To Crete or Not to Crete

RoadCall · Nov 17, 2014

So after being offered .46 a mile on Friday, Im trying to figure out if this is a good fit for me!

Obviously Crete pays a decent wage as far as mileage pay goes and practical miles is big plus too. Personally I prefer to stay busy and like to run 3k+ miles a week but need at least 2700 a week. Can I average 2700 miles during the weeks I'm out on OTR?

Another concern of mine is being comfortable when I sleep, I'll do fine in the Winter but I hate the heat and want to know if these trucks will idle if needed? I know some company's set those opti idles to only work above a certain temp, can you override that on the Crete trucks? I don't care if they like it, I just want to know I can be comfortable!

Im guessing you guys are routed, do you have to follow their exact route? I mean there are usually more ways than one to get from point A to point B. The shortest route isn't always the fastest route. After 20 years I know what works best most of the time and have enough sense to route myself. I've heard Crete only uses Pilots/FJs, so does your assigned fuel solution dictate what route you use or can you ask for another fuel stop? Also, do they tell you how many gallons you get where or can you fill your tanks whenever you fuel (unless weight is an issue)

I'm also curious about time management. Does Crete do a lot of grocery warehouses? Is there a lot of time loading and unloading or do you have a lot of dnh? How much time does Crete require you to log for loading or unloading, fueling and PTIs? I've always logged 15 minutes for each.

Last thing, once I prove I don't need a babysitter will they leave me alone and let me do my job or are they constantly micro managing no matter what?

I would appreciate any info anyone can share, thanks!

tucker · Nov 17, 2014

Hopefully after 20 years driving, you're making way over 46 cents and should be looking for a place to slow down at,
Miles will vary with hometime, I doubt if you will average that, more like 22 to 2,400 a week. Who knows,.

Rarely I fuel at a TA or Petro, Loves sometimes, But mostly Pilot or the J. They will tell you the gallons or to fill it, you don't have to fill the tanks, but most trips the first fuel stop is a certain number of gallons.

15 minutes for a PTI, fuel, whatever and at least 30 minutes for a load, unload and drop and hook.

Plus if you're fat, expect a sleep apnea test.

Enjoy

RoadCall · Nov 17, 2014

Well after being off the road for 8 years my prior 14 years of OTR doesn't count most places. As far as slowing down? Lol. I don't enjoy living in a truck, I do it to make money! As far as I'm concerned, 3000 miles a week is easy unless your doing nothing but short haul.

So does Crete demand you use the route they give you or can you request an alternate fuel solution if wanted?

Thanks for the logging info! Spend much time at grocery warehouses?

Already had a certified sleep study that is good for 2 years, so I'm prepared!

Do you enjoy Crete? It doesn't seem so, just an observation from reading some of your posts.

Thanks for your time, it is appreciated!

b l a c k b e a r d · Nov 17, 2014

I been looking at Crete too but it seems like there really isn't anyone who likes it there. I don't ever recall anyone saying they liked it and thought it was a good company. I have been researching them for a while cause I hear they pay the best for a mega bit to me money is very important but isn't everything. I think life and work has to be balanced. I guess I am looking for a home run in a company but haven't been convinced yet.

RoadCall · Nov 17, 2014

b l a c k b e a r d said: ↑

I been looking at Crete too but it seems like there really isn't anyone who likes it there. I don't ever recall anyone saying they liked it and thought it was a good company. I have been researching them for a while cause I hear they pay the best for a mega bit to me money is very important but isn't everything. I think life and work has to be balanced. I guess I am looking for a home run in a company but haven't been convinced yet.
Click to expand...

Well if balance is what your after (I don't blame you) your not going to get it there. With the standard 1 day off per week out its not going to give you much home time. I'm prepared to make sacrifices but only if I can get the miles I want. What good is .46 a mile if you can't get the miles to go with it.

Good luck in your search

OFTOTR · Nov 18, 2014

They may not accept your sleep study, unless it involves treatment with cpap. Meaning, a clean sleep study from an outside source may not mean anything to them.

They do micromanage drivers, most of the time. They are not flexible at all.

