The Decline Of Crete Carrier

Discussion in 'Report A BAD Trucking Company Here' started by sledge, May 10, 2008.

  1. 1catfish

    1catfish Road Train Member

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    Jul 18, 2010
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    thats when i really enjoyed driving a truck,it was more fun.......
     
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  3. speedracer 1963

    speedracer 1963 Medium Load Member

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    Jan 12, 2008
    illinois
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    thats what government bailouts get you. 12 yrs ago the railroad business was in the red or near bankruptcy ( amtrak being the closest ) and bingo ! here comes uncle sam picking favorites to haul the frieght. As for warren buffet ? he has always been a lap dog for the government almost a clone to jack kennedy.
     
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  4. kycat1

    kycat1 Bobtail Member

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    Feb 2, 2011
    Mcminnville Oregon
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    Let me make your day. I spent the last 1,100,000 miles of my over 3,000,000 mile journey with Crete. When joining Crete, i had over 2 million miles under my belt already. When i left i was paid a base rate of .47cents a mile. There was a bonus on top of that. Plus excellent health coverage. Plus 3, count um, 3 retirment systems. i took um all. NOT ALL PEOPLE CARE ENOUGH TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE. I did. I live on the left coast, so i at times was out longer than i would have wanted. Did i #####, you betcha. And i hated that opti-thing. I ask questions, not only of drivers, but when i could get an ear of the right one. I would ask what was important to me. Like, why the opti- thingy. Now i know for sure. If you to want to know for sure, ask the director of maint. in what ever terminal you are out of. Short runs, every trucking company has these now. Why? Shippers demand it. If ya want only long haul, try team. Maybe Crete will not have long miles then either. Some companies do. THE accident. I was with Crete at that time. Some of these posts are blowing wind just to hear their ears flop. Anyone who wants to know the truth, easy to find. YOU WILL NOT FIND IT IN ANY NEWSPAPER. For the guys just starting out. Know what you want to do. Trucking is not for everyone. If ya want what Crete has, there is NO better OTR company out there. Especially the pay. OTRX was the only company i ever found that paid more than Crete. Sure, OTRX was a better company than Crete. We all know how that went.
    Just my .02 cents
     
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  5. Lone Ranger 13

    Lone Ranger 13 Road Train Member

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    Sep 27, 2012
    Asheville, NC
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    I was with Crete for 18 years.
    They are ok, but not nearly as good as they used to be.
    Short loads with too much time to get there.
    Lack of communication.
    Payrate is better than average.
    Good company for new drivers to get experience.
     
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  6. FlexinTarzan

    FlexinTarzan Medium Load Member

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    Jan 8, 2012
    Stanfield, OR
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    Crete Office/Shop employees enjoy 5 paid holidays a year......You see Crete trailers advertise Our Most Valuable Resource Are Our Drivers...REALLY ? Why are Drivers not given the same 5 paid Holidays as well ? No, instead the companys most valuable resource=DRIVERS sits at the truck stop during the holidays due to shipper/receiver being closed, OR denied home-time for the rational of We Have To Service Customers...WHAT A BUNCH OF BALONEY !


    Rant Over....Return to regular scheduled programming in 5,4,3,2,1
     
  7. buttons2044

    buttons2044 Bobtail Member

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    Jun 28, 2013
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    I agree,I worked there in the 90's for 7 years when Mr. Ackle was running it ,I went back
    3yrs ago for a year,it isn't the same company it was,I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
    Other than someone just starting out
     
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  8. buttons2044

    buttons2044 Bobtail Member

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    Jun 28, 2013
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    It has a modem
     
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  9. OFTOTR

    OFTOTR Medium Load Member

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    Jul 19, 2011
    Toccoa GA
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    Try to get a pay raise now. for the national fleet drivers, what is the required miles per week average to merit a one penny a mile raise? ALmost 2500 miles, per week for the year? (including vacation time, downtime, etc)
    If you can hit 2500 miles a week, every week, I can see why you are happy! I only get 2500 miles a week on a GOOD week, and I refuse to live in a truck, 52 weeks a year, not taking any time off, to get a penny a mile raise.

    I did my annual review paperwork a few weeks ago wish I remember the precise number of miles they gave that I would need to average to get a raise, but it was 2400-2500. They also have something in there now about only being able to take more than 4 earned days off at a time with the permission of the fleet manager. I don't remember that being in there before, but it may have been.
     
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  10. kycat1

    kycat1 Bobtail Member

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    Feb 2, 2011
    Mcminnville Oregon
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    Trucking has changed in the past 20 years. At that time, Crete had a fleet of flat-top cab-overs, no jake brakes, the sleepers were very small. As i recall, starting pay was .25 a mile. Seems to me like Crete was the last national fleet to go to hoods. The truck i took my test drive in, was one of the 1st century's Crete had got. I forget the guy's name, but his job was to give drivers test's. It was his first time to give one in a century, He was looking more at the interior of the truck than watching my driving. New truck. It was red in color, had, as i recall, a 430-470 Detroit, with a 10 speed tranny. Fixed 5th wheel. As i am retired now, i see a few Crete trucks in my neck of the woods. Not many. They are still red, still freightliners, i would expect the motors are still the most fuel MPG on the road. What i am saying here is, money. Crete paid cash for those new century's, probally still do today. Crete is one of the best run large company's on the road. For the year of 1998, my avg. trip was over 1800 miles. Avg. out for the year. Did Crete own that freight on any of those runs? No. What is the avg run today? Probally 600 miles? (Guess) Does Crete own any of this freight? Still no. Very few trucks haul their own freight. Wall-mart comes to mind. To me, They are not an OTR company. Lots of OTR companies out there that has the same freight as Crete. By and large, all freight is the same. All drivers have a choice as to what truck they drive to pick up that load. Crete, Werner, JB Hunt, US Express, Marten, Gordon, Interstate, exc, exc.
    On most things, home time, insurance, vacation, ect. The one big difference is the pay. How many drivers running up and down the road make .47 cents a mile? Yes, it is hard to get that raise, lots do tho. Can you? Yes. If you choose to not take that .47 cents a mile, it makes no difference what company you drive for. Do you have the drive?
    Ok, time to go camping.
    Be safe out there
     
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  11. drvrtech77

    drvrtech77 Road Train Member

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    Mar 20, 2010
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    .47/mi don't do you any good if you're sitting all the time & avg less than 2000mi/wk.
     
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