CRST Malone (Flatbed Division) SUCKS!

From what I understand you may or not get to pick your truck--depending upon availability. Or, you can buy or lease from someone else as long as it passes their DOT inspection. If you get your truck from somewhere else, I believe you manage your own maintenance fund and keep what isn't used if there is any..That makes good business sense, but who's counting, lol
Temptinfates

 

If a owner operator just clears 800 to 1000 a week(after fuel,ins,and payment) he might as well park it.

 

Well obviously, the guys that are making good money have a decent head on there shoulders, and have an idea how to run a profitable buisness. The ones that aren't doing very well, should go back to being a company driver.

I will give you a perfect example.... a couple of weeks ago I sat in a truckstop parked next to a CRST Malone driver in S.C. the outside temp was in the 50's he ran his truck for the 12 hours that I was there. Well lets see the average truck burns 1 gallon of fuel per hour while idiling...diesel is avearging $3.40 a gallon x the 12 hours I was parked next to this guy. By my math thats $40 dollars profit out his stacks. Take that $40 and times that on a 7 day week you have now thrown $280 dollars of profit out the window. Granted I realize due to extreme weather conditions you will need to Idle sometimes, but to sit and idle your truck for 12 hours when the temp is in the 50's thats just not good buisness. If I would have gotten the chance to speak with the driver he probably would have said he wasn't making any money. Go figure.

 

32's wife.....Thanks for all the great information. Your knowledege and experiences are greatly appreciated.

 

I, too am glad to hear that someone is doing well under a lease program. Part of being good in business is gathering information and deciding if the business model has a chance of success--which is why some of us ask questions. It isn't that we can't do math or haven't considered costs, or that businesses need to show a profit. Some of us have talked with people on both ends of the spectrum and in between. I talked with a Malone driver at Petro in ATL that said his truck had been down for repairs and in the shop for a week and that he was under a load and that he got no help from Malone in trying to get load delivered, etc..He was also like the 13th on board waiting for load--or so he said. I have heard many different stories--good and bad. I have been following many threads both here and at another website reading posts (and their math) with many companies as I'm sure others have. I can list companies, their trucks, their payments, and what they pay per mile, etc...but it would take time to do so. I have read long threads with details and numbers posted.

I do consider it good business to know where 25-30 percent of your revenue is going before you decide to jump in or not. Others may consider it part of business and never ask. I am not down on Malone at all, but questions into the expectations shouldn't be treated as if everyone else is devoid of doing simple math. Math is great, but so is getting advice from those that have been out there doing this for years. Thanks 32's wife for posting. Perhaps more Malone drivers will post up their experiences so we get a more clearer idea for those considering this avenue.
Temptinfates

 

Temptinfates......
I totally respect what you are saying, however, I NEVER meant to imply that people didn't know how to do "simple" math. I am simply here to help others get a head start on what we have already had to work through and struggle with. I never said that I was born understanding the trucking industry. My knowledge comes from 13 years of being by my husbands' side while he has endured this industry. It may sound crazy, but he has been with 10 companies in the 13 years he has been a driver. 5 of those years, he was with Yellow/Roadway, as a company driver, making 100k a year, free benefits, the whole 9, until YRC got greedy and laid off over 2000 employees and is struggling to stay afloat. As for the 9 other companies he has been with.....no way in the world would he ever come close to making 1k a week with any of them. So, I say from real experience, being on your own, just starting out, is WAY more profitable than being a company driver. The rare chance of having a "Yellow" experience is long gone these days. The glory days of the Unions making sure you get top dollar and full, free benefits, regular home time AND all kinds of awesome kick backs, NO LONGER EXIST. If you know of a company that can offer that, LET ME KNOW!

I understand what it is like to be a trucker and to be a truckers' wife. I GET it. It is hard and not for everyone. I can't even tell you how many times I have wished for a "normal" marriage. I am here to support and help everyone who knows what this life is like and any help I can give is beneficial to those who can really be open minded. Clearly, my husband is no newbie in this industry, he was with a company he thought he was going to retire with, that 's the only reason he is just now trying to own his own business.

I just want to help, help others see that there isn't always negative and it all depends on how YOU work hard and perform INTELLIGENTLY. Remember, while you may not be new to the industry, there are others reading the forum who are and NEED the advice from those of us who have been through it all.

I KNOW there are guys out there who have had bad experiences, but I hope to spread word of how to turn those experiences around.

