CRETE - A Year in Review

I'm curious. Is that net profit AFTER paying the driver? If so, that is impressive, but I suspect that you accountant did not account, no pun intended, for that expense.

 

I live in Scottsdale. Which terminal do you work out of?

Have a great vacation!

Thanks,
JP

 

This is really nothing more than a follow-up for those of you who may remember my posts from several weeks ago.

Nebraska the Good Life.

When it all unravelled, it came down to what I thought was weak compensation considering what I could have accomplised during the same 3 day time period had they bobtailed me the 70 mi to the 1600 mi run that they voided due to no mt trailer.

A hundred bucks.

This was after supposedly the VP of fleets and operations reviewed my supporting documentation for the trip and formed an opinion of what they considered to be fair layover pay for the 3 days that i sat idle. $33.33 per day. That they actually looked at anything in regards to this trip is anybody's guess.

I realize like SuperSnackBar had previously mentioned, that these trips sometimes happen and to suck em' up and move on. I have. And i realize that they are an anomally and not a regular occurence. Aren't we all thankful for that.

The fundamental problem i have where my employment with Crete is concerned is that Crete doesn't guarantee you a copper penny when you are delayed at a shipper or consignee. And when you are actually paid detention, who knows the formula for the amount received. My uneducated guess would be that it's some form of demonic dartboard that the kind folks in payroll take turns throwing at. Or perhaps a "Wheel of Unfortune", where most of the available pegs are separated by "bankrupt" panels. Maybe a few "lose-a-turn's" thrown in for good measure.

Other trucking companies of course have a set amount that you will receive for delays after a certain time period, letting you have an idea of what sort of paycheck will be staring you in the face at the end of a given week. Naturally, this let's a family budget for expenses.

My situation being what it is (single, no children, extremely low living expenses, vehicles paid for etc...) let's me suck up a $100 bill for 3 days on the job. Most family's don't have that luxury. And i'd venture to say that most employees at the Mothership in Lincoln do not show up on a given day to take home far less than the state mandated minimum wage either.

That said, I realize also that Crete does pay more (but not much) in c.p.m. than their competition. That makes up for some of the delays incurred throughout the year. It would be interesting to see the math in the companies that offer set amounts for load delays, versus Crete's one or two cents more in pay. A friend of mine a few weeks ago who works for a different company had a disastrous week in miles due to delay's but was still able to manage $750 (take home) in detention pay. That's as it should be.

I certainly do not know of many family's who could cover a week's worth of bill's on what a single trip from SLC to the middle of Nebraska paid. So, hey if i don't like it - leave right? Well, that's true. I realize there is no perfect job, much less a perfect trucking company. I just feel this in an area where Crete could (should) have a set schedule of pay to give a driver some sort of clue as to what his end of week pay will be. Will that ever happen? I'm fairly certain you know the answer to that one.

 

I have collected a lot of detention while working for Crete. I think the amount is $12/hr. fordetention after 2 hrs of waiting in most occasions. I was paid $120 for being delayed overnight because a load wasn't ready when I arrived. I fill out the detention paperwork any time i feel I've been delayed excessively, and usually receive at least a little money. Most of my checks have a small detention payment that I have to go back and figure where it was from, as you are usually not paid until after they bill it to the customer. I have rec'd as much as the $120 as I stated before, which was $12/hr for my 10 hr. break down to $5 - 10 for a shorter delay. I just fill out the detention forms and take whatever I get.

 

Delay pay is EXACTLY $10.50 per hr after the first two. It is paid in quarter hr increments. An O/O is paid $21.00 p/h for detention.

I've been denied detention pay once because it was on a dedicated account, and another time because I was voided off the load. Not happy about either situation, but I lived.

I keep the detention form until it is paid. If it is not paid after two or three weeks I call to find out the status. The detention department has always been very nice in giving me information.

 

What's up with this thread? I've never seen it quiet for a week.

 

I'm pretty sure ET is on vacation for a couple weeks. Not sure about everyone else.

 

..and it's been 2 weeks since SS chimed in so he must be having fun out there too!! ..guess all is well in Creteland, NE..

 

Busy busy !!!

 

I don't know who I pissed off but my miles have literally dropped off a cliff. I have been averaging 2500 for the last 3 weeks and I am currently on a 323 miler with 3 days on it with no chance of an early delivery. I actually quit on Wed while I was in Columbus but cooler heads prevailed and I was convinced of the stupidity of such a move (my terminal manager couldn't care less BTW). It seems that if you can stay away from the NE including Pa, NJ, and Md. the miles are still there but unfortunately that seems to be the only area they want to send me anymore. I don't know what to think anymore. I just know that I can't let it go on for much longer. If freight is slowing down now, which is usually the busiest time of the year, I hate to think what the winter will bring.