CRETE - A Year in Review

I have been running the numbers for O/O again, I seem to look at this every 2-3 years. After figuring in the 2290 tax, fuel at 7 mpg requiring a 58 mph, insurance and maintenance, I can only squeeze a 45cpm profit out of the truck, that's with a $1300/mo truck pymnt. Since I make 47 cpm and would need 50 cpm to cover the extra 7.15% for my half of the self employment/social security tax that would drop the profit down to 42 cpm making a 5 cpm loss in pay, in order to own my own truck. If I were to do it I would stay with Crete, with the pay cut for the three years it took to pay off the truck then move over to Landstar. Since we are cash flowing our daughter through College, I believe I will stay put and perhaps look into this venture in another 2-3 years.

 

Are you and your wife both driving separate trucks solo now? 3500-4000/week seems very impressive and also significantly above the average other drivers are claiming. Your post was very informative. Do you have any other tips about which regions you saw the 3 loads/truck ration or other advice? Thanks

 

Your finances are your private business and it may be inappropriate for me to ask this, but aren't you pretty much financially set after all those years and now at that pay rate? When I worked for Crete over 5 years ago, I was running into long time drivers that said they already had upwards of a million dollars in their 401K combined with that other profit sharing thing Crete has (don't know if they still offer it)? When I kept running into drivers like that, it really opened my eyes to the power of the 401K. Thanks for any info, and again I apologize for the personal question.

 

Not all of Crete's employees live in Nebraska.

 

Crete's O/O pay stinks. When I drove for Shaffer, I was making more money as a company driver than the O/Os. Your idea to go to Landstar is wise. I drive for an O/O there now. If only more trucking companies were run like Landstar.

 

Does not matter where the employee lives, they chose to work for crete, a nebraska corp, covered by nebraska law.

 

They generally want you to have your home terminal be the closest one to your home. But I have met drivers that have moved to FL, but never switched their terminal. Not that it matters that much. Your home terminal is there to help resolve problems like payroll or truck assignment/breakdown swaps etc. Your dispatcher handles home time and vacations now, so the terminal doesn't do it anymore. If you're in FL, I would stick with them...they're one of the best in the fleet. Terminal location doesn't have any impact on where you run unless you are on any of the remaining regional or dedicated fleets. If you're on the national fleet, then when there is adequate freight, the computer picks your next load based on proximity to shipper, available hours, etc. With the way freight is now, asking to go a specific direction would be a waste of time. Right now getting a load within 4 or 5 hours after empty is a good day.

 

Thank you so much for answering all of my questions and everyone else's. I know your time is valuable and I really appreciate it.

 

Not true. Employees are protected and governed by the laws of the state they live in. Crete chooses to hire out of state employees. Think about it. Crete employees that live in TX, FL, NV and a few others pay no state income taxes. The ones that live in NE do. If you have a labor dispute, you take it up with the labor board in your state.

 

I know with workers comp claims, it is the state for which the employee is a resident. When I was hurt in PA, my lawyer said any of the three states could take jurisdiction(PA where I was hurt, NE where Crete's workers comp filings and coverage payments are made, and FL where I live). When FL took jurisdiction, I was screwed. Not sure if the employment laws are governed the same way or not.