Got approved by Crete today.

JT,

I am SO glad to hear things are working out with Crete. Keep me updated and be sure to bring the shiny red truck by to see us!

Don't sweat the road test. But you had BETTER not fail it! LOL

Chris

 

i too recently graduated from a school that Crete hires from. i am also going with them, on the Schaffer side though. i am waiting on the Safety Department to hand over the final app, and i go this coming Tuesday to take my HAZMAT test and fingerprint.

from what Nikki (my recruiter) has told me, and she and i have talked any times over a week and a half, is they no longer send you to the main terminal for another part of orientation. the only way that happens is if you have to pick a truck up and it happens to be there. i live in Chattanooga, TN so i will be going to Marietta GA. they do the physical and DOT drug test on day one, with lots of paperwork, more paperwork and the road test the 2nd day, by the 3rd day, the drug test results are in, you are assigned a trainer and either leave out depending on what time it is, or you leave on the 4th morning.

the days depend on when you report. they start orientations on Mondays and Thursdays. you are paid $140 for orientation, and from what they told me, that is cut to you after the 2nd day with a COMCheck. i really like that. i have very little spare cash, and anything i can dig up is helpful.

the .31 a mile after you solo out is about right, and you get 500 a week while in training for the 8 weeks. the 4 weeks out, off a week then 4 more weeks out sounds pretty good. most companies i have talked with want you to be gone for at least 2 months, some lean towards 3 months. US xpress and Covenant are 6 months of teams, so you would probably never be home.

i think i asked about the per diem, but i have talked to so many places since i graduated, i honestly do not remember. you can take the tractor home as long as you have a secure place for the unit. i am very lucky as there are two huge parking lots one from a Kmart that closed, and the other is a Food Lion that is closed too, all within a half mile from me, then i have a walmart within that half mile as well. i also live behind a big BI-Lo that is a 4 minute walk down the road. the tractor will fit in my driveway. i have also researched and found out that my power utility will install a 500w security light on the pole by my driveway for 20 bucks a month. i think that will keep anyone away from the truck, not to mention its 15 feet from my bedroom window and i have a very large pit bull in the fence 10 feet from where the truck would be parked. i think i have the secure parking covered. not to mention i have a cable lock that i can use to secure the landing gear crank so no one will be able to play with that either.

Crete also takes care of most of the food while you are in orientation too from what they are telling me over the phone and on the website as well.

even though my recruiter is for Crete, she asked me why i went with Schaffer and i told her that is the division that replied to my application. i also think that until this economy recovers completely, i would be better off as a newbie driver to haul reefer. people gotta eat. that is the way i look at the situation. i was told that if i ever wanted to switch to dry van, just to call the driver manager and they can take care of that in a day or two.

for those who do not know, Hunt Transportation is the flatbed division, Schaffer is the reefer division, and Crete is the dry vans.

one other note about the military persons wanting to be truckers after you are discharged: a guy that was in school with me found out that he was totally exempt from having to take the HAZMAT test and fingerprint. he hauled all kinds of stuff that was way more dangerous than anything that is legally allowed on the road here in the states, and all he had to do was get a paper from the military that declared his immunity from having to take the test. he took that to the DMV and got his HAZMAT endorsement on the spot. so as you get closer to your discharge date, and if you are serious about wanting to be a trucker, take care of this headache while your still enlisted. i think it would be easier that way.

did you know that Georgia gives all honorably discharged verterans a drivers license for life? Danny is 36 years old and his license expires on his 65th birthday. that should be a law. it is the least the US can do for someone who defended this country and made it back alive in once piece.

 

it is my understanding that the pay is given after the road test and drug test results are back. i will call monday to find out.

and yes, there is a last orientation after your training, but i think some people were under the assumption that you would go to the nearest terminal then to the main terminal prior to dispatching with your trainer.

the exception to that rule is if there is no trainer available in your area, then you have to go to Nebraska.

if you can, update the thread with what is going on after monday and tuesday. i hope the 140 after the first 2 days is correct. i am just about broke. its taking my last 100 bucks to do the freaking hazmat this tuesday

 

as per Nikki, they ask you how you want to be paid at the start of the class. you can get it as soon as the two days are complete by a Comcheck, or if you want to wait, you will get it on your pay card the following week.

 

good deal.what fun things did they have you do at the doctor? squats and lifting 30 pounds in a milk crate and carrying it 50 feet? i have heard different things. just wondering what to expect.

did they clarify the mystery about the $140? now that the first 2 days is referred to as pre qual, i bet that is unpaid. let me know. and im glad everything went well for you. i am still waiting on the phone call. do you remember how long did it took them to call you after the safety department got your app?