CRETE - A Year in Review

Killer! I have been getting opportunities requests from Crete, but at the moment I'm driving local for Greatwide in Vegas.if something should happen, I might take a longer look at them.Thanks for the post!!!

 

I've been here two years, miles are still low, and spotty, but the typical is 2300-2400, although occasionally I was getting 3000 mile weeks. Long gone now. Back to 250-500 mile runs, and I'm waiting for a load that has to deliver tomorrow 400 miles away, now, and will hit 14 hrs before it's loaded.

I don't think the 'early empty' helps you at Crete. I rarely get a choice of loads. WHat usually happens when I unload early, is I am given a short load, that needs to be picked up..an hour ago. For a while, most of my appointments were late at night, (couldn't drop early) and I would unload with hours left to work. I got more miles that way, longer loads.

I think they do stick the more experienced drivers on the shorter, more difficult or critical loads. Not fair. Places that are hard to back into......high value stuff, etc.

I'm still here, but not happy. Waiting for the economy to get better.

BTW, the various baking soda 'carpet fresh' stuff works well for getting odors out of trailers.

You can usually get a box cheap at the dollar stores, sprinkle it on the floor drive a bit, sweep it up.

 

I was finally approved for hire and, after turning my truck in to the main terminal in Omaha this weekend, will be starting orientation at the Council Bluffs, IA terminal on Monday. Guess from there they find me a way to get to Lincoln for the final 2 days of orientation. Looking forward to working with you guys!

 

Reality check? Perhaps instead a history lesson...

I remember back in the days of "Load Select" - when you would empty out in, let's say Atlanta, and be offered a choice of loads. You'd usually get one short overnight load, one of mid-length for two-three days, and another that was usually around 1800 miles in length. But, in order to minimize deadhead miles, "Fearless Leader" eliminated this program.

I remember back when you'd get a load out of Minooka on Friday headed to Garland for delivery by Monday night. You could run I-80 to Des Moines, then take 35 down through KCMO, Wichita, OKC, and into Dallas. You could run 80 to Des Moines, 35 to KCMO, then 71 to Joplin, 44 to Big Cabin, and down to Dallas. You could run 55 to St. Louis, 44 to Big Cabin, then down to Dallas, or 55 to StL, cut through the woods to Little Rock, and take 30 into Dallas. The point being - you didn't have a specific route, you could go any way you chose, as long as you weren't more than 10% out-of-route. A driver could go home for the weekend, do his/her laundry, have dinner with their spouse, and still make delivery on-time. And, the ones that rock-'n-rolled, would deliver late Saturday or early Sunday, and keep moving.

You'd empty out, get offered three loads, and look at the Load Matrix sheet to see where the freight was and wasn't, accept the load, and keep rolling.

Life was good, and the drivers were livin' in the tall cotton!

Then, it all went to hell in a bucket.

Monthly productivity bonuses were cut and returned to us as a "raise" - the people that didn't rock-'n-roll got raises, while the most productive of us took a $500/quarter pay cut.

Trucks were turned down from 65mph to 62mph - another pay cut.

And while all this was going on, benefits were reduced. The vision plan was stripped of most of it's provisions in order to keep the monthly premium the same. The BCBS medical insurance has had its annual deductible slowly raised from $250 to $850, in order to keep the premiums the same. In other words - we're paying the same as before (which is good), but getting less (which is bad).

Wanna keep going? I can document numerous errors in judgment, volumes of serious mistakes in planning, and enough instances of piss-poor management to fill a two terrabyte drive!

How about the incident that divided Crete into "before" and "after" - the tragic Lake Butler accident, in which Crete demonstrated conclusively that it was more than willing to throw the drivers "under the bus" to save its skin, while the Gods of Mount Olympus (Lincoln) who were also complicit in this incident escaped unscathed?

As for your question as to why I don't train - there are two reasons I neither train or actively recruit drivers --

First, I refuse to encourage drivers to come to work for this (or any) company that tells me that I have to sit because "...there's no freight". If there isn't enough food to go around, why should I bring more hungry diners to the dinner table?

Secondly -- IMHO this company is resting on its laurels. There was a time when this was undoubtedly the best company in the United States to work for - bar none! Instead of being a "company", we were a "family" - Mr. Acklie cared about his employees, and we, in return, did anything and everything to make this company a success.

Sadly to say, those times are gone. The simplest explaination I can give is this - in my time here, I never heard anyone say anything negative about Mr. Acklie. And, during that same time, I've never heard anyone say anything good about his successor.

The "old Crete" cared about the drivers, and was willing to put its money where its mouth was - excellent pay, benefits, and the treatment of the drivers. The "new Crete" only cares about the bottom line - everything else is secondary.

Perhaps you think this is a good company, because it's better than where you used to work - and it very well may be. But I think it's bad, because I remember how it used to be - I remember how good and wonderful a place to work this was - strong emphasis on the word "was".

If you're happy here, then I'm happy for you! If this is your idea of the idyllic trucking company, then I hope you enjoy your career here. I, however, remember how it used to be.

Without being personal, I see it like this - you think of Crete as a 16-oz bottle of Coke, and it's better than the 8-oz bottle you used to have. I see the 16-oz bottle, and remember when it was a 2-liter...

Remember - On the road to success, there are no shortcuts (but there are lots of short runs!)

 

Wow they must have a really big gun held to your head if you think about the company you work for like this and dont quit and move on to greener pastures that you had and want. Last I check this was America and we still have some choices. Something must still be good in the hen house if the rooster is stayin around.

Remember - yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift.

 

Hey don't shoot the messenger.

You don't even have a clue what part you play in the demise of this once proud profession. Not a clue.

 

They don't do the "load offer" planning anymore?

 

Haven't for 2 years or so. But as an O/O its not to bad because I can refuse loads and force them to give me other offers. However, I only do this if the load is unproductive and I know the area should yield better freight. Got to pick your battles wisely.