My 28 days of trraining turned out to be 36 days. After 18 days on a truck with a woman trainer I got off in Fontanna and stayed at The Econo Lodge. Her truck was filthy. She used a bucked for the toilet and kept it under the bottom bunk. SHE was nice and a good trainer, she treated me right BUT the truck was filthy and stunk all the way to H__LL . We did get into a few arguments and at one point she was going to kick me off the truck at the Pilot in quartzite AZ, I had top use the bathroom, she did not want to stop, so when we got there she was gonna kick me off. I refuse to use a bucket. It was hard finding another trainer that would take a woman student, I stayed at the Econo Lodge untilt they found me another trainer. CRST paid for the Econo Lodge and Taxis and such. He was a safety trainer, over 3 years with the company. He was ok at first, but a know it all super trucker. He made me run 10 and 10 and ran the hell out of me. I did not like him because he was a know it all and I got very little sleep on his truck. I slept on the top bunk, he did not want anyone sleeping on his bunk. I lived with it. I learned alot and run my truck 625 miles a shift. And when you are tired enough you will sleep in the dummy seat if you have to. He did keep huis truck clean, however we were late to almost EVERY APPOINT we had because everytime we passed the spotlite 29 casino coming out of cali we would stay there so he could gamble. He was a lease op so all he wanted was to run the truck and gamble. AT my expense. He was decent, he looked after me at the Laredo TX drop yard and made sure that I could get a show there and not be harrassed at the yard, that yard is a rough place, alot of outlaw types from over the border and plain old dirty filthy amercian types even though there is a guard shack. It is a few blocks from the International Trade Bridge. There are many more minor details and even some major ones, but I will leave them out. It was agonizing and lonely, there were alot of times I wanted to quit, and go home, but I hung in there, and mainly I stayed because I never ran above I-20 to Atlanta and that was too far for me to take the bus with my stuff. Once you get out there on your own truck it is a whole newe ball game and a better one. It is worth it. I left out a lot of garbage that is now over and done with, and I will never have to put up with again. It is not easy and some people make it harder than it has to be and some people should get out asap. Some people just can't function otr living. Good luck.
I'm going to start my orientation with CRST on May 04, 2009. Anyone have any advice. How much money I'm expecting after my 28 days period. A week, stimated. When you get your time off, they drop you any where or on your state yard, so you can get your car.
I hope that you get lucky with a good trainer(s). I had two and they were great, but I have heard horror stories. After your training dont expect big paychecks, since you are only making .22cpm, and since your new you wont get the crazy miles. When me and my partner took every single load they gave us no matter how big, small, bad or good and did not complain. My theory was if you do everything and not complain it would later pay off. I must say that it was tough at times since my partner would complain alot to me and I did call our dispatcher a couple of times to try and get more miles. Well, we did get more and after month 5 we were getting better miles and by month 8 we were doing well. At month 10 we were getting coast to coast miles. My experience with CRST was good but I'm sure that there are other stories that are simply the opposite. Good luck and be patient!
Hi my husband works For CRST since Jan 09, and I got my CDL last week. gettin ready for my 28 days yea right my husband was gone for 90 days it took him 15 days to find a truck he drove all over looking to find a truck that worked, in a rent a car with other teams. unitl they finaly found one that worked. My husband has found a trainer for me, that his co driver had, and said he was wonderful with him. so we will see. time will tell. My husband had a bad start but it's doing good now. I hope a am lucky'er that him. my husband beileves the same as you, and it is starting to pay off. well welcome
I'm with crst and am on a tier 1 team. Crst rates thier teams from 1 to 5. Make sure to ask your dispatcher how you are rated. They dispatch loads by your rating. As a tier 1 team I get over 6000miles a weak split. It took a while to get to that point but once you are it's totally worth it.