ALSO, another driver from Yellow, who my husband was friends with while with YRC, recently came aboard CRST, he is loving it as well and has NO complaints! NOW my husband will get a $250 referral fee!

I just want to help others, plain and simple......

 

OK..now that I see this has turned into the pro/con's of Crst/Malone....just one question.
Let's say that you do the L/P with them (get a gold truck or not). Now that you have the truck to use and leasing a trailer......
...what about headache rack, chains, binders, straps, coil racks, lumber, and tarps. Do they "rent" them to you? Or...do they sell them to you? If they sell them to you, will they do a payroll deduct...all at once..or...?
That's an expense that can get pretty large when done all at once.
Thanks
Rick

 

Rick,
If you decide to to a L/P thru Malone or bring your own truck & Trl. Malone will spread out the cost of all your equip over time.
If you do lease a trk it should have a plain jane headake rack on it...
I spent 5 years with Malone and did very well with them.. and my truck is parked out in the garage ready to go.. for now I'm driving locally here in ND and home everynite ..
If you want to know that I'm telling the truth about malone and how i did so well... contact Gene Wolfe in Atlanta and ask him... he would be very happy to explain...

The very best of luck..

Harold G.
Esmond, ND

 

Ok first of all let me say again it's gona be real hard 2 find successful owner operators in truck stops 2 talk wit they are out driving their trucks.

The ones that do however frequent truck stops are the guys that complain all da time bout dis an that i have been owner op for bout 10 years now.

I even was leased on wit malone myself and i can show you i made money while der but i found my on loads except for the load i promised them i wud do.

An after i had proved myself the 1 load i did do paid really gud but like i keep saying if u scared don't do it a scared man can't win and a jealous man can't work.

An owning a truck isn't for every body u will have weeks were u may make $8,000 then u'll have a week were u barely break even.

That's jus how it is an if u spend that 8 grand wen u make it ur crazy cause it's a business not a job look ahead not rite now prepare for 2morrow that's how u be successful at owning ur own truck.

I was wit malone for a year an i made more money then any body that came threw in my class because i did wat it took 2 be successful an wen i did decide 2 qet out of truckin i did.

I cud set here alnite tellin u how 2 be successful but if the work ethic isn't already instilled in u i can't put it their malone is 100% owner operator an if u can't make it der u want make it.

They give u all da tools 2 be successful but like i said if u don't no how 2 work an wait 4 sumbody else 2 do it for u den u deserve wat u get.

Dispatchers are travel planners dont no how much money u need 2 run ur business an u can't tell em that either cause for 1 they have 2 many drivers to baby sit.

But the gud thing bout malone is that if u do become 1 of the successful guys they'll bend ova backwards 4 u but u have 2 sho dem u deserve those high payin loads. Stop complainin an drive the truck u so begged em 2 give u. Keep the left door closed an the right door locked and the wheels turnin an no how much money u have 2 make 2 run ur truck an then pay ur self a decent check an stop takin wats left an blowin it like sum spoiled little brat an u will be gud at ownin that truck u so begged for.

Now i'm gowin 2 sleep stop winnin a drive quit complainin an drive shut up an drive already

if u scared that's not the company 4 u cause i promise u this if u can't sho them u can handle it they will sho u how 2 fail it's jus how truckin is the ones that no how 2 play the game r successful.
While the cry babies fail at it miserably.

 

Don't mis understand me i jus get tired of guys always sayin they can't do this are lookin 4 sumbody 2 tell em it's ok 2 do sumtin if u don't no by now wat u can do jus be conten in bein a company driver.

An leave buyin leasin an ownin a truck the guys out here that no wat it takes 2 own the truck an run it those are the guys u will work 4 1 day jus keep livin.

An quit thinkin bout decisions all the time sumtimes u jus gota give it a try especially wen u can get into a malone truck wit no money down so y u gpta even think.

It didn't cost u a dim out of ur pocket an if u can't handle it hey fine go back 2 bein a company driver but get on here bad mothin da company caus u made urself fail.

Ownin a truck is jus wat it is a business decision not a company job u gota have drive u gota haver that 2 be successful bein a company driver 2 make it as well.

Like i keep sayin it's not 4 every body jus quit postin stuff on here cause it's floodin my email cause u can't make it are u scared an need reassurence from other drivers.

If u haven't came 2 da canclusion that the person 2 blame fro ur mistakes is the guy lookin back at u in the mirror then guess wat all the money in the world can't help u.

Now gud nite.