Crete Carrier - A Year In Review - Fall 2013 Going Forward

And am I to assume that only 23% of our drivers get the raise?

 

I would never tell that, unless the Yuengling and looking at the tenderloins on Miss Hooters back, never mind. I love this job, I was there when she applied for her job. I never met Bill as I have some 4? Year old pop tarts already.

 

At the new Loves at Nickajack Lake, TN for the night. I will deliver my load tomorrow morning at the new Lowes DC in Adairsville, GA in the morning. Then it will be dealing with the weekend crew for another load after that. I can tell you this much, if they send a preplan that isn't exactly cut and dried, I'm refusing it immediately instead of giving myself brain damage like I did the last time. I learned my lesson.

 

I signed on in 1994. I got a flat top 1991 conventional with an 11 litre Detroit without a Jake. It was a sick 11 litre. Pitiful. I put 150,000 miles on it in 12 months. On the bright side , it had a fresh set of recap drives. I blew 6 of 'em. I finally got rid of it at 673,000 miles. It was probably the weakest truck I ever drove. I remember hauling 45k of canned salmon outta Tacoma. I was doing about 14mph up I-90 toward Snoqualmie hoping no one rear ended me.

 

That was the first truck I owned...a '93 FLD w/42" flat top. You're right, that 11.1 was a dog. But I had mine uprated to a 365hp...which only sucked a 1/2 mpg without helping it pull. I never went into any real mountains like you...but the company I was leased to pulled a lot of beer out of Albany, GA, Cartersville and Jacksonville. Back then a load weighed 47-48,000...and that was fun running to B'ham and Memphis(before most of US78 was 4-lane)

 

Just up from there (Exit 152 - US 72) is a big shopping plaza with all kinds of stuff, lots of food options, and a Walmart, and it's truck friendly. If I'm going to be in the area when it's time to shut down, I always make it a point to go there.

Of course, now that I think about it...I really hope the existence of that new Love's doesn't screw it up. I like being able to eat at Cracker Barrel, or the Chinese buffet...or being able to grab a real root beer at A&W... I don't much like McDonald's.

 

The only way to get the raise is to be one of those drivers who never go home. I was stuck at CCC for 5 long years. Been gone a year in April and am making more money and been at home at least double what I was at CCC. Been home for every Monday holiday since I left plus Thanksgiving. In 5 years at CCC I was never home for even one holiday other than Christmas. If you want to get home, make more money and are young enough or in good enough shape to do a little work check out car hauling jobs.

 

Thats a younger (than me) mans game....and some of us are oldsters!

 

http://goo.gl/maps/ajDqp

Street View is available within the plaza, so you can see what all is in there. It's one of my favorite stops for sure.

 

I can't believe how many drivers I've met who said this exact thing. Yet the 2nd time I worked for Crete (no more load select), I only refused a load once (saying it was too unproductive). A few weeks later, I was told I needed to route through SLC. Janell called me into her office and handed me an official write-up and told me that I could be terminated if I ever refused a load again. Their numerous inconsistencies is why I came to hate Crete so much.