CRETE - A Year in Review

I'm sitting in the Wilmer yard waiting for my appt and miracle of miracles everybody is getting loads offers! Good ones too! So hopefully I won't have to stay here very long once I fet empty.

 

Could this be another incarnation of that teamster guy?

 

Oh heavens NO ! You don't need the teamsters to earn a living wage. Just a good work ethic and the right fit with someone nor do you need to pay a crook to help you achieve that.

 

I'm in Tulsa, I wanted to build a snowman, but the snows too cold.

 

10585 in one month???? HOLY CRAP. If I add up Feb and March (so far), I can just barely top that. But March is partially my fault. I was in 'High Command' Friday. Bumped into Travis...He actually remembered me...No wonder, an oversized picture of my face is probably hung on the wall in some of the Exec's office's with a circle and a slash through it. He said earlier this week (or month...I can't remember) we were 850 loads short, just on the dry side. Can't tell that from here... I actually turned my 1st 2500+ mi week in almost 3 months.(1st week of Jan was the last one) I haven't had to wait more than a few minutes for load offers, albeit sometimes short runs, but it beats sitting. The only wait I had was when I was heading to Cedar Rapids, IA... After spending the night in Walcott, as I was getting on the interstate I got a 'you start your day yet' msg. They asked me to wait for a driver coming from what they said was just outside Sterling that had to be home yesterday. Since I have been on the receiving end of a number of 'home time' swaps, I figured I owe a few going back the other way. Once he finally got there, and I found him(they gave him the wrong truck number to look for) it turns out he was in Rockford, IL, not outside Sterling. They deadheaded him 90 mi to pickup a 70mi run. Once we got things switched, they didn't have freight, but 3 hours later, I got a run from eastern IA to just outside Lincoln, late night pickup and deliver ASAP. Now the only problem I have is, I have a 'must attend' hearing on 3/31. I've been beeping them every other load for over a week. The closest they can get me to home right now is a load that delivers just outside Jackson, MS out of Lincoln for Monday morning. Looks like I may be getting them to rent me a cheepie car and haul donkey to the house for a quick pass through and haul back. Hopefully I can get them to get me the company's corporate rate on an out of state round trip rental.

 

I'm sitting in Auburn, ME with 6499 miles for the whole month ... I have a load that picks up Monday at noon and will be able to make that 7800 for the month if I'm able to crank off 1301 miles by Tuesday after I pick it up. The load, however, is 1620 miles and doesn't deliver until 2300 on Thursday in the always intriguing caves of Independence, MO. Let's hope they let me t-call it in Kansas City ... Don't wanna do it in E. St. Louis since every single time I've t-called one there lately I've gotten screwed on the next run ...

 

Kansas City has been pretty good to me lately. Know what you mean about E. St. Louis.

 

Evertruckerr, I should be starting with Crete in a couple of weeks. I'm an experienced driver that spent most of my time on a dedicated regional account with another company. Although, I haven't driven since late october/early november of 2008. I do have a little over 3 years experience. Since you're a trainer, you might know the answer to my upcoming question. Will they put me with a trainer or right into a truck? As far as I know, I will be having a physical/paperwork/orientation in Columbus and then an orientation at a later date in New Kingstown. After reading much of this thread, I have seen that you give detailed answers to many people's questions. Thanks in advance for the info.

 

It's official ... March was a 7,744 mile month. Worst I've ever done ... Now I get to start April with 375 miles followed by a restart with around 46 hours left on my 70 unless dispatch has the freight to let me t-call it in Kansas City ... Hate to leave anybody with that shag, but there wasn't sufficient freight to let me do it in Indy yesterday ...

 

Well, the SHTF for me this week. After a nice 1500 miler to NJ from North Platte that I delivered early Monday I have now been sitting for nearly 60 hours with no end in sight. NJ is giving up less than 10 loads a day. What a pain. Seriously thinking about quitting. This talk about Crete being no worse off than everybody else is a lie. There are no large number of trucks sitting here from any other company except for Crete. Tonn Ostergaard should be ashamed of himself.