CRETE - A Year in Review

I have been using the switchboard number 800-998-9100 then follow the menu to get through to recruiting. I haven't had any trouble going that route. Good Luck!!

 

Just finished my best week ever as a Crete Driver:
Burney CA to Lafayette, LA- 2,286 loaded miles from 4/25- 4/28 (didn't include the 287 d/h because I ran them before a reset)

Baton Rouge, LA to Corpus Christi, TX- 467 loaded 55 d/h 4/28- 4/29

Linton, TX to Spring Hill, KS- 811 loaded 95 d/h 4/29- 5/01

3,714 miles from 0500 Sunday to 0400 the following Saturday, all legal. My electronic log ran me out of hours while I was dropping in Spring Hill. My paper log (and the official one, for now) still showed I had 30 minutes before I hit my 70. The only way it happened was I didn't have to burn 30 minutes at 6-7 different shippers, then 30 more at 6-7 different consignees, loading/unloading times were very efficient, didn't have mechanical problems, and loads with good miles were sent to the truck soon after emptying and didn't have extra time on them.

Crete keeps this up and I may actually retire early.

Taking a reset now (without one I don't get any hours back until Monday) and tomorrow I load out of Spring Hill for a drop hook anytime over in the Carolinas on Monday for another +/- 950 miles.

 

You would have to talk to recruiting to be sure, I came over with experience. Don't quote me on it but I think they earn .34/ mile after they get their own truck, Before that most companies pay a flat rate per week for drivers being trained otr, usually in the $500-$600 range. Again don't quote me on those numbers.
Not terrible but this industry doesn't pay recruits well at all due to the fact that so many rookies decide they hate trucking after they get on the road, so turnover is extremely high, and many rookies get in accidents (usually backing/ low speed but some of the more deadly ones) so turnover is, again, extremely high, and insurance is expensive.
I remember living on cup-o-noodles for the first six months. If I never eat one again it will be too soon.

 

Good info Scott. Just to add to it, the recruiter I spoke with yesterday said rookies start at $.31 and after 1 year, earn $.36. During the 8 week training course, they pay $500/week.

 

I suppose that's just about the industry average. Whatever you do, don't do it the way I did:
I went to a "paid training" company that sent me to school. Had to sign a 6 month contract to stay with them. I started at .18/mile (that's how they got their mony back for the school). Boy howdy was I sorry

 

Yeah, I'm planning to attend Central Tech in Drumright, which is a Crete approved school. I started planning a move to trucking about two years ago. I just needed to pay off some debt/student loans.

When I first started looking in this, I soon discovered Crete was a great company, and decided that's what I should shoot for. Then, as the months went by, I found a number of other companies that I thought I liked better, usually because I liked the equipment better. Honestly, it's hard to get excited about driving a base model Century. But in the end, that's not what really matters, I suppose.

So now, I'm back to thinking I probably can't do much better than Crete. This has been one of my favorite threads over the years, and has certainly opened my eyes regarding what to expect.

 

A few years ago there was a rookie over on another site that dropped Crete from consideration because they didn't provide a drivers side fender mirror. He ended up going with some other company at 7 cents less per mile. When told he could get Crete to put a mirror on for $75 and be ahead of the game because of the extra 7 cents he replied that in his opinion (remember, he was a rookie) the fact that Crete didn't provide the mirror on their own reflected badly on Crete's concept of safety. Whatever. Once you start driving you will quickly find out that equipment (as long as it is in decent shape) is way down the list of concerns.

 

While trucking has gotten a lot crappier in the last 5 years, one of the good things about Acklie was that they were better paying than most. That has now changed. Not to discourage newbies (you have to start somewhere), but the two things that you will find frustrating are 1. They take most of the fun out of trucking with their micromanaging BS. 2. They are VERY disorganized.

Do your year, keep your record clean, and then start looking. It is hard work to find a good company, but they are out there. You are not going to find it at any company that has over 1000 trucks. But they are out there.

My friend drives for a small company. MO to WI to CA to WI to MO. Home every other weekend for at least 3 days. Ungoverned late model truck, APU, satellite radio, and the owner thinks like a driver. He doesn't put up with customers ########. If a place is a problem, they don't go back there. Funny how his turnover is almost nonexistent and the industry average is 130%. The big companies don't get this. Crete wastes millions on advertising and recruiting every year to replace all the drivers that leave.

 

He's baaack....