CRETE - A Year in Review

supersnackbar thanks for the info. But do they track your mpg or idling? at prime you must be over 6.25mpg which means, in my truck, i have to go 58mph or slower to avg that in a week. They don't care about consumption overall or if you are taking the longer path, they just want a bigger number on the MPG thats how dumb the system is and that's one more of the reasons why i'm switchng companies. And I didn't want to ask my crete recruiter because she might give an unrealistic answer of how it works for the driver. btw how often do you go home? i wont have further questions i swear

 

The question for MPG is kinda iffy, Ive heard driver managers talk to you (over qlcomm) about lowering it and others (like me) havent heard anything (yet). My idle time still runs when I'm at a stop sign, or waiting at the fuel island, but nobody has talked to me about having high idle time. Crete at 62 mph is an advantage for the mpg, but they do give you plenty of time to deliver. Somebody asked about NE regional? If you live there, you just might be used to that wonderful area, the only thing I like about getting a load going to the NE is they must give me a load back out of there! LOL, National pays more, but if you live up there you will probably get plenty of loads keeping you on the east coast. Crete's freight is primarily midwest and east.

 

SUPERSNACK, I hope you made it home!!! I will cover your absence, but you owe me one! DRIVE SAFE

 

knighton5 thanks for the answers, 62 works for me i'm already used to the 58 so 62 will be piece of cake. i've never had opti-idle i know some drivers complain about waking up and stuff but i dont think it will be a problem. i will post again once i get in. as far as co-workers crete looks really nice.

 

Opti-idle basically turns your engine on/off so your heat or airconditioner will operate. Some people wake up easy, so this becomes a issue on getting enough sleep. I personaly got used to it after a couple days, with that said, it will soon be obsolete when all of the trucks get a APU. Good Luck

 

You never used Opti-idle at Prime??? When I did my time in purgatory (I mean Prime....haaaaaaack toooie.... sorry every time I say that name I get a bad taste in my mouth) it was available for the lease op's. I figured Mr. Lowe would have it mandatory on the RTC trucks. I'm one of the drivers that is a light sleeper, always have been, so opti-idle wakes me most times. I have never heard anyone getting beeped about the MPG. Good thing, because some of the older trucks are getting worse MPG after the 62mph change, because they aren't geared for 62. I get a msg every week, good or bad, about idle time.---From who I don't know, but after the first couple I 'replied' to...I get a DO NOT REPLY, but no name at the beginning of the msg. Hopefully I will be getting and APU soon and that will cure all the opti-idle and idle time problems, as long as I don't get stuck in a traffic jam, because since they upgraded(or downgraded) to 62mph, all the trucks count idle time as 'any time your truck isn't going fast enough to blank the q/comm screen.'

Not all the new trucks coming in are going to have APU's. I don't think any of the Cascadia's are going to get them. They already have bunk heaters installed, and they are insulated so they tend not to idle as much on opti-idle. Plus those puppys are already heavy, the extra weight will make it impossible to haul some of the loads we currently haul. They are talking about getting that new system Freightliner is working on, which is strictly a battery system. They battery system is still heavy, but not as heavy as an APU. Not sure what they're going to do with the Cornbinders, since they are suppose to be for dedicated, mostly W-mart, that run out of Nebraska, they'll have to have something the way the weather has been going.

As for Crete's mileage requirements, not many people will be hitting that this year. It's mid Oct' and I'm getting close to 100k paid miles. A large number of drivers are in the same sinking boat as I am. Hopefully, after the election, and everything settles down a bit, the economy will start to pick up mid '09.

And keep asking questions. That way you know what to expect. And the best people to ask are current drivers. You're right, a recruiter will give you the best case scenario, not reality.

And I will tend to be a less 'angry' in my post's. I made a booboo and violated the forum policy about website posting (actually I forgot about that when I did it)and got an electronic slap on the wrist - which I justly deserve. So I don't want to push my luck and say something that could get me banned from here...I would go into 'evertruckerr post withdrawal'

 

I think it beats waking up sweating or freezing and starting up the beast all on your own!

How is Crete's freight holding up? I am thinking of leaving Superior because of no freight. With Superior I get to sit at home with no money. I would really be sad sitting in some truckstop with no money. Get my drift?

 

Hi Everyone, can somebody shed light on why a (possible) employer would request your W-2's????? Has anyone experienced this with Crete? First time I have come up on this move. Thanks. Beemr

 

If crete is asking you for that info, then they are trying to confirm employment somewhere. I went thru that with Crete also because one company I worked for went out of business so I had to give them my tax info to prove I worked there. That is one major thing about Crete, if you have any gaps in your employment in the last 10 years, they wont hire you. Some carriers will let it slide but Crete is really strict. I actually was denied employment with Crete for 2 weeks then I provided the tax info to prove I did work there, then I was hired. Good Luck

 

Anyone driving without an APU but using the battery system.? Ive heard mostly bad things about it, like it works for 8 hours then you have to start your engine for awhile. Just curious, in the meantime, I will Opti-idle. Oh, I have used the bunk heater system when I was driving for Knight, its a freakin OVEN, but that heater doesnt help me in the summer. DRIVE SAFE