CRETE - A Year in Review

I work for hunt for about three months now and must say as trucking companies go they are about as descent as you'll find. I live an casa grande az and have no trouble getting home so far.I feel for you guys getting only 1400-1500 miles a week. I think I'd have to quit and work at wally world there's no way I could pay my bills and live on the road for that kind of money.

 

Speaking of Walmart...I just got the Walmart dedicated deal # $175/day or miles, which ever is bigger....the worst part is I think I'm gonna run out of hours about wednesday...so I'll probably get stuck taking a 5 day restart. Knew it was coming eventually but the timing sucks; just came off hometime and out of the shop from a deerstrike. Oh well, I'd ##### about it but I couldn't make it as funny as Supersnackbar.

 

My buddy just left Crete. He got injured on the job and was out 3
months. After 60 days, Crete dropped his benefits (medical,dental, etc) then at 3 months he was released to go back to driving, he was told he coundnt bring his dog and he had to start at the NEW employee wage (pay scale). He said seeya and drove for someone else. Crete lost a good driver! He gave Crete everything he had, but when he needed Crete, they caved in!!! Crete lost a great Driver!

 

Yeah, I don't know what the deal is with crete someone told me they coulnd'nt bring their dog anymore once they had the APU installed. I don't know how much longer I can do the OTR gig,I'm currently looking for something based in AZ so Ican be home regularly.

 

You only need 34 hours to reset your 70.

 

I was gonna say that also, can you imagine sitting 5 days to do a restart?

 

I feel like I need to knock on the wood of the Columbus, OH Microtel really hard in saying this, but this has been the best three week period I've had since I came back to Crete ...

11/2 - 11/8 ... 2833 miles
11/10 - 11/17 ... 3179 miles (restart before 11/17 delivery)
11/17 - 11/23 ... 3230 miles

This last week would have been 3570 had I not lost too much time in one road construction backup after another Friday along I-10 between Houston and Baton Rouge making me have to T-call a Beaumont, TX to Tonawanda, NY run in Columbus and take a restart. I'm gonna have to find a way up through the woods to I-55 if I get that one again ... Now I should be easily within striking distance of the pay increase if this week turns out average.

But, yeah ... The miles seem to be there if you can somehow get lucky enough to stay out of the Northeast like I have this month.

 

hey upsizer, glad to see that you are getting the miles. You are right about being in the right area at the right time, at least thats the way it seemed until recent. Since about mid October its been down hill for my miles, from being stuck in the Quaker state for 3 days waiting for a load to just being in the northeast in general, then to top it off just last week I was out of service for 3 days for a kidney stone. So, as the saying goes "when it rains it pours". I think that overall based on conversation with other National fleet drivers most all of our miles have been well below average. I am now at home for vacation after staying out 2 months and will try to keep a positive outlook for when I come back out in December. Since I had been having a really good year up until then I am not in a bad position financially and have been satisfied with my job with Crete. Goodluck to you and the rest of the Crete drivers out there and be safe.

 

^ Maybe they're giving those of us who got stuck in the bad places the past few months the chance to make ours now? Just theorizing ... Kidney stone ... OUCH!!! Had one of those a few years back. Not. Fun.

 

I kow how long it takes to reset your 70 hr clock...but if Walmart releases me on Wednesday, with no hours left, I'll get my reset sometime late Thursday or Friday...with the holiday weekend that could make for a long time waiting for my next load.

That was my point, guess I coulda made that clearer

Anyhow, Walmart ain't that bad. They keep you busy, and are pretty nice to us loaners