CRETE - A Year in Review

Thanks for the Info. I would not mind the Nashville area or even Ohio, Once again I have been stuck in D.C. , So any City with less traffic is fine with me.

Does your trucks come with a microwave of fridge? If not how much power can you run in the truck. I have a 1000 watt honda generator that is the size of a bowling bag. Would I be able to use it? or does Crete frown on that. Thanks for your help

 

53 days of hometime out of 365. I could not live with that. Sounds like you need to be a slave, to make that kind of money. No thanks

 

the trucks are pretty bare bones inside. AM/FM/cassette, slowly bringing in CD players I understand. Twin mount antennaes with wiring installed and ready for your own cb. You can run a small fridge but I think most run an electric cooler (Igloo and Kooltron are popular) off a cigarette plug.

You can use a power inverter but there is a limit which I am uncertain of. I use a 300 watt that operates my laptop or portable tv/vcr and simply plugs into one of the several cigarette lighters in the truck (one up front, one in the bunk, one at the bunk counter, and one on the floor of the bunk cabinet).
The company does not allow any of the more powerful inverters which have to be hardwired to the batteries and that is what you need for a microwave. I'm sure there are drivers that use the 1000 watt inverters with the little battery clips that you can temporarily hook to the battery, but I don't think those are approved either. Truckstops are like 7/11s, they all have a prep counter somewhere that usually has a microwave and you can simply go in, cook, and return to your truck.
I'm not certain about a portable generator - you'd have to ask the maintenance guys. You can't mount it permanently on the truck as these are leased vehicles and I can't imagine it would meet safety standards to carry it inside the cab.

I'm on leave and since I left last fall it sounds as if some rigs are being converted with APUs (alternative power unit) which the company installs on the rear step and apparently has some components that fit under the bunk. I don't know if those have outlets for running electrical appliances or not, maybe one of the current (no pun intended!) drivers will see this and clarify it for you.
Nashville is nice, but again, is a bit distant to the nearest terminal which would be the new one going up near the 364 exit on I-40 west of Knoxville, about 150 miles away (the current old terminal is at exit 374).
Personally I don't like having to commute more than 2 hours if it is something I have to do every 2 weeks. With only 2 or 3 days off, I resent having to spend 4 hours behind the wheel, especially if I am driving home after a full day in the truck or returning to work the same day I will be driving. Typically in PA I would finish a load Friday, stay in the truck that night, and go home for Sat and Sun returning to the truck late Sunday night and being ready to roll first thing in the morning Monday. Here in Chattanooga, I'll make the hour and half commute Friday night and Monday morning with a full 48 hours at home.
We have a terminal in west Columbus, and there is a dedicated fleet that operates out of Old Fort, OH (about 40 miles SE of Toledo).
Not sure about the comment below regarding home time - one day off for 6 days out is the standard for over-the-road drivers in this industry. 51 weeks means 51 days, of course I also enjoy my vacation, so time off is actually over 70 days off. With a friendly manager, you can often squeeze a 3 day weekend in even if you have only been out 2 weeks. I don't think even most regional drivers are guaranteed more than 34 hours off on a weekend -they frequently complain of not getting home until Saturday and having to leave out Sunday evening. As I saw on one truckers shirt at the convention :
"if you want a 9-5 delivery job, join the post office!"

 

I figured that was the case for the freightliners that Crete provides. I was planning in storing my 1k generator under my bunk if that is possible. or securing it on the back of the truck. Also Does crete allow XM in their trucks?

 

davidjon,

That might be a little harsh on your part (slave). I am sure there are quite a few drivers who enjoy being away for that long. There are any number of issues for that reason. Some drivers have to do it out of neccessity. I do have to agree with you in that I could not live like that either. I had one layover in 2007. The company reimbursed me for the hotel, dinner that night and breakfast and lunch the next day.

Drive safe

 

yes, xm is fine, I had mine for 2 years - again, limitations have to do with permanent mounting (such as satellite antennas), just check with the shop -sometimes they will also do the installation for you.
I'm not familiar with the generator - if this is a fuel fed generator, then as I say, I don't see how storing it IN the cab would possibly be permitted from a safety standpoint. If it is some sort of rechargeable electric unit, then it depends again if it requires a hardwire to stay charged (which I would guess they would say no to), and whether or not you get a unit with an APU that someone said takes up the space under the bunk. I mounted a bike on the back of my cab, but permanent mounting (again) of the generator would not be allowed - it would have to be something you can bunji strap to the catwalk that wouldn't interfere with the movement of the trailer on sharp turns.

 

fyi i get 1.5 plus days off for every week out. The only ones that give 1 day per week out are the big slave companies. i stay out 3 weeks and then home 5 to 6 days. still made $51,000 in 2007

 

psst! Nobody cares...

 

The only inverters that Crete allows are the ones small enough to be powered by the Acc. plugs. Nothing hardwired except if you have sleep apnea and need the machine to sleep. Then, with a Dr.'s note, the shop will install one and turn off the opti-idle.

As for generators, I have only seen one driver with one, about the size of the one you describe...He hid it because he was told it was unconditionally prohibited on company trucks.

They were going to put one of the APU's on the trucks, but because of the new reg's from CARB, they are holding off. With fuel hitting 4 bucks a gallon, they may be looking at doing it more seriously.

As for XM, as long as you don't have to tamper with the wiring of the truck, it's allowed. This includes replacing the radio with one with an XM receiver built in. Most of the new trucks out are CD and are XM ready.(have the socket in the back of the radio if you have a hidden type receiver. Not sure what brand of radio they are, they just say freightliner on the trim) I have the XM express. I also installed an aftermarket fm modulator (plug and play) because with the way the antenna's are on these trucks the 'sure connect' didn't always work. The biggest thing they insist, the truck must be returned to stock when it's turned in... I even have made a splitter for the dash cig. lighter, so I can run my cooler and my XM at the same time. The cooler is getting old, and keeps pulling too much power for it's cheapo' plastic plug. It kept melting the end. But now that it's hooked in this way, there are no problems, and I haven't popped any fuses.

And if you can, I'd pick a place where you can take your truck home with you. Makes it easier when it comes to laundry, and restocking the grocery's. I tend to keep at least a months chow with me since you can't always find a 'truck friendly' walmart. And many mom-n-pop stores don't usually have the room to park our size trucks, it's cheaper to get supplies when on home time for me.

 

Like the man said, some of us prefer this type of operation. It takes all types. If you read up a little further in either this or one of the other 'Crete' posts you will see a lengthy discussion about this subject. As for local, I wouldn't do it unless it was the last trucking job on earth... but that's what I prefer.