CRST Van Expedited, Inc. - Cedar Rapids, Ia.?

Hi folks. By my name you can guess I'm a complete newb to trucking. Haven't even got my learner's permit yet. I've just agreed to begin school with CRST in a couple of weeks, but some of the things I've been reading about them here have me worried. So I guess I'm looking for some advice. Let me spell out my situation for you.

I live in Florida. I don't have much cash, so I need a company that will either train me for free, or allow me to pay the tuition out of future checks. I have an 11 year old felony on my record.

I'm supposed to leave for school in 2 weeks. In fact, things are now in motion to the degree that I have no choice but to leave in 2 weeks, whether with CRST or someone else. Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

I would strongly advise against going to school to get your CDL with CRST. I will just lay it down for you.

First you will have to sign an 8 month contract, this is bad because:
1. You must work for CRST for 8 months, not just wait until an eight
month time period expires.
2. They own you until you fulfill your contract.
3. Come hell or high water, financial devistation, truck always in the
shop, no miles, terrible dispatcher, etc., you must fulfill your contract.

Second, you will be paid differently if you go to CRST's driving school.
22cpm (cents per mile) going through CRST driving school. If you were to get 4,800 mile/week, your pay for your half of the miles would be $528. For a four week period, you would earn $2112, gross (before taxes)

33cpm You would earn $792 per week for same miles. This is $3168 per four week period gross. This is what you get paid if you go to a private driving school and pay your own tuition.

You will make $1056 less per four week period for letting them train you. My school loan paymenty is $239 a month, for three years. Take the $1056 more you would make going to your own school, not taking tuition reimbursement. $1056 minus $239 is... $817. You just made $817 more in four weeks paying for your own school.

These private schools will finance you (yes even with not perfect credit, or perhaps a co-signer if your credit is really bad), with no money up front.

I know these things because:
1. I work for CRST as a driver.
2. I have a calculator
3. I went to a private driving school
4. I hear people complaing at CRST yards all the time about their
contracts, and how they went to school there, and they are getting
screwed.

I personally am happy at CRST.

On a lighter note, I wish you luck in the trucking industry and I hope you like it as much as me!

I hope this info helps you to make as informed decision.

 

I don't have a problem going to school if I can get it financed, but I honestly didn't look at that because I have old student loans in default. Of course that's through the federal govt. and may not affect anything with a trucking school. Any suggestions for a good school? My worry was not being guaranteed a job after training.

Update: Spoke with both Schnieder and Roehl. Neither will hire me, one because of my record, one because of my home location.

 

I don't know what schools are down there in Florida. I hope that's where you said you lived, and I can't remember, I am not looking at the post. I went to Nu-Way Truck Driver Training Center, in Pontiac Michigan. I was there for about 3 1/2 weeks. I passed my cdl test with flying colors. I was very happy with the school.
My advice would be to research schools in your area. Talk to the counselors there (they are really like recruiters). Ask them if they have job placement. My school has lifetime job placement services, lifetime refresher course (if you ever get out of trucking for a while, then want to get back in).
I originally started at Stevens, and I went through 35 training in a trainer truck, and then they started messing me around, bad. So I called my school and had a job lined up with CRST. Then, I quit Stevens, went to CRST. Much better at CRST.
I am not some kind of salesman though. Many people on this site (maybe like a dozen that I've seen), have repoted bad experiences at CRST. Especially, the people that went to CRST to get their cdl.
I would just research schools. Ask the school if the companies they work with will require you to sign a contract. If they answer yes, find another school.
You can take this advice, or leave it. I am just stating what I believe to be important and what to look out for (in my opinion).
Good luck, bro. Hope you find what you are looking for.

 

im starting training in sept with schneider i would like to know a little bit more about the training their.,i dont have any experince,r they open with people without experince,abd do they chances

 

I work at CRST now and I have no complaints. But other people do, obviously. And their trucks get turned in around 500,000 miles. I have a team mate though, not a company selected team mate. That is one of the reasons I think I am so happy. Because I get along great with my teammate. He is my best buddy. Known him for years.

 

Anyone have any info on ths company, whether it be good or bad?

 

I started my Trucking Career with CRST.. let me lay it out for you...

Your Trainer will normally have between 6mths and 2 years experience there are some with more but i never saw many and they try and convience you to go with a owner operator.. that would be a bad ideal the O/O will use you as free labor...

They have a mixed fleet of internationals with Super and lighting 10 speeds and Freightlyner Columbias with Stright 10

Their maintance program sucks the shops are in poor condition, and getting something fixed takes hours heres an example i took my truck in for a PM when i went on hometime for 6 days came back they just pulled my truck into the shop it was 3pm... the PM was finished at 3am.. i asked if the guy could install a power inverter... the truck came out of the shop at 8am that morning

I never had many problems with their pay system other than they allow you to Advance up to $600.00 and the repayment is they take what you owe even if that means you receive a negative pay check

they pay twice a week i think on tuesdays and thursdays dont expect a paycheck over 400 bucks

Trainee pay is 18 cpm for the 1st 6 months of your employment there (also if you use them for CDL School your contract lasts for 6 months)
Then it jumps up to 28cpm it may be more now... and every 6 months you get a pay raise

I Suggest you get your own co Driver because they will just stick you with anyone...

The miles are there most of the dispatchers are good there are a few morons there, never had a breakdown with them...

They do not offer Detention pay, Breakdown pay, or hotel reinburnsment, Expect to ride Greyhound to orentation..

Your allowed a power inverter not more than 1300watts and no more than 1500 Peak the Roadpro 1300 from pilot is the only one that meets the criteria i think...

Some times you sit but if you establish a good repore with your dispatcher they will keep you moving..

Relays are a Joke but i think they are a joke at any company the other person is always hours late one time we waited a 17hours for a relay

IF your heavy they will ask you to run with it over the Qualcomm and if you ask they will send a message saying they will pay for any ticket you are issued so that was never a problem...(for me)

thats all i can think of for now... O YA

They have the computer automatically enroll you into a perdiem plan that is basically working like this

They take 10 cpm and charge you 2cpm for being in the program
So say your making 28cpm well now your making 18cpm and that other 8pm gets applied to all the miles you drive for that pay period but are non taxable and then that money is aded back into your pay after taxes

Its a joke if you sit down and look at it if you run a 3000 mile week your only making a extra 60-70 bucks per paycheck and you could end up oweing taxes at the end of the year if they dont take enough federal out for the gross ammount of money you make that year to include that 8cpm nontax..
The only way to keeep out of this program is to submit a Denial Form that you receive in orentation or you can get on Faxed to you

thats a basic rundown of the company while i was there hope it helps

 

hey thanks a lot, i just scratched that one off my list, sounds better than werner and swift, which are the 2 companies my school is trying to push me into, i already told them that there was no way in hell i would drive for either of them