CRETE - A Year in Review

RBPC wrote:

That is the cost of BCBS health insurance for myself only per week. My wife has insurance through her company. Weekly insurance was around $55/week for the two of us when she was on my policy.

Hometime is one day off for 6 out with no more than 4 days off at a time without using vacation time. This is the company policy, but your terminal manager has the option to make exceptions if you are a productive driver or if you have special circumstances to be considered. Also, you cant bank hometime. If you are due 4 days and go home for 3, you lose your last day. But then again, your terminal manager has discretion over this.

Deadheading has become an issue due to the outrageous fuel prices and they are much more conscious of it at the moment. Prior to the fuel issue Crete didn't seem to have a problem deadheading drivers 200-300 miles to get them home, but I think they are taking a second look at hiring driver that live too far away form a terminal (only my opinion). In the past it wasn't uncommon to DH 300 miles to PU a load to get me close to the house and then DH another 300 miles to get home. Of late, I see very little DH (to get to the next load and to get home) and am having trouble getting home at the moment, I don't like it but I can't blame them for that. If it was my company I would be operating in the same fashion. As a company driver it is easy to get upset, but if you look at it from a company point of view it is a little easier to understand. I know of one driver who just hired on out of Vegas and he isn't allowed to drive his truck home during his hometime, he has to leave a car at our PHX or SLC terminal and drive his personal vehicle to get home.

Optidle is a thermostat bases idle reduction gadget. You set the temp in the cab in a range of 68-80 or so and the engine runs as needed to maintain whatever temperature you desire. It is not a perfect system and I don't think much of it nor does Crete. It isn't that reliable and it tends to require a lot of maintenance. Apparently the newer models work much better, but I have one of the older trucks and I have to put it in the shop every 3 months or so to have it fixed. Not a huge problem for me because I don't idle much, but a pain non the less.

Crete is close to putting APUs in the trucks, but California screwed that up with their new emission laws. Crete was in the process of buying APUs, but the new law made them illegal to operate in Cali. They have new plans in the works, but I don't have any idea what they are or when they will implement them.

 

This is no longer the case. One year of clean OTR driving experience is all that is needed.

You can also get on with as little as 4-6 months experience but will have to drive with a trainer and you will start at a lower pay rate.

Crete also hires student drivers that attend qualified schools. PTDI certified for the most part. There are some exceptions, call a recruiter for details.