CRETE - A Year in Review

mdtrucker, the inverter is a no go. Largest you can use is ~400 watts. (One that'll plug into cig. lighter)

 

ET,

Perhaps it was always like this, but I see at least one old blue Shaffer truck pulling a Crete trailer every day.

Did the freight on the Shaffer side drop off that much so they moved all their extra trucks to the Crete side? Again, I only started looking once you mentioned that you ended up in a blue truck.

Thanks

 

I don't know where you came up with the "JEALOUSY" comment. I can assure that I am not. I am quite happy doing what I do. You are right on one respect. I could never handle being an otr driver. Just not for the reasons you might think.

This might be hard for you to swallow but I actually feel sorry for so many otr drivers. I am really on their side. You see, I have this idea that a worker should be paid for all of their working time. It happens quite often. From myself to the person flipping burgers. But it does not happen enough in this industry.

I punch in and I punch out. Usually at the same time every day. Everything in between, I am paid. Some will say it is too boring. Not me. Take a look at what happens to so many otr drivers. They get paid by the mile. Great. But you don't get paid for the actual miles you drive. Huh? Why? You get to a customer to load or unload. Are you paid hourly from the time you get there until you leave? No. Why? You breakdown on the side of the road and you sit for X amount of time. Paid? No. Why? You can put in any scenario you want to but the fact remains that otr drivers work too much for free. I didn't even begin to talk about the irregular hours or the lack of home time. Even trying to get home time for some is difficult.

For everything that an otr driver has to endure, I think that they should actually make more money than I do. Thats right, I said more money. I am at 61K+ so far. Not trying to boast but these otr people deserve a hell of a lot more than that!

In case anyone was thinking that I am a union driver, I am not. I work for Airgas.

 

With the cost of living in CA, I bet that 61k doen't go very far.

As for the OTR vs. local debate; it boils down to a matter of personal preference. And for someone to belittle another for their choice, in this matter, it's just wrong!

Concerning the pay issue for OTR, if we were paid on an hourly or salary basis the entire freight rate structure will need to be revamped. This is not something the shippers/receivers are likely to do. Buy then again, America wasn't built in a day.

 

Bduke, you are so right. I left Shaffer in March for 2 reasons. 1. Horrid management that seemed to hold weekly meetings to come up with some new way to screw their drivers. Micromanagement at Acklie companies is ridiculously absurd. 2. No freight. And the morons just kept hiring more drivers.

I left trucking all together in July after 9 years. The industry has gone to ####. I knew I wasted time and was exploited on the road. But I didn't realize how much of my life they stole until I got off the road. I have so much free non-working time I don't know what to do with myself.

It's only gonna get worse. The structure of trucking is not conducive to taking care of the driver. When some $7 an hour flunkie controls how soon you get loaded/unloaded, that is a recipe for disaster.

The only solution, and it will never happen, is mandatory hourly pay for drivers. With a minimum of 8 hours a day whether their is freight nor not. You hit ready in the morning and your clock is running. Betcha wouldn't sit for 2 days waiting on a load then.

 

You hit the nail on the head, until shippers/receivers are brought into line then the wasted 'no-drive' time will always be there. Sorry, but the trucking company owners like it just the way it is and it won't be changing.
There will always be a line of newbees to fill the seats with their bigrig dreams.

 

Just a few more quik questions before I start with Crete Monday . Ive been trucking now close to 20 years ,so i do know the OTR lifestyle , but ive been off the road about 8 months now.
My first question is this . Since Crete doesnt allow power inverters more than 400 watts , how are you guys powering your microvaves , coffee pots etc... Now mind you I have been trucking quite a long time, back in the days when you put a can of cambells soup on your engine block to heat it up going down the road , before the days of inverters . But I did get spoiled with my last company abit allowing 2500 watt inverters powering household appliances TV, Fridge , Microwave , Coffee Pot etc..Just curious what the current Crete drivers are doing or not doing ???
MY next question is the televisions on the road since the airwaves went digital . Ive never been one to watch much TV on the road, but I do tend to like watching my Longhorn football on Saturdays. Are you guys getting TV reception out there these days ?
My last company CWTL had physical workout places at most of the terminals . Does Crete have treadmills , etc... at any of there terminals ? Its not that much of a biggy if not. Its easy enough finding a place to workout on the road..

 

I happen to agree with bduke. Although I don't feel sorry for OTR drivers, I do have empathy for them.

I don't think you will every have to worry about OTR pay issues. It is not going to change in the near future. And why should it? Look at the turnover rates in the OTR industry. These companies will never change so long as they have new hungry drivers waiting to take your place. And there is a lot of them. Companies sit back and reap the rewards off of their drivers backs. It happens every day and will continue to happen. Except for Sitton Motor Lines.

Drive safe

 

Your in the wrong thread if your anti OTR. And if you have a National (realistic solution) than start that thread, I would probably read it. In the mean time, enjoy the clothes on your back.

 

Wondering if those of you who pulled or do pull reefers can fill me in on the good and bad of reefer work, or if you know of any threads on the board that I could go to. Thanks.