CRST Trucks

I just went thru my 3 weeks training here @ CRST in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and everything is/was as expected.

No complaints othere than the 3 people to a room with no TV or bathroom....other than that, no problems.

Study your ### off on the pre-trip especially the in cab and combinations...if you get that down, you're home free.

 

That is the same reason I went with CRST. I originally was trying to get in with Stevens Transport.

I am also wanting to get on the road as much as possible. I have no wife or kids, I am single and want to make money. I start my CDL training tomorrow and that lasts 3 weeks here in Houston. Sounds like we should both be working our way through orientation and all that almost at the same time.

My biggest concern is my co-driver. Don't know who that will be yet of course, but I would like it to be someone that isn't wanting to get home every 3 days to be with wife and kids. I want to get as many miles as I can and finding at co-driver that is in the same boat would be perfect. Not sure how they assign the drivers, but I sure hope it's not random name drawings.

Best of luck to you. Look forward to crossing paths with you in a few weeks.

 

Thank you for clearing that up. I did completely misunderstand you on your point about the first year. IF you have the opportunity to jump ship to another carrier after you get your CDL and the offer is better than what you currently have, regardless of the time frame, by all means take it!!!

With regards to the DAC report, I do agree that companies should be looking at more that just that report when making a determination for hiring someone. Companies need to know that there is more to a driver than what's on the DAC.

Thank you

 

I would talk with your recruiter and see if they can't send you to Houston instead. If I remember my geography correctly , Houston would be a much closer location for you than Iowa. But hey, I could be remember an old map, they may have moved the state since then . If you want, I can give my recruiters contact info, she might be able to help you out. She has been amazing for me. She has answered every single question I have thrown at her and has usually emailed me the answers as well to just follow up with our phone calls. I think she is rare for a recruiter but it has made all the difference in the world for choosing CRST.

 

There is a lot of other companies that offer sponsored or company training.

Just a couple are Millis and Roehl.

Both good companies.

And they don't make you team.

 

ladr,

Yes, we are aware of other companies that offer sponsored training. Some of them are not hiring in certain areas right now and if you happen to be outside of their current hiring region, they won't hire you.

I have looked at Millis and Roehl and what they offer as well. They look like decent companies from what I saw, Just they weren't hiring in my area. I don't know about anyone else, but I made the decision to do team driving to start out with, and if I find out I hate it. Well, I find me a solo company to start at

Thanks for your import and ideas of other companies. I know it will be helpful to others who are in different hiring areas.

 

I went through a driver mill and did a year with a starter company. Not because I was lazy or unmotivated, but because I signed a year contract and I'm the type of person who fulfills their obligatons. 2 years later I'm making $.355-$.445cpm depending on load length with monthly safety and performance bonuses, $50/load hazmat pay, detention pay in 15 min increments, , home every other weekend, and a dispatcher that isn't a #######...he keeps me loaded and running with good paying loads. I average about $1,000/wk take home running 2,500-3,000 mi/wk.

You may be able to find better jobs with little experience than a starter company, and you may think you found a better job only to find out they lied to you during the interview and you were better off where you were (happened to me with a local job I took last winter). I just did my time, took my lumps, then moved on to better things. It wasn't easy but I earned what I have.