CRETE - A Year in Review

You dealing with them doctors down there in atlanta, they gonna wants a letter from your sleep doctor, i know because i have to go through that mess, good luck.

 

Well, the sleep dr is at my current employer. Ill do the sleep test over again if need be. Not a problem for me. I have sleep apnea, no doubt.

 

I know this is old, but this guy is an idiot. Not only MUST your logs match your Qualcom, the world of trucking is going to e-logs anyway. What is this guy gonna do when the DOT mandates he run legal (like they already do)?

If you are running illegal logs (running two or three log books to "look" legal) and get caught or get in an accident, then you are going straight to jail. You wont pass go nor collect 200 dollars.

 

Safety has everything to do with the file. Crete used to be a company that hauled freight safely, now it's a safety company that occasionally hauls freight The tail is wagging the dog.

 

To answer your question, I got out. Too much BS in the industry any more. I hate being exploited, it makes me feel dirty. If they really cared about safety, they would make us get paid by the hour off the logbook. Everyone would be rested, shippers would have to get their #### together, and compliance would be easily achieved.

But they don't care enough about safety to impact customers in any way. Elogs weren't an issue for me so much because I wanted to run 4000 miles a week. That's too much work anyway. But it takes away your flexibility to run in a way that is comfortable to you, which is one of the freedoms that draws a lot of folks to driving. The 14 hour rule is the most retarded thing I have ever seen. It just puts more tired drivers on the road. That is the rule I ignored most when I drove. 11 and 70 not so much.

So maybe I am an idiot, but think about that as you drive down the road in your 62 mph truck, having to stop and fuel where you are told, taking the route you are told, while making sure you don't idle too much and making sure your logs match up so some weenie in safety who doesn't even know the rules properly doesn't bleep you on the QC. That ain't trucking. Micromanaging sucks.

 

I will agree that the industry as a whole, not just Crete, has changed. But let's not forget why. LIABILITY......come on class repeat after me, L-I-A-B-I-L-I-T-Y. And why must we be concerned about Mr.Liability? That's right Mr. Rentz, it's those pesky trail lawyers.

Remember class that if you drive a truck with an ECM ( electronic control module ) it is no different than having a tracking device on your truck. Plus, a cell phone can also tell a smart trial lawyer where and when you have been. So all you drivers who think that running illegal won't get you in trouble when you have an injury accident because THE MAN can't track me should reconsider your position on this issue.

Crete, and many others, have changed because they were forced to do so. And in this sue happy society I can't blame them.

Do to the restrictions to generate revenue by "the mile" I would welcome a new pay structure based on the actual time worked according to either a logbook or EOBR.

My point: holding Crete responsible for micromanaging is not a valid position to take when given the reasons why they do what they do. Could they pay by the hour instead of by the mile? Sure they could, once they can get their customers to do the same. This will probably not happened until the industry as a whole bills customers in this way. And that won't happen till ALL TRUCKS have EOBRs.

Time to go to work, later.

 

As far as the health insurance, it's just my wife and I...and the driver's cost for us it $75/wk...That's just for health insurance..It cost's extra for dental, and extra for anything but basic vision for the driver (i.e. premium plan for the driver, or adding family members to basic vision plan). I also opted for extra life insurance through the company on myself and my wife. $200,000 for me, and the max allowed on my wife is $20,000...that runs me an extra $11/wk.

 

I witnessed the outlaw prosecution at my 1st company...we all ran multi-logbooks...until one of us was driving down the road, had a car lose control on rain-slick interstate, cross the median, run under his trailer wheels (w/48,000 lbs of Miller beer) and crush it like a monster truck. The truck driver was so overwhelmed by the thought that he had killed someone, that he had a heart attack...and had to be life-flighted to the hospital, then spend 6 months off work until he could be re-certified. The driver of the car...walked away. Apparently when he saw that he was going to be run over, he layed as flat as he could...only had some cracked ribs where he was crushed into the center console, and lots of cuts and bruises...Our driver was cited for the accident because if he was running legal, he wouldn't have been there. So, our company was sued, he was sued, and all out reputations and wallets were screwed...and guess what, the load didn't make it on time either...so what was the benefit of running so illegal? After that, we all were restricted to running legal. It taught us all a lesson...I for one am glad we run like we do, it covers our butts in case someone else is an idiot and hits us.

 

Wondering how Crete is as a company today? And if evertrucker is still with them?

 

Got the word today that safety has approved my file. They want to know when I can come to orientation. Have a student on my truck right now with my current company...he needs about 8000 more miles and I refuse to leave him hanging like that. Only gonna be a few weeks for him to finish and then I'll come home for orientation in Marietta. I live about two miles from the terminal there.

So, I guess I'm gonna be a Cretan!