Team Pay for CRST

Discussion in 'CRST' started by Meatskin, Jul 22, 2009.

  1. ccolvin

    ccolvin Medium Load Member

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    Jan 20, 2009
    Taft, Ca
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    it could be 31 cpm but i wasnt exactly sure on the exp requirement, i went through the training and started at 22 cpm which didnt go up for quite awhile
     
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  3. bluefish

    bluefish Bobtail Member

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    Jul 24, 2009
    Victorville Ca
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    Hey :biggrin_25516:guys had any one though of going into any of the crst offices and ask for the pay rate sheet?
    If you went into orientation with crst you should had had one in with all your papers, and if not you could :biggrin_25520:ask for one at any of the safety offices, in fontana you could get it from Alvin.
    Also it tell you how often you will gen a 1cnt increase:biggrin_25517:,
    also if you don't get the increase when you should you could contac payroll and they will let you know when you will be getting it.
    :biggrin_2551:Wake up guys thre are more sources of info in CRST than just your dispacht.
    Hope this help:biggrin_25511:
     
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  4. matthewseed921

    matthewseed921 Bobtail Member

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    Apr 7, 2010
    Winchester, CA
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    I will be starting at CRST on Monday April, 12th 2010. I will post the pay scale that they give me when I get back home. I am a recent graduate from USTDS in Rialto, CA and they are the ones that got me on with CRST. I know that I have to go thorough the 28 day training with them, I'm not sure about any contracts but from what I hear it is a very bad Idea to sign one.. So I think I'll stay away from any contracts and just get some experience under my belt. Any who, I'll post the pay scale asap.
     
  5. vinsanity

    vinsanity Road Train Member

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    Nov 23, 2009
    South Florida
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    There is only a contract if you go to school through them.

    Their pay rate is listed on their website.
     
  6. hillbillytrucker

    hillbillytrucker Bobtail Member

    Bluefish - I was considering CRST and going by this it sounds like I could make some good money. Is the training at Cedar Rapids thorough? In particular I was concerned about the 90 degree parallel parking. HillbillyTrucker
     
  7. deeproller

    deeproller Bobtail Member

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    Apr 12, 2010
    SW Arkansas
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    Hillbilly, If you're talking about the CDL program through Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, then I'd have to tell you that those new drivers are by far the best I've ever had on my truck! And that program is only 2 weeks long! Of course, there is the whole contract aspect of it where you'd be an indentured servant for 8 months, and only make $50 a day while in your company-mandated 28 days with a Lead Driver.

    If you're talking about orientation in Cedar Rapids, well, then, no...you're not really gonna get much out of that. They specifically leave out EVERYTHING that could really help you in getting used to the company, and the transition from someone who just got their CDL to full-fledged driver tends to be arduous at best!

    If you're talking about the 28 day OTR training program, where you'll spend all that time with someone like me, a so-called Lead Driver, then you should know that that will vary SO widely that there's no way to tell what that might be like! Approximately 40% of all those pairings end within two weeks, requiring the trainee to go with another Lead Driver, and that LD to find a new trainee! You might be a tyrant who will attempt to coerce you into logging your hours while he drives, or you driving while he logs, or who may threaten you with physical harm; or you may get a guy who understands the concept of "power-with" and is a great educator! In between, there can be all forms of mischief. I recommend caution on this, because usually you only have a very short while with the new trainer before you and he have to hit the road, and are locked into something until you find out the real truth.

    I didn't tell you any of this to scare you off from CRST. In fact, I think that this is the way it is at virtually every company that has a training program. It's just a set of things you should be aware of. And I hope it helps!

    Good luck to you, Hillbilly!
     
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  8. Temptinfates

    Temptinfates Light Load Member

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    Apr 21, 2010
    Cartersville, Ga.
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    I am considering CRST because of no recent OTR. What advise would you give to someone that has completed the 28 days with a trainer? I know the message boards have a lot of (bad) information out there. You seem to know about the ins and outs of CRST.

    What makes it easier? Will the dispatchers work with you, or is trying to get them to help considered bothersome to them? Do they really neglect to pay tolls or repairs - as I have found in some posts? How do you make it as smooth on yourself as possible:Compass:? Can you give some advice on what works?

    You say to use the Qualcom as much as possible. What kind of things do you put on or use the Qualcom for to make it easier on yourself? Hope you understand that my questions are not meant to be negative, just a search for middle of the road informational.

    Thanks
    Temptinfates
     
  9. deeproller

    deeproller Bobtail Member

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    Apr 12, 2010
    SW Arkansas
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    I understand where you coming from. You're new; you just don't know the answers to most of these questions. And you're right, I do know the ins and outs of CRST because I have a long history with not only Van Ex, but Malone, as well. So I'll try to tell you as much as I can about the questions you've asked.

    The Qualcomm is not only a GPS device that is used to prevent theft of truck, trailer, and cargo, it is a communication device which you can use to talk to whoever is watching the fleet that you're part of; that'll be your regular dispatcher during most daytime shifts, but it will be any one of several other people on the evening, night, and weekend shifts. The other big communication portion of it though is that the company (your dispatcher, load planners, the air freight people) gives you your load information through it. This involves a series of "steps"--canned messages that they send you and you respond with other CM's called "macros." It'll go something like this:

    -you receive a load assignment from them;
    -you respond with macro #1, which is essentially, "okay, I got the assignment;
    here I go."
    -when you arrive at the shipper, you send the next macro, which is essentially
    "okay I'm here";
    -after you get loaded, either by picking up a pre-loaded trailer, or by actually
    waiting to get whatever trailer you brought in loaded, you go pick up
    your Bill of Lading, and send them the next macro, which is "okay we're
    loaded"; "leaving shipper" comes after that.

