CRST Malone (Flatbed Division) SUCKS!

I have spoken to some l/o there and they were happy with it.

 

I would think that most of them are making money or they would go elsewhere.

 

I know this is about a year after the fact, but I'd have to concur with you; have been at Malone for about 6 months and am doing great! The reason I came over here was BECAUSE I was in charge of finding my own loads! I do a check call once per day ("Hey, I'm in Dallas and I'm not dead") and, other than that, no one bothers me.

If I have a good week, then it's all on me. If I have a poor week, that's on me, too. I live in southwest Missouri, usually run for 2 - 2 1/2 weeks, then take 6-9 days off. Even with the time off, my settlements are AVERAGING $1,500-$1,800 per week (before I set aside taxes). I've had a several $2,000-$2,500 weeks, and even a couple of $3,000 + weeks. This is after truck lease payments, insurance, tags, permits, etc. ($575/week), maintenance/rental fee ($300-$500/week, depending on how many miles I choose to run), and trailer rental ($185/week, all maintenance included). Sure, some of these expenses may be a bit higher than some other places but, if I can bring home over $1,500-$1,800 +/week CONSISTENTLY, then I really don't mind the slightly higher fees. I'm doing well enough that I'm restoring my older Freightliner and KW (to put myself and another driver in).

In the 10 +/- years I've been driving, my wife says I've never been more relaxed, and I'd have to agree with her. I'm relatively stress-free because it's all on my shoulders. I like that I can pre-plan two or three loads ahead and know exactly what I'm doing for most of the remainder of the week. I'm even to the point (because the agents are seeing that I'm reliable and don't need a babysitter [dispatcher]) that I've got agents calling me offering me really good-paying loads before they post them on the load board. They know I'll get it done and get it done right, and I think that's what it'll take in order to run your own business successfully - reliability, consistency, and planning.

It's not a design that's fit for everyone, but I'm sure enjoying it (as well as most of the other business owners [not truck drivers] I talk with who are leased on here).

 

Cool beans, Mr. Happy.
Spoke with a malone driver yesterday, and he seems to be doing ok, also. We only got to speak for about 20 minutes, but he seemed to be enjoying it, also.
Temptinfates

 

The one thing that I do not like about the Malone program is that when your lease is up, you do not get to keep the money that you put into the maintenance fund. At least that is the way that I understood it.
So you have a truck that has probably close to a million miles on it when it is paid off, and you now have no money in your maintenance account. Is that the way it works?
I appreciate you posting your numbers here!

 

MrHut,

The answer to your query is: no you don't have any money in your mainetenance account when you finish your lease, at either Malone or Van Expedited. But not because they purged your account at the end; but rather because you didn't have an account to start with!

When you lease a truck from CRST and begin running, they hold out $.12/mile + 18% to cover all the maintenance--PM's, major work, body work, etc.--until the last 12 months of the lease. You don't pay for any work done to the truck. You simply call and talk to the people on the maintenance hotline, and they direct you to a shop! It's that simple.
This is not a maintenance "reserve" or escrow, however. It is a maintenance "FEE!" It seems like a lot, but it takes a lot of worries off your mind if ever you have to have any work done...

The last 12 months of the lease, I think (though the exact number seems to escape me right now), you still get charged $.10/mile, but only receive PM's for your money. None of these monies build up, EVER. You cannot withdraw it, save it for your residual payment ($5,000)...nothing. It's not yours if you sign onto the lease. It is not an escrow; they tell you so; it says so in the truck lease; end of story.

As to how well anyone does there--be it with a gold truck, or their own, I can tell you that when I was actually working there, I almost never heard anyone with a gold truck say they were doing well (except for those guys that I would then test, who didn't seem to know a thing about the business in general; or newer people--some who hadn't even gotten settled yet!)! Now, though, I see them all the time, have been able to talk to quite a few, and everyone seems to be doing better than a few years back. The reasons for doing well might not be as simple as they'd seem, however.

Yes, a lot of people in the company have been replaced in the last year or so. And that has made a difference. But you have to remember that probably the number 1 thing that made ALL flatbed companies do better in the last 12 months was Arrow going out of business! It's simple: fewer flatbed trucks on the road + the number of available load having gone up = higher rates on all those loads. In other words, demand for trucks went up, simple had gone down, therefore the price of each truck/load went up. It's just basic economics.

And that's what Malone is: a perfect lesson in basic economics, and the "can-do" and rugged individualism American philosophy! If you're willing to work hard, but also smarter, than you've ever worked before, then Malone might be a good place for you. If not, well it's a walk-away lease...

Cheers!

 

Thanks for the explanation! It is so hard to get anyone to tell you the facts. So you are not with Malone now....Who are you driving for or do you have your own authority?

Thanks!

Jim

 

TO MrHAPPY:I am so happy to see your post! My husband is in orientation today for the lease purchase with CRST. I am interested in any info/advice you can give us on your experiences, it sounds like you love it there! After reading so many negative posts, I appreciated your first hand experience info. How many miles do you average a week and what areas do you usually drive in? Thank you so much for all your help and I look forward to your reply.
Ashleigh

 

i work for crst malone about 4 months im not understanding something, can we get loads off laodboard.com just wondering because i sit atleast 1 day a week looking for a load im sure this would help me alot.