crete not for experienced drivers

I have been a driver for Crete since 2001. The last three years have been with MW Regional fleet and before that I ran National. I have always been happy here and have really enjoyed the MW fleet as I get home 95% of the weekends. My mileage averages about 2400 per week, but has gone down over the last 5 weeks to about 1800 per week. I have NEVER been asked to run illegally here. I have been offered loads that I could not legally run, but after informing dispatch, I was offered a legal run. There have been a lot of changes here since I began as they have become more and more like the mega fleets. When I first began here, you pretty much got your dispatch and never heard from them again till you were mty. Now, they micromanage you much, much more. Since the big FL accident, they are much more strict on logs and it has hurt mileage. This is becoming negative, so I will end by saying that if you want to run legal, have some form of home life, and make a decent living, Crete midwest regional is not a bad place to be. They have always treated me fairly and I drive a well maintained truck. I just wish the miles would pick up.

 

Your miles will pick up as soon as people start buying again. As you know very few can honestly claim to be doing many miles right now.
Stay safe...

 

Fine, that was substantiated some time back. Your claim is that the head of safety has multiple DUI's, can't drive due to loss of license, and numerous other accusations. THAT'S what you are being asked to prove.

Clearly that was a tragic accident and Crete did have some responsibility. But, the report also states that Crete has and accident rate of 0.67 per million miles. Which means that for every 2,000,000 miles driven there is one accident.

Lastly, I am not a Crete driver and have absolutely no reason to defend them. I have been following Crete related threads that have been very positive. You are pretty much the exception. The resentment you're getting is due primarily to your baseless accusations, if there is some substance to them then let's hear it, otherwise you're just howling at the moon.

 

Plus, look at the number of violations, all in the range of 30 to 60 and then consider that Crete has 5,739 driver.

The fines may seem like a lot of money but on a corporate level they're petty cash. No company is 100% in compliance. A company like Crete is a high volume operation, dealing with mountains of paperwork and attempting to stay in compliance with any number of regulatory agencies. So, if the FMCSA feels they are doing a satisfactory job, I'd have to ask anyone questioning that rating what qualifies them to question the FMCSA.

 

disregard x

 

I checked out the web site u left and that web site is about the accident in Fla. which is pretty much common knowledge!! I think the proof that was being asked for (and i thought this way also) was the proof you say you have about the head safety guy being a drunk driver?? If you want to put up the site location for that information I and the others would be glad to go to that site and check it out!!

 

I just finshed reading all these msgs about the accident n Crete n etc.

I've been driving commerical trucks 4 more than 37yrs now and I have worked about all the different jobs from Mangement, dispatch, owner/operator, trainer, company driver and driving/classroom instructor. I've also drove overseas: Australia, Mexico and above the artic circle in the oil fields of Prudhoe Bay AK. Needless to say I've worked for a few carriers and a lot of trucking companies that didn't even call them self a carrier.

I've been at Crete now 6 months and did check them out before coming here. I have no problem with running 100% complaint logs - I also used to be able to fudge my logs and my logs would pass any road side insp. also I have had log dept. ask me how I do it and I told them "if I tell you I'll have to kill you!!!" and they usually stopped asking - LOL. I'm sure I'm not the only one out here that has done that and said that - You don't have to be a rocket scientist to fill out a log book!
Regarding Dispatch - They do dispatching very different here, than I've ever seen at any other company. I guess I'm just shocked at how they do it and it must be working for them? It is something I'll have to get use to? But like some of you have said I have never been asked to run illegal - actually the oppisite is true and I've been asked can I run it legal?
There are 2 issues I have a problem with and would like to know if anyone else is having these problems with the company - 1) Breakdown: I know we have over 5600 trac. and 15000trls so I not the only one caling in for help!! I also agree that if you start your request for help on the Qualcomm u should stay on it unless directed to call. Or if you use the phone then do all your calls on the phone. What I have a problem with is the people at Breakdown need to listen to drivers and I'm sure they have our info. about us and how long we've been with the co. and what our drivers rating is? All companies rate thier drivers. So if they are talking to a newbie that should be taken into account when dealing with that driver, but it also means they need to listen to the older drivers!! I've had 3 times now that I've had to educate the person at the other end at breakdown and have even had to do thier work for them by finding a phone book at the trk stp and finding a repair shop in the middle of the night and setting things in motion to get my trk fixed. I thought I could quit doing that when I sold my truck and became a co. driver again. Also they need to listen to us when we say the truck can not be safetly moved and send a service trk to our location like I had to remind one of them the other day that I was the Capt. of this ship and it is my responsibility that once I got the trk to a safe haven and said I wasn't going to move it till they sent a service truck - actually had to ask him "what part of no do you not understand??".

