Crete Carrier Corporation - Lincoln, Ne.

I currently work for crete... Have been for almost 4 years. They are picky about logs...which is good. The only company I have worked for that allows you to make a living legally. Which is good, it covers you if some fool runs into you. But if someone does run into you, Crete doesn't back you up... It happened to me. 11+ yrs accident free, and boom. PA trooper said I did everything right, other driver admitted fault. Crete charged me with a preventable. Gave me 90 days to fight, but it took almost 4 mo. to get police report to back my story. Too bad.
2 years ago, stepped out of the truck and hurt my leg. I wasn't under a load, but was at a terminal, and waiting for dispatch to find some freight. Since I wasn't under load, Crete claims dept. said I wasn't covered by Workers Comp. Have lawyer suing as I type.

Their equipment sucks!!!!! I have had 5 different trucks in the almost 4 years here. Only one was worth a crapola... and they took it away because it was a lease truck w/pre-egr engine and I was putting too many miles on it, was going to exceed their mileage limit on lease. Been in this truck since May '06, been in shop 18 times. In the last 3 months, been in the shop 9 times with down time any where from 2 to 6 days. Was only able to turn 9400 miles in July, thats 450 miles less than February. Keep asking for a new or at least newer truck, keep getting turned down. Plus all new trailers they are buying as of Jan last year are spring ride. The under-spec'd air ride trailers they use keep tearing up so they are going back to spring. Which wouldn't be as bad, except they use fixed 5th wheels, and the way they have them set, keeps your steers heavy. And on Century Class Freightshakers, that makes for a really bad ride. My truck stays above 12k lbs with any load over 35k lbs. Which is legal at the scales house, but exceeds the trucks recommended weight limit on front axle.

Also, if you are a light sleeper like me, they use opti-idle, so you won't get much sleep. And no, not everyone gets use to it. I couldn't sleep w/it 12 years ago when I started my driving life, can't sleep w/it today. They are trying various anti-idling options, APU's, Battery Pack systems, but by what I have heard, they are leaning towards the Battery Pack system...Which most of the test drivers say doesn't work right. Cools you about half of the time it is suppose to and then truck only will run 5 min, not enough time to recharge batteries, but Crete likes it because it doesn't use any fuel, and fits into any states anti-idling laws.

That is why I am leaving ASAP.

On the positive note, one of the top paying companies per mile. I am currently at .46/mi. If my truck would stay running would be a $65k job.
I made $61k last year and got .03 raise in Sept. and another .01 in Feb. But truck doesn't allow me to take advantage of these raises. And the DOT leaves you alone for the most part, because the reamed us back a few years ago when one of our drivers had a major accident in FLA that killed 7 kids. Now they know that we know they are watching, so Crete makes sure you are running by the book.

So, if you are looking to Crete for a job....GOOOOOOOOD LUCK. You'll need it.

 

There is a company here somewhere that supposedly offers a salary scheme for compensation. That would have come in handy in your situation, especially during July.

Crete seems to be creeping downwards. I just have the feeling that one of the industry's best is about to become very mediocre.

 

The terminal Project Manager in Sterling IL had me called out early on my 10 hr restart two times with the threat of losing my job if I did not comply...that and the low mileage because the OTR guys that were there from the start were getting the 500 plus miles every day was why I quit.

Oh did I mention the bald tires on the trailer that maintenance refused to change because they had to get permission from Wal Mart? Oh...I was told they weren't on the same axle so if they did blow it would be okay!!

Do I have D***##* tatooed on my forehead?

Crete could not get their act together at Sterling and they treated drivers like s***!

 

Its strange how a company like Crete,which has had many good reports here is now on the bad side.Seems like some drivers can get along no matter who they are driving for,even Swift which I think is the bottom of the barrel,from experience. Swift,JB,Covenant,etc. all have drivers who are happy there. I hope each and everyone of you are comfortable driving for whoever it is you are driving for. I think Roehl is a class act,but there are some drivers who will disagree with me.I guess thats just human nature.I am retired now for about the fourth time,and I have no desire to go back out on the road again.But I can look back and know I had some nad experiences and some good ones.The good ones outnumbered the bad ones.I met a lot of nice people out there and a few ##########.It is a different kind of life which you have to adapt to. No more 9 to 5 days,or 40 hour workweeks.A lot of 14 hr. days and 70 hr. workweeks.

 

I agree, Dog. That Sterling virus that BB posted about here seems to be spreading to other Crete drivers, who themselves then become EX-Crete drivers. What a shame one has to quit that company over a simple screw job that Crete brought on itself.

I guess if I were to find myself in that Sterling boat, I'd quit too. I'd give CCC a few weeks to stew and then go back, though.

