some may think.You're home go to bed get up and do it all over again.Absolutely so social life.I did solo otr for 9 yrs and then went local because my dad needed help caring for mom.The first local company only good thing I have to say about it is I met a guy there and 2 yrs later we're still together.Another local job was in my opinion far worse then my first one.Was getting otr pay and working 14 hrs aday except for Monday that's safety videos paperwork and such..That lasted a whole 2 weeks.Now I start a tanker company Monday and I will work 14 hrs a day and get paidly $16.00 an hr and time and a half after 40 hrs.Ive been pretty much unemployed for months but loven it.But I also have bills.My boyfriend done mind paying my bills and prefer I not work but I don't like to depend on him.Yes I won't be able to spend quality time with him but im actually looken forward to driving again.Good luck with Crete,I know you'll be a great success with them.

wawtrucker said: ↑

Well, I knew I'd have options after graduating from trucking school, just didn't know how hard it would be to make a decision! I considered 5 truckload companies for OTR jobs, and 1 LTL company for a linehaul gig. After passing up a rare opportunity to sign on as a student driver w/ a LTL company, I've made my choice to go w/ Crete. I have my reasons. The LTL company offered more money, a linehaul job right away, and $20.65 an hour for the first 4 weeks of training.

The biggest factor in NOT taking the job? The 12-14 hours, all night driving. What's the use of being at home more frequently if it isn't what I considered quality home time? Just to sleep in my own bed? I would have to stay on my night schedule, and that means basically just having an opportunity to see my family in passing, and sleeping in my own bed during the day while they're out and about. Not much of a quality home life in my view. I'm taking the lesser-paid OTR position w/ Crete in order to have not necessarily more frequent home time, but more quality home time. It was a VERY tough decision, but I'm at peace with it. I already have my tank, hazmat, and doubles/triples endorsements, so hopefully Crete can put to use my hazmat endorsement and I can make a few extra bucks.

I don't have a problem driving nights, just not running so hard EVERY night, exclusively nights, up against my 14 for 5 days a week. The L/H gig started w/ me going out 5 days a week, 2 days home. EVentually I could've bid on a different schedule once I gained seniority - but until then? Here's how I did the math, and how I viewed the home time for the L/H gig actually being worse.

L/H job - 5 days out (bag run) two days off per week at home:
last day of 5 day work week start at 8pm, finish around 8-10am. Be home around 11am for first day at home. Go to bed around 2pm, up at 9pm. See my family that day for about 6-8 hours split in the morning and evening. Then being up all night at my house. So, being generous, that's 8 hours w/ my family for 1 day. 2 days a week, that's 16 hours. Two weeks, that's 32 hours.

OTR Regional - 12 days out, 48 hours home:
Come home and have 48 hours, give or take. Up 16 hours a day, two days, equals 32 hours! What do you know? The same amount of time w/ my family! And I'm venturing to guess I won't be as exhausted.

Granted on the L/H job I'll have all that time at home in the middle of the night during my two days off, but I'm more concerned w/ comparing quality home time w/ my family. I decided to break it down just in case anybody else is comparing going OTR vs a local or LTL gig. For me, the money and 'frequency' of home time w/ the linehaul gig doesn't cut it. Maybe I'll be singing a different tune a few years down the road, but for now, this is how I came to my decision. Hope it helps somebody else.
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federal221 · Jul 25, 2014

Cretes a good company for the most part

kingmike47 · Jul 27, 2014

I just finished truck driving school and was thinking about going to Crete myself, but their website states that drivers have to have a minimum of 4 months of experience. So which is right I guess I could just apply and see for myself.

xlsdraw · Jul 27, 2014

Depends on where you live and which school you went to. Just Call and ask.

Brandson · Jul 27, 2014

kingmike47 said: ↑

I just finished truck driving school and was thinking about going to Crete myself, but their website states that drivers have to have a minimum of 4 months of experience. So which is right I guess I could just apply and see for myself.
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They'll take you right out of school if it's a decent school on their approved list. They don't like the guys out of the barely able to pass the road test schools I guess, which is funny, because they train you for 8 weeks.

marylegal2001 · Jul 28, 2014

My Hubby is at orientation at Crete in TN as I type.

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