CRETE - A Year in Review

Take a Deep Breath
Evertrucker take a deep breath and slow down. It seems to me that you cause most of your own problems. 2600-3000 miles a week is the norm for us (and no I will not break it down and put it on this page, just trust me) You seem to be such an eager beaver that if you just played by the Crete rules you would have less stress and still make the miles you want. Big no no never call the receiver to change date or time, Crete is very serious about that., Putting in empty call before paperwork in hand just to get a jump on other drivers for next load is (Well I guess you learned a good lesson on that)
Finally please stop banging on the trucks, as you said needed a new starter and a new starter was put on and you were on your way. I hope your days will become less stressful and working at Crete is a picnic compared to other companies.

 

Evertruckerr, What is your Avg speed that you drive? or does it vary between loads

 

Well...they want us to be productive. When I first started here, they wanted 2750/wk average for a normal week..(counting time off, they wanted at least 117500/yr) Now, after the switch to practical miles, they want 121000 in order to get a raise, if you're still eligible. As for me, I wouldn't say anything as long as they kept me above 2500. But at .47/mi. I don't even need that much anymore, but I won't complain about getting more. Miles are like a good pat on the back, the more you get, the better you feel.

 

When I got the call from recruiting saying I was approved, they said that I was required to run atleast 2200 miles a week. I thought, "Man, I hope I wont be hard pressed to get 3000". Not a problem as I averaged 3375 miles each week last month.

On a side note, Im about to come off the 5 day hometime and am ready to get back behind the wheel. Funny, I felt ready to go my 2nd day home.

 

I've seen several posts, here and elsewhere asking if Crete has a driving school. I just received a packet yesterday from the recruiting director that outlines their options.

They will hire student drivers graduates from a select number of PTDI schools. One of these schools is Southeast Community College in Lincoln Nebraska.

"Crete Carrier Corporation in cooperation with Southeast Community College offers Professional Truck Driver Training. SCC is a high-quality college."

Tuition is $1028 for out of state applicants and is due in full on your first day. It looks like they are on a college quarter system so classes do not start every week. For Nebraska residents, the price drops by $200. There are some minor additional costs ... $25 graduation fee...but nothing out of line. The actual class schedule is Monday thru Friday...roughly six hours a day and either a morning or afternoon schedule which might allow potential students to work part time somewhere else.

200 hours of class room / lab time and 100 hours of behind the wheel time.

During the time you are enrolled, you are not an employee of CRETE. Once you graduate, you then can become an employee of Crete and during your 8 week training with CRETE you will begin to receive pay.

CRETE notes that first year drivers average $33 - $41,000 (.34 cents a mile) They note that they do not aggressively recruit students and like to hire experienced drivers. They are very selective on the students they hire.

The Training Process Timeline Page indicates that a potential student driver applies with CRETE and once initially accepted for potential employment, CRETE facilitates your enrollment at SCC Once you graduate, you come back to CRETE and do another drug test and physical so they can confirm you are still good to go.

The Course Description for SCC looks straightforward. They are very strict about attendance. There are no excused absences..even your first one drops your final score for the class by two points.

There is no student housing at SCC. CRETE's brochure on the program lists some alternative housing solutions....private inexpensive short term rental apartments and houses.

CRETE will provide you with the list of other authorized schools they consider student drivers from. You can call their recruitment office and they will provide the one closest to your residence. I live in Denver, and SCC in Lincoln Nebraska is the one for me.

NOTE: EVERTRUCKERR....I have learned more from your posts so I feel it is only fair, that when I apply (about a year or so) that you get any referral bonus. If you want to provide your name or truck number to one of the forum monitors, I would request they pass it along to me. (I can't get PM's yet)

My personal thanks to all who have posted on this thread and others .... it has proved invaluable....I look forward to joining the ranks of professionals out there.

 

I went to SCC just last quarter and I'm on my fourth week of training with Crete. I tried to PM you but...lack of posts.

Anyway, I couldn't find a better value than SCC (I don't think there is either). I thought that maybe Central in OK would be better training but when I got hired on at Crete there was a guy that just finished at Central and he was worried that we would have to downshift on the road test. I asked him how central was.He told me all I needed to know about Central.
When my trainer handed me the keys and I floated all the gears he told me that in the past 18 yrs of training never had a student floated through the gears on the first day. You can't go wrong with SCC.

Unless you want to line up a place before you get to Lincoln, the best thing is to drive around and look at "for rent" signs. I rented an Apt 360$ month for three month lease. And the first day of class I got a room mate.

Also Brent Fagione heads the training department. He comes by the school every Thursday to checkup with the "Crete students". So he gets to know you as a person, for me this is a huge plus. Brent will know you and your trainer.

Btw SCC is not that strict about attendance. I missed two days but it was for a good reason- snowboarding in CO. Most of the other students missed twice as much or more without consequence.

kev

btw its almost as cheap as it is boring living in Lincoln
I'd be glad to answer any questions I can

 

I'm with moonshadow, evertruckerr or any crete drivers who are willing to take a moment to explain all of my current and future stupid questions, will get my referral. Any Crete truckers ever find their way through the dc area, I will buy them dinner For so brain picking.