My experience with CRST

Discussion in 'CRST' started by TheLuckyTrucker, Jan 3, 2014.

  1. paradox13

    paradox13 Bobtail Member

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    Wow, thanks for posting your experience with CRST. Well, on the bright side, you have a great paying job and able to be home every night. I don't think I could have put up with that pathetic loser of a co-driver that you had either.

    Things didn't work out for me at one of the mega carriers either. My trainer was okay to get along with but he cared more about the miles than allowing me time to learn and I needed lots of help because my backing sucked horribly. It was a red flag to me in the beginning when he mentioned that his last three trainees didn't finish training for one reason or another. After a week I knew it wasn't going to work out so packed my bags, left the truck, and rented me a car and drove about 900 miles home. When I got home I sent my driver development supervisor & coordinator an email letting them know that this job isn't for me. This week, I sent off for my DAC report via hireright.com so I can find out what they put on there just in case I wanted to get another trucking job.
     
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  3. TheLuckyTrucker

    TheLuckyTrucker Bobtail Member

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    Yeah, I have heard the horror stories about bad trainers even before I went to CRST. Honestly, my 28 days with a trainer was the best time of my career at CRST. I averaged about $280 a week with my trainer. Then I got with my co-driver and my paychecks went down to the $150 and below range. I sent off through hireright as well and nothing was on there, looked at that about a month ago. I'll check again in a couple months or so.

    I thought about doing what you did and renting a car and just taking off home, but they did not pay me enough and all the money I brought with me was spent on tolls, different things for the truck. I had to pay all tolls out of pocket, then be reimbursed on my following check as long as I showed the receipt. I had to do the same with load locks. And as much sitting as I did with that beat up truck, I ran out of cash trying not to starve to death.

    I am really not a negative person lol, I just can't be positive when I talk about my time at CRST. Unless I mention my trainer. My trainer said he only came to CRST to be a trainer. He signed up the same day that I signed the contract. He was previously a driver for Schneider. He never got stressed out, even in extremely stressful times. He enjoyed helping others. He didn't need the extra money, he had money in the bank. He didn't NEED to be a trainer. So, I was lucky to get him for a trainer. He was cool, he would pay for all of our meals even when I tried to cover it. He knew newbies didn't make much. He covered everything for that 28 days. He was an ideal trainer. But, from what I hear, that is EXTREMELY RARE to find at these kinds of companies.

    I would consider trucking again in the future, only next time I would only go solo lol. Teaming is almost like jail. Only a cell is much bigger than the cab of that truck. You also get 3 meals a day guaranteed in jail, with CRST, who knows haha. I did meet a lot of good friends at CRST in school, so I am thankful for that. They made life a little easier when I would see them in different states. I hope the best for you out there. Maybe look into local work. I had a few Towing companies offer me a job when I got back to town. If you have that CDL, you are still worth something to someone. I am sorry you also had a bad experience with one of these starter companies. But, what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger right?


    Lucky
     
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  4. pattyj

    pattyj Road Train Member

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    Jul 19, 2008
    Sioux City,ia
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    Your thread may have been long but deffinately worth reading.Sometimes to get your point across you need to make a lengthy thread.The health insurance,can't you call them and register rather then a computer.Also how much was yours ?I don't know how anyone could even afford it on CRST pay.
     
  5. TheLuckyTrucker

    TheLuckyTrucker Bobtail Member

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    I think you could register over the phone, but not sure if it helps. I think I tried that and it took so long to get someone to answer I just hung up because I had to leave, also phone service at the terminal isn't great unless you have one of the big carriers like Verizon. Also, I didn't know certain info anyways. I don't remember the price, because I never got a plan. I was trying to use one of the computers at the terminal but people were constantly on it, funny thing is, most were looking up other trucking company jobs lol. I remember the day I got on a computer, the insurance forms were pretty long, quite a few pages and I was about to start typing up my info but my trainer called me and was out front lol. A few people I talked said they just had their spouse fill it out for them on a computer at home.