    See how it goes? It's pretty basic stuff. But the reason I say to use it as much as possible is, like I said, a lot of dispatch functions are automatic at CRST now. In addition, your fleet manager having to talk to you on the phone, keeps him from being able to work with load planners to get you freight, and from taking care of other things that can ONLY be done by telephone. In other words, if you make things easier on them, by using the Qualcomm, or by other means, they will more-likely be able to make things easier on you, by reducing your down time between loads, by getting you loads with more miles on them, or by giving you loads with extra stops (getting you extra stop pay), or a variety of other means. So...USE THE QUALCOMM as much as possible.

    As to the company not reimbursing tolls, I can only tell you that I don't know of a single example when that happened. I don't get my tolls reimbursed anyway, because I'm an independent contractor. But I'm sure that it has happened that they inadvertently don't pay one every now and again. I simply have no experience with the payroll people getting anything wrong.

    Repairs are another matter, altogether. I don't even know why you think you should worry about, because ONLY the company will have anything to do with truck or trailer repairs if you're a company driver. And I'm sure you'll be a company driver since you don't have any OTR experience. That's not something for you to worry about, really. CRST pays its bills, though.

    My advice to you after training? There's so many things I could say here. Some of them would seem self-evident, but believe it or not, some of things that have come to my mind are not so to a large portion of drivers. For instance, don't stop and take a break every two hours for two hours at a casino. This not only keeps you from getting where you're going--and CRST has VERY fast transit times, sometimes, it puts you in the position to lost money that you've worked very hard for. Drivers waste so much money at casinos, that it's unbelieveable. And most only need the justification of something like "well..they give you $5 dollars for free, if you show your CDL!!!" Uh, huh...but remember the $300 you lost here last time? That's why they're able to do it.

    Ooh! Here's one: do you have a wife or girlfriend already (or whatever your pleasure is)? If not, I'd suggest you get one. Because if you don't, you're probably not gonna have one...REALLY.

    How about this: learn to work that log book. It's amazing what you can do with a ruler and a pen after you realize that only fuel stops and DOT inspections have to be EXACTLY right. Of course, CRST has been testing paperless logs for quite some time. And they might implement in the not-too-distant future. But fear not, they can be manipulated as well; just not as easy as a paper log.

    And...just a few random things: keep your body as clean as possible; don't wear stupid hats; don't be one of the drivers who thinks that putting Nascar numbers on your truck means anything (and since it's not your truck, CRST might not like it, and charge you a lot of money to take them off after you switch trucks); and find a co-driver who is as much like you as possible, especially, if you think you're all business.

    Despite the other justifications that others might throw out, the point of being a truck driver is to make money by doing the job. If all you want to be is a supertrucker, and blow the air horn at the kiddies on school buses--if your idea of what it means to be a trucker is something along those lines, then you should probably think of doing something else! In fact, don't blow the horn at children at all! Get an Ipod, if you don't already have one, so that you can listen to music or audiobooks or whatever while your co-driver is sleeping; don't eat buffet a lot; remember to hydrate yourself; and ... Got it?

    Of course, some of those last things are just my preferences. But those have arisen out of long years on the road with a lot of time to think about and ruminate on stuff. That's what you'll have, too.

    I just don't know that I could give you any more hard-and-fast advice about what to do as a driver. I would mention, however, that I have two big rules about trucking: I never let anyone who doesn't truck tell me how to truck; and there's 4 things I don't ever do without because of trucking: eating, sleeping, ########, and showering. Why those? Because I do truck; and the ones who don't don't give a #### whether you eat, sleep, ####, or die! CARING is not what dispatchers do.

    Well, that's all I can think of right now. But if you think of any other questions, I'll be happy to answer them! Good luck with your truck job search!

    DR
     
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  10. Temptinfates

    Temptinfates Light Load Member

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    Apr 21, 2010
    Cartersville, Ga.
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    Thanx for responding,

    I drove over the road for 7 years. It isn't recent, so therefore, I would need a refresher course to get my foot back in the door. I never defaced company property. Wouldn't dream of it. I do care about my home away from home, though.
    I do have a wife, and she knows about trucking. I have no stars in my eyes about life on the road. I have lived it, although, I was paid for every mile the wheels turned.
    I cannot tell you that I drove about 2600 miles from friday night till monday 6am. Neither can I tell you about the yard man that told me my log book wouldn't catch up till thursday. I can't tell you that I told him "i'm on a legal log". I didn't do that often, but I did it once. I would have taken a load out that night if one had been available, though.
    Thank you for telling me about the qualcomm, though. At the time they came out, I think they were in schneider trucks, but not in J.B. trucks. All my dealings with dispatchers was by phone, just the way it was done in my day, except for a few companies.
    I was interested in the way to make life easier at CRST, as far as the inner workings. I appreciate your response. I will try to remember what you said. I should know by Wed. if it's a go or not.
    Thanks for info on creative logbooks. Ahhhh, that was a different day, though. Back when a 23 channel c.b. was good enough. I still remember my uncles getting on the c.b., getting santa reports. Those were the days.
    When I am on a truck, I am interested in the wheels rolling, and if not, there should be a good reason. I did mostly van, but did a few months flatbeds, also. I am sure there are some new things in trucking, but, the basic job is the same. I have been told about my logbooks (too pristine) and they had to let me go, except one time on the odessa scales. I had forgot to draw a line. Company paid it for me.

    Again, thanks for the info
    Temptinfates
     
  11. KBOOGIE

    KBOOGIE Bobtail Member

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    Aug 22, 2009
    RALEIGH NC
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    Training has been redone from top to bottom they got rid of lots of trainers
     
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