Crete.... Going downhill

of course i have. i just think it's another senseless rule, another way of a big company trying to control its drivers. and you'll always have an idiot who passes someone using one and then calls in and rats on them

 

so very true. you see posts about the same companies in the "Good" and "Bad" forums here

just because my company works great for me doesn't mean it'll be that way for someone else

 

I was with Crete for 6 months in 2010. My experience was much like the starter of this post.

I never got home when I requested and sending me the opposite way from home claiming " we have no freight going that way" got old.

They talked a good talk and one dispatcher would promise you something after you delivered the current load you were on. Only problem was they had area dispatch and the next dispatcher you were dealing with had no clue of the promise, or would act like they had no clue.

The people in Lincoln thought the company revolved around them. I got the feeling their attitude was " hey, you have a new truck, what reason do you have to go home?"

Although I liked the way they ran me, when it's time to go home, don't jerk me around with lame excuses.

 

No your not. I drive for a company with 60 trucks. These are good people and we enjoy our work. New trucks, home on the weekends and 2500-3000 miles in a week. There's probably about 4000 companies just like this out there.

The way most of can tell Crete is no good is because their stupid radio ads, billboards, and recruitment posters in the truck stops. Not to mention most of the pro Crete drivers come across here as no one any of us would want to work with.

 

Crete has been going downhill ever since the son in law Tonn Osterguard took over the day to day operation from Duane acklie.

 

Ive heard good and bad about Crete....most people like them but Ive heard they dont always get you home on time.

 

I had originally planned to join Crete in February of last year, but changed my mind. But between then and the end of the year, I asked perhaps 12 to 15 Crete drivers their thoughts on the company. No one had anything extraordinarily negative to say, other than the personal gripes we all have about employers, and it was mostly procedural stuff. The overall feeling was they were being treated fairly and miles were adequate.

I started with them last week. Time will tell if it was a good decision. But so far, miles are decent, my truck was clean and everything works, and messages have been answered promptly, including from breakdown (when someone left me a trailer with a blown tire...some things never change!).

Will I get home on time when requested? We'll see....

 

Crete used to be one of the better companies to drive for. I worked for them for about a year back in 2002 and liked them. I didn't love them, mind you, but they weren't bad. I worked for Swift earlier in my 'career', so I know the difference between a good company and one you want to avoid like the black death. But when I worked for Crete, ol' man Acklie was holding the reigns. Maybe that's changed now and some businessman who's never slept in a truck runs the show these days. Is that the case? I'm looking here on the bad company part of the site and, man, is there any such thing as a good company in the industry now? Crete. Roehl. Hunt (Crete's flatbed div.). These are good companies, at least I thought. Has every company gone down the tubes as far as the driver goes? Or is there a smidgen of hope out there, a good company that is hiding in the shadows?

 

i feel the smaller companys are better that way they know you by your name,when i call in they know me by my voice,makes you feel better that they know you more on a personal level than a truck number

 

Until they want you to drive 24 hours straight, or their check bounces. It's a fine line, what do you want? Good practices or sound financial backing?