    But, I do remember looking at the price and thinking, if I buy insurance, I will definitely starve on the road. Plus, it doesn't even really kick in for a while. Pretty sure, by the time you need it or even finally get to take advantage of it, your contract will be up lol. Now that I know how much I got payed with my co-driver, I am glad I didn't pay that insurance payment. I barely had money each week as it was with paying scales, tolls, school deductions lol. I still have all the paperwork they gave me somewhere, the insurance book, pay scales etc..

    They also deduct money each paycheck after you get off the truck with your trainer. Like if you buy their map pack, that is like $40 or some BS for a $10 map and a 99 cent calculator. Lodging and all that. They deduct pretty much everything you did there. It all adds up to like $40 a paycheck or something. The people there will look right at you and say, "$40 ain't nothing compared to what you will be making.". However, there were several times when I really could have used that $40 out on the road lol. One of my paychecks was $80, no fault of mine, the truck they gave me was a POS and kept breaking down, so I sat for days at the OK terminal waiting for it to get fixed. Then I had to use $10 for a scale and I had to use the rest to eat.

    I'll look for that book they gave me and let you know how much the plans were when I find it. I look around for it when I'll get home.


    Lucky
     
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  6. blairandgretchen

    blairandgretchen Road Train Member

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    Dec 9, 2011
    South west Missouri
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    Thanks - seriously. You seem way too literate to have gotten caught up with them.

    I wonder where milesandmilesofroad is to defend CRST?

    Keep up the info, you've saved one driver so far, I hope more read this.

    22cpm team. We do it for .66 cpm - hard to believe they get away with it.
     
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  7. TheLuckyTrucker

    TheLuckyTrucker Bobtail Member

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    I kind of figured someone will eventually come across this and defend CRST. Honestly, I have nothing to gain from writing this. I am no longer in the trucking industry. I just wrote exactly what I went through in my time with the company. I just wanted to give people a heads up of how things are run there. If you are expecting a great school with 1 on 1 instruction, sorry to tell you, this company does not offer that. During my in cab inspection, the "instructor" was texting on his phone the entire time. Not listening to a word I said. I even said during my inspection, just to see if he was listening, "I check the injection progression dispenser to make sure it is functioning properly." and the guy just said, "very good, next.." he never once looked up from his phone..

    Honestly, I wanted to be a trucker. I knew the pay was low, but I didn't think a company could get away with this kind of stuff and still be in business. I tried my best at this company. I didn't want to quit, but the way I was talked down to and treated at this company, I have to much respect for myself to stay with a company like that. I have been proud to tell people my whole life that I never quit anything. But, I was not about to continue going through the BS with CRST.

    I hope the best for everyone, wether they choose CRST or a different path. I'm happy for the people who say they like CRST. What works for some might not work for all. If you can live with $100-150 a week, be away from family for 28 days at a time and trust your life to a total stranger, maybe CRST will work out for you. But, honestly, McDonalds pays the same and treats you like more of a person than CRST. I have never worked fast food, but I am pretty sure they don't play games with you and run you ragged. And you will have a guaranteed paycheck every week, unlike CRST.

    Good luck to all the newbies out there wherever you choose to go. Just make sure you do a ton of research and get opinions from actual drivers from whatever company you choose.


    Lucky
     
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  8. evilsnowking

    evilsnowking Bobtail Member

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    Jan 4, 2014
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    you saved 2 drivers from crst, i will do anything other than work for crst after i finish cdl school.

    thank you for the post
     
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  9. TheLuckyTrucker

    TheLuckyTrucker Bobtail Member

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    Anyone who can afford CDL school on their own, should not even look at CRST as an option. I wish you luck on your future in trucking. I am glad my post has helped people make up their minds on this company. This is a great forum to find great info from real drivers. When I did online searches, I didn't see much on CRST other than people saying "CRST sucks" or "Don't do it" and even some that said "CRST is great" but, that was really all those posts said lol. Nothing else really explaining why.

    Good luck with where ever you end up going after school. Aside from the bad at this company, I loved trucking. It's unlike any job you have ever had lol. Thank you for taking the time to read my post. I wasn't expecting this much positive feedback from people on here, I was honestly expecting to see negative replies. This is a wonderful site for any info you want on a certain company or even just about anything trucking related lol.

