Co-Driver

Discussion in 'CRST' started by Sean_Memphis, Feb 12, 2015.

  1. Sean_Memphis

    Sean_Memphis Light Load Member

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    Oct 9, 2014
    Memphis, TN
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    CRST, is one of the starter/training companies on my short list. Do I have to already have a co-driver or will one be assigned?
     
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  3. redgod7

    redgod7 Light Load Member

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    May 18, 2013
    Detroit, MI
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    If you're just starting out you'll team up with a trainer for a few weeks. Then if you decide to do team they'll find someone. Hopefully he's got good hygiene and won't kill you in your sleep. Personally I could not do team. I just can't sleep while someone else is driving.
     
  4. Sean_Memphis

    Sean_Memphis Light Load Member

    289
    44
    Oct 9, 2014
    Memphis, TN
    0
  5. driverdriver

    driverdriver Road Train Member

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    May 30, 2011
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    Your co driver won't have much more experience than you nether will your trainer.
    You'll be putting your life in a strangers hand.
    You'll be making the worst mistake of career, crst has one of the worst safety records in the industry
     
  6. phillipreich

    phillipreich Bobtail Member

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    Jul 14, 2012
    Olympia, Wa
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    if you are a male and get along better with a female co-driver.. will they try to pair you up
     
  7. rockstar_nj

    rockstar_nj Medium Load Member

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    Apr 26, 2013
    Cape May Court House, NJ
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    If you can't drive forward without being a risk to anyone's life, screw trucks, turn in your license and don't even touch a car. The physics are the same as an SUV, scaled up to a bigger truck (hint, bigger truck = less speed needed to flip). The trailer, WATCH THE TRAILER AND THE WHEELS. It's common sense. You don't need very much experience to drive a truck down the interstate. Seriously, if some of you think something like what CRST does is hard or dangerous, you're missing kind of a lot. Trucking isn't hard, it's also no more dangerous than driving your car to work. It's just a lot of companies hire bad drivers.

    You co-driver and trainer... In 2 months they can easily be better than some of these guys who have been driving for 50 years. Experience means very little. Spacial awareness, common sense, willingness to listen to what those signs on the road are telling you... These are the things that make the difference, not years. Years make it easier, but years don't make you a better or safer driver.

    That out of the way, your codriver will either be good or bad. Feel them out. That first load together, sacrifice 2 hours of sleep to sit up front and see how he drives. Is there reason to be afraid? If yeah, DON'T DRIVE WITH HIM!!!!!!!!! You have that right. No company can force you to have an unsafe codriver. Take some video of his dangerous driving, make sure dispatch AND SAFETY get it... Any threats of losing your job if you don't drive with him, call OSHA. (Also call OSHA if they refuse to fix anything that's a violation or unsafe through common sense (Your alignment being off giving a higher risk of uneven tread wear increasing the risk of a blowout, man the hell up and drive the truck. The steps up to your catwalk being held on by one bolt with nothing but rust between the bolt being in and the catwalk falling off driving 70mph down the road, they better be willing to fix that for you).

    Anyway, you don't have to have a codriver, they'll make you do the work finding one though. They'll only supply you with a list of phone numbers, or being stranded at one of the terminals. Learn the questions everyone forgets to ask. Are they comfortable driving during overnights? When there's no drops or hooks on their shift, how many hours of their 11 hours do they drive, and how long does it take to drive it? How many miles a day do they average? What happened with their last codriver? Are you a company driver? (Both because a lot of o/o there seem to have no grasp of reality, and I had a codriver who honestly believed we were similar to o/o, he called it "semi-contractors", which his definition is that we're independent but on CRST's payroll. This led to a lot of fights over where the load is going, and 2 nights of 500 miles bacwards... It was fun driving across Nevada 3 days in a row)
     
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