Crete/Shaffer or Schneider

I don't know if Crete is as well known as some other companies like CRST and US Xpress as a team driving company but they do run teams. Reason I know is a woman in my truck driving class is getting her cdl and already is set to go to Orientation with Crete after she graduates because her husband drives for Crete and is going to be her trainer. After that they will be a husband and wife team at Crete.

 

Crete is a good place to start. You'll be trained by someone with a minimum of 3 years of experience, rather than potentially a 6 month rookie like at some of the megas. For the entire first month, there is absolutely nothing resembling "team" training, and in the second month, they do "super solo" which is somewhat like a team, but the truck has to stop for 5 hours a day. That way, you and the trainer can still be in the seats at the same time for several hours each day, but you're also forced to become independent at the same time.

 

Does us express hire new graduate teams? How long is training? Do u train together?

 

Yes, they hire teams right out of CDL school. That's all I know about it.

 

Thanks Chinatown, appreciate the info

 

you want to work for the create side not the shaffer side stay away from schneider

 

I came here with just 7 months experience and started at .43CPM

Might seem hard to believe but see for yourself

http://www.shafferjobs.com/job/over-road-truck-driver-average-56000-annually-knoxville-tn

http://cretecarrierjobs.com/news/driver-pay-increase


If you start right out of school you'll start at .34-.35

However if you go somewhere else for four month and then come here you'll start anywhere from .42-.43
Being they're anal here they'll toss you with a trainer here for 4-6 weeks and pay $600 a week for it.
Yes I decided to leave my last job earlier before my year was up and come here and suck it up with another trainer.
Why? I was making .29 CPM and $600 a week at my last place.
I made $600 a week here in training here lol.

I go where the money is, that's all.
However OTR out for 3-4 weeks at a time kills the soul man.
LTL at a union gig is probably next for me, it's the smartest position in all of trucking I believe.

Are you a number at Crete? yes
Do they have slow ugly cheap trucks here? yes
However I'm still a noob and I grossed $1300 last week here, where else doing OTR can you do that? Nowhere!

 

I've met a couple trainers here.
The whole "super solo" things is the trainers choice.
I met a trainer who doesn't do super solo at all... the second month he basically twiddles his fingers and relaxes.

My trainer ran balls to the wall but I saw his $2600 paychecks so I don't blame him.

 

Yes Schneider is garbage
no way I'd do OTR for the BS they pay.

On the Crete side you have tons of drop and hooks with open window appointments but a lot of shorter runs.
I'm a shaffer driver here most all runs I've had in the few months here is 1100 miles plus, most all shippers are drop and here but I'd pay about 80% of receivers are live unload and deadset appointment times and they are serious about those appointment times.
The runs won't be that good nearing hometime though but I guess that's anywhere.

I would chose Crete over Shaffer side though, Crete is a lot easier and you make the same if not more money than Shaffer.
Don't let that extra .01 cent fool you.

The main reason I chose Shaffer is I already did Van and wanted to try something different and have reefer experience on my record as well.
The easy way is the Dry van obviously though