They have a mixture of trucks with opti idle or battery powered apus.
No telling which you get.
They will get on you for idling.

I have never seen good miles here.
I doubt I have averaged 2200 miles a week.
The runs keep getting shorter, and shorter.
We do go to grocery warehouses. Sometimes once a week, sometimes you may go a few months without going to one.

I don't like crete because they have some unique annoying practices.
They do not have any provision for treating experienced drivers with any dignity.
When I talk about experienced drivers, I don't mean somebody with a few years after truck driving school.

If I knew what I knew now about crete, I would have avoided them like the plague.

New drivers, or drivers who have only worked for big box companies may like them.

I do not recommend them to drivers with ten or more years experience, unless all of that experience has been with big companies.

The next time around I will stick to companies of a few hundred trucks or less.

b l a c k b e a r d · Nov 18, 2014

OFTOTR said: ↑

They may not accept your sleep study, unless it involves treatment with cpap. Meaning, a clean sleep study from an outside source may not mean anything to them.

They do micromanage drivers, most of the time. They are not flexible at all.

They have a mixture of trucks with opti idle or battery powered apus.
No telling which you get.
They will get on you for idling.

I have never seen good miles here.
I doubt I have averaged 2200 miles a week.
The runs keep getting shorter, and shorter.
We do go to grocery warehouses. Sometimes once a week, sometimes you may go a few months without going to one.

I don't like crete because they have some unique annoying practices.
They do not have any provision for treating experienced drivers with any dignity.
When I talk about experienced drivers, I don't mean somebody with a few years after truck driving school.

If I knew what I knew now about crete, I would have avoided them like the plague.

New drivers, or drivers who have only worked for big box companies may like them.

I do not recommend them to drivers with ten or more years experience, unless all of that experience has been with big companies.

The next time around I will stick to companies of a few hundred trucks or less.
Click to expand...

I have only worked for a mega for about a year. I have never seen the side you are talking about concerning someone who has experience with companies other than a mega. Can you tell me the treatment that you are looking for? Maybe there are things in this industry I should be looking for but don't know they exist?

RoadCall · Nov 18, 2014

OFTOTR said: ↑

They may not accept your sleep study, unless it involves treatment with cpap. Meaning, a clean sleep study from an outside source may not mean anything to them.

They do micromanage drivers, most of the time. They are not flexible at all.

They have a mixture of trucks with opti idle or battery powered apus.
No telling which you get.
They will get on you for idling.

I have never seen good miles here.
I doubt I have averaged 2200 miles a week.
The runs keep getting shorter, and shorter.
We do go to grocery warehouses. Sometimes once a week, sometimes you may go a few months without going to one.

I don't like crete because they have some unique annoying practices.
They do not have any provision for treating experienced drivers with any dignity.
When I talk about experienced drivers, I don't mean somebody with a few years after truck driving school.

If I knew what I knew now about crete, I would have avoided them like the plague.

New drivers, or drivers who have only worked for big box companies may like them.

I do not recommend them to drivers with ten or more years experience, unless all of that experience has been with big companies.

The next time around I will stick to companies of a few hundred trucks or less.
Click to expand...

You live in Tribes backyard. How come you don't give them a try? I know they are refer which means grocerys but there equipment is top of the line with refrigerators, TriPac, inverters and 70mph trucks. Plus your choice of paper or elog

RoadCall · Nov 19, 2014

Ok after a momentary lapse of reason, I've come to my senses.

I'm not cut out for any mega carrier regardless of how well they pay.

No offense to anyone that works there, just not for me.

tucker · Nov 20, 2014

I see you made your mind up,
they want you to hit their fuel stops, it's a bear to get my terminal to change it. Lincoln usually will, unless they tell me to call my terminal.

I like it here when I run OTR freight, heck I wouldn't mind shags if they were near where I lived.

As usual, leave Indiana, head to Georgia and shag, shah, shag.
I'm sure the Georgia boys are up on I 64 running shags.

Which is almost better than the OH to PA loads.

and maybe one load a year that I can swing by home on.

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