    One piece of advice I can give you is not to look at trucking as just a job. If you see it as just a job, you will have a tough time, mentally. Brush off any negative remarks you hear from others out on the road and enjoy yourself out there. But, at the same time, trucking is serious business. Make sure you take care of yourself out there. When I was with my trainer at CRST, he showed me how to run right. Most of the time I would pull over with 2 hours to spare on my clock, and we were always on time or early, except in cases where they gave us wrong delivery dates or wrong times or addresses, which does happen. We almost always would go to a Denny's or other restaurant and enjoy a meal at least once a day. Sometimes, things happen and you gotta push yourself, but plan ahead, and always give yourself time.

    Good luck to you out there, buddy. After a month OTR, America will seem really small lol.


    Lucky
     
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  10. 417marcus

    417marcus Bobtail Member

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    Dec 3, 2013
    El Dorado Springs Mo
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    Lady Trucker loved the long post's about Cant Remember ###### Trucking i went through school and i had a bad time the 4 months i was there i love driving trucks just did not like the pay and being gone all the time when they fired me i was in Portland OR and the co driver was a douche bag that thought you could shift the truck through the gears at 1000 rpm's by the time we got to Portland from Indiana i could no longer float the gears and double clutching was almost as bad then he threatend me and i was done packed all my #### cause i knew i was going to get fired and the co driver had the guts to ask you going to leave the cb i had bought in the truck i said are you out of your #### mind why would i leave something i bought with a moron who has no clue how to drive a truck then got a bus ticket home and before i left the truck i unplugged the ignition so he had to wait a week and a half for a driver and new truck could come and get him
     
  11. TheLuckyTrucker

    TheLuckyTrucker Bobtail Member

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    Yeah, I met some drivers for CRST who I wouldn't trust behind the wheel of a Golf Cart. I woke up at a Flying J one time, pulled back the curtain and saw the back of a CRST trailer heading straight for my truck. I am not the kind of guy who freaks out under any circumstances, so I calmly got out of my truck, walked out and got to where the driver could see me, he stopped. I said, "Where is your spotter?" he told me his "trainer" was asleep. I said, "Wow, well remember G.O.A.L?" He said, "My trainer said that people will make fun of me if I G.O.A.L". I said, "Well, it's better than having them beat the crap out of you for taking out one of their hoods.".

    I Also, had a delivery in PA, I had to wait for another CRST driver to back into his dock. There were NO trucks in either of the 2 stalls next to him on either side, it took him 20 minutes. His partner/trainer/whoever never got out to help him once. I finally had to get out and explain to him what his problem was and he backed in right away, perfectly after that. The problem is that students do not get the right training from CRST or the school they put them through. When I went to the school in Fontana, the "instructors" would put a piece of black tape on both sides of the 40 foot trailer they give you to learn to back up. They tell you to line up at the orange cone they place in front of you, then to turn the wheel right, until you see the black tape in your mirror, then turn the wheel left, until you see the other black tape. That basically walks you directly into your parking space.

    The problem with that method is that CRST doesn't have 40 foot trailers and they sure as hell don't put black tape on your trailer as training wheels. Students rely too much on having the cone and tape that when they get out in the real world, they have an extra 13 feet of trailer and depending on if they get a good or bad trainer/partner, they panic. When they panic, they over correct. Someone needs to take a look into this company and their school. Honestly, I did a better job of teaching drivers how to back up the right way, in 5-10 minutes in the middle of a parking, and I only got to back up 4 times at that school with the "instructor" telling me when to turn my wheel. I never got the chance to do it on my own with no help to prove that I had it under control. On test day, you are supposed to do it on your own, but the "instructors" still help you anyways. I backed over 2 cones on test day and passed with flying colors.

    I got lucky with my trainer at CRST, he taught me the right way to do things, but others aren't so lucky. I would encourage anyone wanting to become a trucker to look somewhere else to start. This company will just use you, risk your safety and mine to move freight. Trucking is awesome, not all companies are like CRST. There are several great companies out there who treat drivers as human beings and some who treat drivers like family. CRST treats their drivers like dirt. I want to get back out there one day, maybe if my current job doesn't work out, I'll get back out there, SOLO lol.

    Stay safe out there drivers.


    Lucky
     
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