CRETE - A Year in Review

My biggest points of contention are A) if freight is so slow, why keep hiring? B) if it's such a bad area for outbound loads, why accept the load inbound without raising the rate to compensate for a longer deadhead to better loads? I leased to for Landstar for a while, and that was one of the things I looked at before I took a load, 1 - what does the freight look like back out of there or to what area am I going to have to deadhead to in order to get the next good paying load, 2 - was the load paying enough to afford that deadhead and still show a profit. Here, It's called pizzz poor planning...a.k.a. Crete's s.o.p. They only look at right now, they don't look into the future when it comes to freight, they plan for yesterday and play catchup. It's not helping them survive by over-hiring and sitting drivers wasting fuel. It's a poor business model, and it isn't how this company built itself to this size and reputation. They actually use to take care of the drivers, now it's "if you don't like it leave". Something you would have never heard coming out of Mr. Acklie...But it's now the 'TWO-FACED TONNIE O' show.

With this run, I've been out 7 days. (I actually had to sit at home an extra day and a half because of no freight, but that's FL, I expect slow/no freight there) I have a grand total of 2223 in 7 days. I had a choice of this load, or nothing. My paycheck after taxes, and a little excess on an advance I took for the tolls across OH($12) I will net $725 - $750. Last week the only miles I had were to get me home 326mi. (that's 2550 mi. in 2 weeks) A whopping $51 paycheck. Thankfully I don't live in a state with a state income tax, or else I would be further in the hole. Now I am sitting, burning fuel, and probably won't get a load that delivers on this weeks paycheck. So I am stuck with another bad week.

By what I've been told, by the few drivers still with us that started here a long time ago, this company use to be a whole lot better, but it lowered itself to this level. Mgmt chose to move this company to this way of doing things, they weren't forced. And as a result of this, the once good reputation of this company has faded into what it is today. Many drivers (outside drivers and Crete drivers) actually feel that this company is becoming a worse place to work than the Swifts and JB's of the world. Driver treatment is down, the quality of equipment is down, driver attitude is down as well. Very sad statement. This once great company is turning into the laughing stock of the industry.

I had an opportunity last year to work for a friend that owns a small fleet. I regret not taking him up on it, I keep kicking myself for not taking advantage. Would have been better off there, at least he knows what the value of his drivers are, and treats them like their a part of his family instead of hired hands, expendable hired hands, like here. The only disadvantage is you put in a 34hr restart every week, but every other one was on the road, and you only got 2 days off, on the odd week, not guaranteed that hometime falls on the weekend. Reefer freight from FL out to CA, 34hr+ in CA, then back to southern GA, then home. T600 studio with a big-CAT, 18 speed, APU, no gov'd truck. Paid lumpers. Paid percentage. He let you chose where and when to fuel. You knew where your next load picked up and delivered before you were empty on your current load. Whyyyyyy didn't I go..... stupid...stupid...stupid!!!!!(picture me smacking myself on the forehead with each 'stupid') The only reason he had an opening was because he wanted to stop being an owner op, and just be an owner. His turnover rate is 0% so unless someone retires, or gets some serious illness that takes them off the road, it isn't likely he'll have another opening any time soon.

 

Most of the unloads they want you to use the standard approved lumper service. They don't usually like you to unload for fear that you get hurt, and turn in a workers comp claim. In some ways an advantage, but I use to use my Fed ID number to unload and give them a legitimate receipt, but they started to use only the 'approved' services. So I quit touching freight, period. When I would unload and give them a receipt, I would charge less than the lumper service would, thus saving the company money. But if they want to spend the extra, so be it.

 

Do you get advanced notice if you have to unload, or is that too much to ask for

 

As anyone could have predicted, I got the "very short on freight" message after my unload in Phili. I'm now sitting at the J in Carney's Point, NJ looking at four Crete trucks sitting on the lot awaiting loads. I see no other company with more than one truck here. I hate to start finding my mindset in league with Supersnackbar, but it is what it is ...

I always have. It's never been an actual "unload," though. It's been "tailgating" - moving freight to rear of trailer. I've done this three times since February. Twice it was insulation and the other time it was floor loaded tires of various sizes. Six hundred tires is quite a workout and they should seriously consider to whom they give loads like that. Some of these guys I see out driving could be at serious risk of a heart attack ...

Addendum:
I have now been sitting here four hours. One more Crete truck has joined us. That's five on this lot as of 15:30 est. There were two Swifts at one point, but they've now moved on. Covenant has two sitting one of whom just showed up. Man ... I must be bored out of my mind to be counting trucks and posting about it on the internet ...

2nd Addendum:
Make that six crete trucks sitting empty as of 16:10 est. I checked and the "new guy" is also empty.

 

LOL ... Counting trucks makes for a long day.. On my way to Allentown Pa i hope they have something for me...

 

^ Good luck. You're gonna need it ... I got another "currently out of freight" message from day dispatch right before they went home. Now I'm in danger of having night dispatch send me a 450 mile load that delivers Monday afternoon with no place to t-call enroute or some such ... and it'll probably come at some ungodly hour of the morning. If so, I'm afraid it's gonna be, "Oops! I was going to accept that but I fell back asleep! Sorry!" hehehe

 

I will do my best to stay away from PA this time out! Freight was slow up their last week also.

 

"Oban"....You're not Scotish are you?

Well at least your lucky having one tonight!