Crete / Shaffer pay raise announced for OTR drivers

lol what a joke who the #### would stay gone all year from home for a hope that they might see 60-70k... LOL

 

Yeah you will get screwed one way or another, i went to JB HUNT because they offered me 0.45 cpm biggest mistake ever since then high cents per mile is not what im worried about nd if crete was great as they claim they are its shouldn't been trucks sitting at the yard, post card anywhere, long waiting listing nd so........................

 

I got called from Crete a couple of weeks ago asking me if I was interested in coming over to them, was interesting to say the least, but Im still not wanting to drive a box van and bump a dock, least not while I can still get up on a flatbed

 

I keep waiting for the recruiting ad on the back of a trailer that says.... "less miles, more money" Still looking.

You bet I want the home every week job! And I have it because I set it up that way. I have driven the country, from coast to coast, from the north slope of Alaska to the Rio Grande, have the worn out T shirt, and want to make as much or more by staying within a 500 mile radius of my house. I have that. By the house once or twice a week, home every weekend and holiday, time off during hunting season, and a couple of weeks off at other times in the year. And not on some dedicated freight gig either. Gross last year was $194K and will be better this year. Might break that $200K gross this year. And it is just typical dry box work. Go to a lot of the same places (big box and grocery stores only on rare occasions) that Crete and other similar mega carriers go to. Just know how to manage it better. When the HOS allows it, I am driving. Only stop for the 10 hr or 30 min thing. Fit eating, showers, etc in those times. Else, I am at home. Never sit between loads. Have loads booked in advance. When one load goes off, I am headed to pick up the next one. If a customer delays unloading or loading, they get hit for $38 an hour to have me wait.

When the megas figure out how to do this, then their recruiting departments will have to cut back on staff and spending. Each truck will have a driver, and the ATA and TCA can go on vacation.

 

Agree 100% brother, Excellent post.

 

True enough, but any carrier could do the very same thing with their company drivers. I only stated what I do to make that point. When those carriers figure out how to do this (some smaller outfits already have), then they will be turning drivers away in droves. I am not an exclusive. There are carriers who have this all figured out as well. It just seems the larger carriers forgot something along the way to having multi thousand truck fleets.

One thing, is that they assume that drivers are only idiots. That some flag waving about pay per mile is all it takes. I have known retired military officers, lawyers, an ex regional manager for McDonalds, and even an ex Catholic priest who were company drivers. They would be looking for an entire package and not falling for the simpleton pay per mile thing. Customer base, pay for delays, well thought out load planning, etc are just as important as the pay per mile. A good carrier will deliver on all of those issues. Unfortunately for drivers, very few carriers have this all figured out.

 

Bring in the cattle and then to the slaughter. Rinse and repeat.
Not about the freight vendors. It's about how much Equipment and Drivers they have. Recruit.. Recruit... Recruit... No retention and cheap labor, cheap freight to be moved.



Crete is hilarious. Rolling billboard with the recruitment. Driver is advertising his job.