Crst Malone Flatbed Division?

Not a bad company. Just remember this...they deal with agents mainly. A lot of the time you will have to find your own freight by calling these agents. If you think your dispatcher is going to keep you running with good paying freight, not gonna happen, Also, everything is a negotiation with agents...don't always settle for what they offer.
They are not anything like CRST van...so don't worry there.
Bottom line...if you are a go getter and don't need someone to hold your hand, you can do OK. If not, sign on with someone that pays mileage and finds everything for you. Good luck.

 

I was there for a little over a year before I got my own authority in August. I'd advise you to keep looking. They're implementing more and more hand-holding policies all the time, because they can't keep the lease-purchase guys in line. Honestly, that they lease-purchase trucks should be a red flag in itself-it was to me, but I ignored it. They also have a pretty poor safestat rating, which hasn't improved much despite the hand-holding.

The ONLY reason I went with them was that the main customer of the small carrier I was with before was closing down its plant here in Knoxville, and I needed something to do. (edit) CRST is the primary carrier out of the ALCOA plant in Alcoa, TN, just south of Knoxville. I'd say the agents are the only good part about CRST, they've got good ones and bad ones, just like everyone else.

 

Josh do you deal mostly with brokers since getting your authority or did you have some customers set up? I guess you are still flatbedding?

 

Still flatbedding, and yes, mostly with brokers. I've been doing significantly better, both on rates and frustration levels. I do have one direct customer, but they just have a couple of loads here and there, and they're mostly loads coming back to Knoxville.

 

Hey Josh, just wondering...since you've gotten your own authority, how many times have you been pulled around back for an inspection?
Maybe a dumb question but I was wondering...
Other thing...are you getting paid on time from the brokers or are you using a factoring company.
And last...are you gonna sign on any other O/O's? Seems like a good way to get some extra income!

 

or a headache.

 

I've only been pulled around back once, in South Dakota of all places. Just a level three, no violations, but they did say I was pulled around back because I didn't have any history. I'll add to this that CRST Malone is on Tennessee's mandatory inspect list, meaning that if you actually get pulled on the scale(not rolled through the bypass) in TN with Malone's numbers on your door, they're supposed to at least check your paperwork.

I've been getting paid on time, but I've mostly been hauling for people I was already familiar with or the big guys like Landstar and CHR. For the others I've been checking their credit and getting money up front if it's even close to being questionable. I did sign up with D and S factors, but I've only factored two loads from an outfit I thought was a little shady. I do use them to check credit all the time. I wouldn't advise that to anyone though, I wish I hadn't.

And no, I'm not in any position to lease people on. For starters, it'd be kind of crazy to lease on to someone like me who almost exclusively gets loads from brokers. Some of my best paying loads are from brokers who use me because they've been able to depend on me in the past (including before I had my authority) and I don't want to risk my reputation for a couple of bucks from someone who won't get their own authority. I'm not in a position to front people fuel money, let alone any kind of repairs, tags, etc. It seems like a great way to risk everything for very little or no gain to me.

 

I been looking in to Malone. Thanks for the post. My decision reflects all your help.

 

I leased to them a number of years ago. At the time they were a good company and very helpful. Like someone else stated, you will need to be proactive finding loads. I did well leasing to them. I do better running my own authority. They have some agents who are better than others. You will be assigned a dispatcher. Some are better than others. The dispatcher that I had retired a year or two ago. I think she was the best dispatcher that they had. One thing that I liked about them was that they were a little more laid back than some of the other carriers. If you keep your equipment up you should not have much of a problem with dot should you decide to lease to them. I think that most of the larger carriers have a high safety score. With the new CSA carriers are grouped according to their size into peer groups. That could be a reason that they and some of the others have a high safety score. By the way, a high score is not good. I haven't checked their score so I really don't know what it is.