CRETE - A Year in Review

I am not one to usually complain about customers attitude...locations, maybe, but attitude, very rarely... I normally appreciate all business, especially in this economy, but what is it about Mclane warehouses...I have been to many Mclanes over the years, and all of them have this "it's your pleasure to serve us" attitude. Even the one in FL had a huge chip on their shoulder the last time I was there. What makes them so special?!?

 

When I was working for Stevens I used to deliver to a McPain warehouse about once every two weeks. One fine trucking afternoon, while waiting for a door, a security guard threw me off the property and told Stevens that I was never welcome at a McPain warehouse again. Having no clue what the issue was I asked him why.

"I caught you pi$$ing beside your truck when you were here yesterday", he said.

"Um, really? I was in a completely different time zone yesterday", I replied.

"I don't really give a $h1t. It was a Stevens guy and I'm saying it was you. Now leave before I have you arrested for trespassing", was his final word.

Never had that happen before or since. But it's happened to others at McPain. I didn't even have to ask my Driver Manager to no send me to another McPain warehouse ... I was, of course, back at the same one two weeks later. ROFLMAO. Checked in with the same guy, and then watched him throw out a driver from Swift. Maybe they hire guys like him for a specific purpose ... couldn't tell you what that might be.

 

Mclane will always be remembered as a nightmare.....it was June 08 and I was driving for a reefer outfit and after being out for 9/10 weeks I was over due for Home time. My company at the time tells me, the only load we have to get you home is this load here in the yard in Mesquite,TX which delivers to Mclane in Temple,TX so I am looking at roughly 187 miles or so. I said ok, well once the load gets sent to me on the qc the appt (live unload) was exactly 6 days away. WTF....I told dispatch that this needs to get moved to today like this afternoon. The reply is sorry, this cant be changed, I have already been out over 2 months straight and figure screw-it, I will work it in on my own once I get down there. I tried that day and the following 5 days to get in and was given the BS by Mclane. Finally on the 6th day I get a dock and download took only 90 min, the worker comes out with my BOL with about 4 pallets of items refused due to damage....I called my company and informed them and they sent me back up to a location back in Dallas to redeliver the refused items instead of going in a dumpster. I get back into Dallas and deliver the 4 pallets and am ready to go home as I only lived 35 min away from Temple delivery. Stevens tells me NOW that I am over 100 miles to my home that I AM NOT AUTHORIZED TO GO HOME. I gave them some quick math 187 mile load+sitting on it for 6 days= They could shove this truck up there ###. I turned there truck back in at the yard in Mesquite that same day.

 

Yes I drive for USX but joined this thread
When looking at companies to work for.
The truck I trained on was a Cascadia dd15.
The Cummings is much stronger IMO.

 

I have only found one Mclane that was decent, every other one was rude, slow, didn't care, or acted like it was a pain that I was there with the product they ordered.
The decent one, Cottonwood AL.

 

I am taking the physical and crossing and dotting next Monday. Left Heartland for a 3 cent raise and national fleet as opposed to L.A. PHX, Vegas stuff. Been driving for 25 years, hope to retire here. I have only been averaging 2,250 miles a week. Hoping to see 2500 plus.

 

Thank you to evertruckerr for starting this post and to all who keep it going, it is a very helpful tool in preparing to work for Crete.

 

Crete has rdo 28 out of Phx now. I applied 3 years ago and all they had was a two week rdo and didn't need anybody. Got a phone call at the end of June and start August 13th. They also have rdo 45 now.

 

Well, I finally got out of Mclanes...it took them 4 hours to even drop the dock plate...but they finished, just in time to go to lunch. So, I had to wait for that. Offered a load up to Joisey...but I am approaching 10,000 miles over due on my service, and I still have issues with my low fuel level beeper, and almost a page of other stuff to fix...so I said sorry...gota get to a shop asap. Next I'm given a load out of Battle Creek to Breinigsville, PA then head to New Kingstown...so, I may end up with only 2000 miles this week, but maybe...just maybe I can get them to fix most of the things wrong with this truck before the weekend so I can try to get a headstart on next weeks miles. I won't hold my breath with New Kingstown...but I have been less than my usual annoying self when dealing with Lincoln...maybe my angelic behavoir will pay off when Karma comes-a-callin'

 

Concur about the fact that this is a great page to learn about Crete/Shaffer.

What, besides heartland have you been through these 25 years? For us relatively new drivers don't hesitate to offer experiences. Might bring some humor, or even education to the mix. Might even prove useful for whannabe's. Industry says they need lots of new drivers.

We might as well as possible to prepare these folks. We are going to be driving with them.