2) my other big concern is that inregards to drivers physicals and health related issues the company has taken it upon it's self to also to become our family Doctor!!! By this I mean in all my years I've never seen a company like Crete that stick thier nose in to my personal life and health. They are not Dr.s (not counting the wife (DR. MD) of I was told of our co. Pres. This having to go into a term. mgr and take your blood sugar reading for that day if you're type 2 Diabetic is one of the most stupid things I've seen in 37yrs because 1) that term. mgr has had no medical training and anyone that is type 2 knows that a daily reading is just so we can keep track of how we're doing and so we can adjust our diet or meds. If they really wanted to know something about our diabetes they could pay for a "A1C" test which any Diabetic know that gives the DR.s a lot better and more through look at how we are handling our Diabetes. 3) Sleep Apena = again who in the company is qualified to say we have sleep apena? I saw a driver going thru Oreintation at Wimer TX. and here he was broke and trying to get a job to feed his family (childern) and after Crete had already roped him in they said you have to have a sleep apena test before we'll hire you and it's only going to cost you over $750.00.
If they were so concerned why don't they pay for the test or hire him and let him get started on his insurance benifits first then take the test??

TRUCK CARRIERS ARE NOT DOCTORS AND SHOULD NOT BE IN THE MEDICAL BUSINESS!!!!!

When asked where in the DOT Regs. does it give them permission or it is required by the DOT all they have to say is that they're standards are higher than the DOT.s standards. Why does this sound like BIG BROTHER is out there watching you and telling you when to breathe and when to blow your nose and when to do just about anything else????????????????

I've made myself a promise to give them a chance and see how things go but the day I go in and they ask me my neck size or who I've had sex with well I'm sure all of you will be able to hear me without your CB or cell phones turned on!!!!!!!!

Till then keep on trucking and be safe!!

 

Bull, it's not that the company wants to play the BIG BROTHER roll, it's the fear of liability in the event of an accient. You can thank trial lawyers and the lack of tort reform for the intrusion companies feel they must partake in the cover their ASSets.

 

Agreed! It's all about CYOA! Given the current economic environment any place that any carrier can protect their bottom dollar is good for all of us as drivers. I read post after post where the common theme is "this company just dropped their pay for new drivers." First I think that says the days of hopping from company to company every six months are over unless you plan on making less money with a move. Second. If a company fails to have sufficient documentation to take to court, and they loose here or their 20-30K, well that adds up. I say this for the same reason I hate when my wife says "let's go to Sam's Club." Every time I go in there I spend $400-500. That's because everything you pick up is $18.00 or $20.00 and it just adds up fast. Same on the large scale. Myself as a driver, I have always tried to do what's best for my carrier. I average over 2.5 years with each carrier I have been with. All carriers have slow times. As a driver in this industry you will encounter days or weeks where you get hosed. Guess what? That's the nature of this business and when that truck is not moving [[/B]Nobody is making money. The carrier included. I just don't buy the argument that the "carrier is out to get rid of me." If a carrier is truly looking to get rid of you it's because you are not a true asset to the company. If you were then why would they push money out the door. I have much respect for any driver that does this job. I have four girls at home that wish I could spend more time with. I'm sure many of you drivers can relate.

In my opinion as a driver, the only thing any of us can do is what is right by the carrier that we choose and make as much for everyone involved. Its just the facts. You make the carrier money and make them proud to have you on the payroll. They will never get rid of you, and you will ultimately reap the benefits in the end.

Just my two cents.

 

Finally someone with whom I am in total agreement! You're right, every minute that truck sits idle it's bleeding money; insurance, permits, registration, driver's benefits, Disability insurance, and you could go on and on. No company WANTS a truck to sit idle, nor does a company, with THOUSANDS of drivers on it's payroll, have a policy of eliminating drivers. Hiring drivers is an expensive proposition for a company with a mountain of hidden costs. Many drivers seem to think they simply file your app, record you W-2, and it's a done-deal. I think that a company with every truck in it's fleet to be under a load would be a company rolling in profits. Now, that's pretty much an impossibility, but for arguments sake, let's suppose ABC Trucking has all 2,500 of their trucks under a load 90% of the time. Now, here comes the new college grad hot-shot vice-president of operations, with his MBA. He bops on over to the company president and says, "I have a great idea whereby we can, in no more than 30 days, have no less than half the fleet sitting idle in truck stops. Imagine the FUEL saving alone! Blah, blah, blah...." You know what I think? I think that if the president wears a size 11 shoe, that'll be about the size of the imprint on the VP's butt as he flies headfirst out the door.

These theories about keeping drivers idle, firing excellent drivers because their mileage pay, vacation, etc., are becoming too financially burdensome for the company, should all be fully documented (in triplicate) and filed in the same cabinet that contains the Roswell, JFK Assassination, and Who Shot Roger Rabbit, theories.

Driver, you said a mouthful: This IS the career we chose, and it DOES seem unfair that we often have to sit idle in truck stops without compensation. But, that was our choice; run local and it will never happen again. We just have to hang in there and make do; if you can't, then you're in the wrong business. OTR is today, pretty much what it was in the past, and what it will be in the future. But things WILL get better---one day.