A Log of My Journey With CRST

Discussion in 'CRST' started by Nicholasaaron, Jun 27, 2019.

  1. Nicholasaaron

    Nicholasaaron Bobtail Member

    34
    54
    Jun 17, 2019
    0
    I appreciate the honesty. I’m not technically unemployed, I am on a temporary leave from my current job as I find a new one and I already have my CDL. I graduated June 3rd through Smith and Soloman and it’s already paid for so that part isn’t an issue. I know this companies #### and I know my driving record is too, not much I can say there. I don’t know if this industry is for me or not but I’m going to give it my best shot and go from there.
     
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. Nicholasaaron

    Nicholasaaron Bobtail Member

    34
    54
    Jun 17, 2019
    0
    No apologies necessary. The whole purpose of this thread is really to catalog the process with crst and give people my live review of everything. Hopefully I leave Iowa in a truck and not a plane back to Jersey. That’s my first fear but from there I’ll tough out what I have too to get the experience. With my fiancé working still, I don’t need to be making much to pay the bills so I figured this is as good a time as any to try. I would have liked to wait for some tickets to fall off, but I don’t want to have to pay for a refresher course either so I’m just going to grin a bear it till I can move on.
     
    Bean Jr. Thanks this.
  4. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

    68,039
    142,319
    Aug 28, 2011
    Henderson, NV & Orient
    0
    A few of those Caterpillar account drivers have posted on here and say it's pretty good.
     
    Last edited: Jun 28, 2019
    Bean Jr. Thanks this.
  5. Nicholasaaron

    Nicholasaaron Bobtail Member

    34
    54
    Jun 17, 2019
    0
    That’s what I’m banking on really. The OTR accounts seem to have the worst reviews but the dedicated runs don’t seem to all be as negative.
     
    Chinatown and Bean Jr. Thank this.
  6. Nicholasaaron

    Nicholasaaron Bobtail Member

    34
    54
    Jun 17, 2019
    0
    Ok guys, first update here. Haven’t really had time to write much the last few days. Trave was easy going luckily. They worked with me completely to get to IA from the Jersey coast. 2
    Planes and a rental car originally. However my second flight was canceled and within 5 minutes I had a new rental car from Chicago to the hotel in Cedar Rapids. Orientation was effortless really. The instructor was extremely helpful and friendly, everyone in the office was really. The shuttles to and from the campus could certainly be organized better though it could certainly be worse.

    Orientation started Monday with a little confusion as to where to go. Me and the 5 other people on Dedicated rough were eventually found amongst at least 50 other people going for their CDL. After we got into the classroom we began. Mostly company policy, DOT law, log keeping. All the regular stuff I assume. Tuesday was much the same with a very, VERY short road test. Once around the block, 2 lefts and a right. Then a silly agility test. Crawl under the trailer, climb in the back, and step up the catwalk. Wednesday (today) we finished training with the Qualcomm. It was brief but I assume my driver trainer will go over a little better. I start at .30 a mile, jumping to .33 after a month and .37 after 6. But as of now I am completely hired with my ID and pay card. This is where things are getting a little tricky.

    My trainer is currently in Georgia on home time until Saturday. As of now I’m getting a rental car and going 2.5 hours south from here and dropping off another person meeting their trainer in Morton. After that though, we’re still trying to figure out where I’ll go. There’s a solid chance I’ll continue with the car to Georgia, meet my trainer, and go from there.

    All in all, other than some (so far) minor communication issues, I’d say things are running pretty smoothly. The dedicated division is rather small compared to the Expedited group. I can only assume that helps with organization and whatnot at least a little. I’ll keep up with updates as I think to give them.
     
    Last edited: Jul 3, 2019
    Rollr4872 and Lonesome Thank this.
  7. Nicholasaaron

    Nicholasaaron Bobtail Member

    34
    54
    Jun 17, 2019
    0
    To add to the last update; After talking to a few people from the expedited orientation, it seems like that’s the big one to avoid. There was one individual waiting for 3 weeks for a driver trainer to be available and most seem to wait at least a week, where as everyone one of us in dedicated walked out with one assigned to us after orientation. Granted as I said the Expedited division has easily over 1000 trucks where as dedicated only has around 300 I believe they said.
     
    Rollr4872 and Lonesome Thank this.
  8. Bean Jr.

    Bean Jr. Road Train Member

    5,336
    9,353
    Mar 30, 2014
    0
    VanEx is the despised division. The 2 best are run completely separate from the rest of CRST, and they require experience to work there.
     
  9. Nicholasaaron

    Nicholasaaron Bobtail Member

    34
    54
    Jun 17, 2019
    0
    I don’t know much about the other divisions. I know they have solo flatbed opportunities and what they call their “White Glove” fleet for what I believe are high value items.
     
  10. Bean Jr.

    Bean Jr. Road Train Member

    5,336
    9,353
    Mar 30, 2014
    0
    Two different flatbed divisions, although they are run together. BESL and Malone. BESL trucks say BESL on the door signs, and the signs they provide to Malone o/o says CRST Malone. Looks like all the other doosmr signs. However we can get our own signs made up that say Malone, powered by CRST. I know quite a few guys who have made their own signs.
     
  11. Nicholasaaron

    Nicholasaaron Bobtail Member

    34
    54
    Jun 17, 2019
    0
    Interesting, I’ll have to keep that in mind if I stay with the company. Looking to do flatbed eventually.
     
    Bean Jr. Thanks this.
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.