CRST was a horrible experience

Does'nt matter how this person got hurt.The point is he got hurt and CRST did pay some workmans comp for it.You've been in this biz long enough to know every company will find ways to twist it around to try and make it out to be the drivers fault and will pay as little as possible.What they pay the drivers proves that.

 

Maybe he did, maybe he didn't. I've been in this business long enough to know that drivers will hurt themselves at home, then claim an injury on the road. I had one of my drivers do this. Claimed a slip and fall on ice getting out of my truck. Then claimed disability, while working at a second job all the time. I call workmans comp, they videoed him working every day doing much harder work than driving. Then his big mouth son said what really happened to him at a place where I was, and I heard it all. He hurt himself at home.

The facts are I filled out his W/C, sumitted it, even though all the things he told me didn't exactly fit his injury. Then a week later he claimed he was hurt worse than he was, the next week, even worse. That's when I called W/C. If he was really hurt on the job I wanted to help help him, but it was all a big lie to get money without having to work. I want to hear facts before I believe anyone. I have seen too many lying truck drivers to believe every post that comes on here. Like I said, for all the facts he stated, he could have fallen out of the truck drunk.

 

When a person is injured....the employer is able by doctors release to put employee on "light duty"---the employer is bound by restrictions the doctor puts on the "light duty" (as in no lifting over 25 lbs. etc...); and the employee is obligated to the employer, or forfeit their employment.
The OP doesn't know that the "light duty" would have been sweeping. Report to work, or abandon the job in 3 days 'no show'.
Out of curiosity, I too would like to know the circumstances behind the debilitating injury in a 'van' operation.

 

In a moving truck 20 hours / day driving for CRST? Maybe if they're under a load. But I see a lot - A LOT - of those gold trucks parked in the truck stops for days at a time, with the drivers sitting around whining about not getting any miles.

 

Crst runs a self insured fund for their workers comp. so yeah, crst directly screwed you over

 

CRST = Conning Rookies $ Training.

 

The recruiter I had when i joined on with CRST was actually pretty honest, not sure if he still works there though because it was three years ago. Everything he told me panned out; I was told that I'd get to split 21cpm, I'd be on the road three to six weeks at a time, and that if I didn't complete my eight months they'd come after me for the money they fronted me for school. I was also told I'd make about 30 grand my first year, which is accurate, if not underselling a bit. Like most people I didn't finish the eight months, but I did work out an arrangement and now I own my CDL free and clear. I later went to work for Swift and they aren't much better. OTR is a lonely life and a thankless job with not a whole lot of money to be made. CRST isn't much different from any of the other megas, although I will say they did have a much more generous advance program than Swift. Really, as far as megas go, they aren't that bad...

 

Looks as if some things never change.

Okay, this is ancient history, but back in '90 I found myself in need of a job and hired on with CRST. Since I had previous experience all I had to go through was the orientation, which was pretty standard stuff for the time. It was not until the very last day when we were informed that CRST was a team operation. Huh? Nobody told me anything about that. This bird flies solo. But I needed the gig so I figured, how bad could it be? As it turned out, very, very bad indeed.

First up, they made NO effort to match up drivers. I am a non-smoker and my first co-driver smoked like a chimney. Lasted a week with him. Second co-driver seemed to have some type of aversion to showering. Barely lasted two weeks with him. Third co-driver, this time a woman who Just. Wouldn't. Shut. Up. Not that it mattered because I wasn't getting any sleep anyhow as I am one of those who can't sleep on anything that moves, especially when it's being operated by someone I don't completely trust.

Second, time off was a joke. IF (and it was a big IF) the truck happened to be passing through our hometown AND there was time, we could take a day or so. Great for the driver who was near home, not so much for the co-driver, who had to make do in the truck or pay for his or her own motel. In practice, that truck never got anywhere near any of our homes, no doubt by design.

Third : 62 MPH on a good day in a worn-out cabover. Ugh.

All told, I lasted a month with them.

CRST : Crash and Roll Stunt Team.

 

CRST stands for Cedar Rapids Steel Transport. I worked for them in the 1980's. Solo Operation back then and not that bad as I recall. Their Cab-overs where called the bat mobile or a nick name similar to that. Just a little history on CRST. Thank you!

 

The point is, when someone complains of being unemployed and can't afford CDL school, they love CRST because CRST gives them a job and a CDL. After they get what they want from CRST, then it's a horrible company and they don't want to hold up their end of the deal by working there 8 months. I don't work for CRST, but I do know if I was unemployed and they offered me what I need, a job and CDL, then the least I would do is give them the 8 months I agreed to.