Nothing was better than summertime OTR driving. Especially loading up just before a holiday. I remember fetching a load of Coke machines in West Virginia not far outside of D.C. and taking them to Seattle. I loaded up on July 2 and made it there on July 5. I didn't talk to my boss or use an alarm clock for about 4 days. It was a long weekend, too.

Sometimes it was better than good. Sometimes it was #### good...even great.

 

Crete has changed its pay policy to practical not short route or hhg. Last year my paid miles were around 134000, my actual was 139500. Only 5500 miles different, not bad if you ask me.
The pay is one thing I count on. In 4 years here I have had only 2 payroll issues, and one was my fault. I put the wrong trip number on the transflow sheet. The problems they may have had may have been resolved with the use of transflow. The other was a load I had to split when I switched trucks. They paid me under 1st truck, but something got screwed up when I picked up and delivered under 2nd trucks number. They found the problem, but took a few weeks to get straight.
And I have heard (from another crete driver...so I cannot attest to the truth) that Tonns attitude towards drivers is 'if you don't like it, leave, i'll have someone else in that truck tomorrow.' Which is pretty much the same attitude most bigger companies have anymore.
My dislike for crete is the equipment (see other posts) Otherwise, it's the same company as all the rest, just a different 800 #. And they hate when you tell them that.

 

When ol' man Acklie passes on, Tonn will be running the show. This means CCC will more than likely become Swift with red trucks. And that will be a shame.

 

My feelings exactly!!! At least then the drivers have a chance to ride in a more comfy truck (volvo's at least ride better than century class - they may not pull any better, but at least your neck and back won't hurt)

 

And in a surprise twist : this past week I got a personal reply from Duane Acklie regarding my situation. It was short but in it he acknowleged that he had studied my letter, agreed that the managers in question had handled it poorly, said that he had spoken to others regarding my concerns (not sure if he meant with those particular managers or not), and said that he hoped I would reconsider and reapply for for Crete - signed "Duane".
It's not an offer of a vice presidency, but with my history there and their good pay and benies, I will return within the next few weeks and have already cleaned out my truck with Pemberton.

 

I have posted many negative reports about this company, but this week they have topped themselves in the heartless department. Just before christmas my wife's 99 yr old grandmother was taken to the hospital because of a fall at her assisted living home. To make a long story short(kinda), shortly after new years day she took a turn for the worse. We were told that her time with us was short and be prepared for the worst. I immediately informed Crete that I needed to stay within a day's travel to home because of this. On Saturday 1/5/08 grandma went quietly. All of her funeral plans were pre-paid years ago. The only thing undecided was the time of all the services, The minute I hung up the phone with my wife telling me of grandma's death, I immediately called Crete to inform them of my pending time off and please get me headed towards the house and as soon as the times were set I would update them. I was in Atlanta(275-300 miles from my home). Later that evening, when I found out about the time for the viewing and service, I immediately told Crete again that I must be headed home as soon as my 6 a.m. delivery on Sunday was complete. At 11 a.m. Sunday, after sitting all morning I kept being told that they couldn't find available freight to get me home in time, and that it was too far to deadhead me home, so my only option was to rent a car. After the year I had in '07 (40 days down due to truck breakdown, not counting normal A and B service) I didn't have the finances available to rent a car to Fla out of Atlanta. And if I took the truck without authorization, I would be charged for the use(what dispatch told me). I think they charge .50 a mile. After arguing with them, they found a load. The viewing for grandma was at 11 on monday and the service was at 2 pm. They found a load that delivers, 2 hrs away from the service, that del's at noon. They then found another load that delivered at 8am Monday. With that one I still had to get home, shower, change clothes (home is 2 hours from Jacksonville, and grandma was 30 minutes from home). Which left me 15 minutes to unload. Needless to say, I was late to the viewing but made it for the service. It wasn't like I was asking to deadhead for routine time off. This was very important for me to be there, and they wouldn't make an exception in a family emergency. They don't have a problem deadheading me 300 + miles for a 500 loaded mile run. Or deadheading me from Miami area all the way to north Fla (without me asking) for Thanksgiving. A holiday I asked to work because I was taking vacation during Christmas and didn't want to be a holiday hog-that way other drivers could have Thanksgiving off. But they had a problem this time. What they didn't take into account how much this irate driver will cost them in the near future. Or how much getting another driver into this truck will cost when I leave.
So keep this in mind if you are thinking about working for these A..holes You mean nothing to these people unless you are a dead president (a.k.a. money) Their radio and magazine adds promote how good they treat their drivers. If this is good treatment, I would hate to see the places that screw the drivers.
OH, almost forgot, the wouldn't let me t-call the load in our Tifton Ga yard because it would add too many miles, but their load routing(and fuel routing which is mandatory) from Atlanta to Jacksonville was straight down i-75 (thru Tifton) to I-10 then to Jacksonville. Makes no sense to me!!!!!