My experience with CRST- not good!

Let me preface this by saying that:

1) Those who know me will vouch for the fact that I am not a complainer and I will put up with a lot of abuse. I have been the sole female machinist in a shop of 90 men and a correctional officer at a male prison unit.....so I am not some "fluff-n-stuff" bent on safeguarding her manicure.

2) I have written witness statements from three other people who were in the truck at the time the incident below happened and who verified what I am about to tell you.

I entered CDL training through a pre-hire contract with CRST. I completed my training, got my CDL and proceeded to OKC for orientation. During orientation you are required to take a road test. This is reasonable- they are about to entrust you with a rather expensive piece of equipment.

There were 6 people crammed into this truck for our road tests. I was the last to test so I drove the truck back to the terminal. As we turned into the terminal, the evaluator took a call on his cell phone. I proceeded into the yard- I was in 2nd gear and kept it at between 1100 and 1300rpm. So I was going very slow and easy.

As I turned to park the truck the evaluator was still on his cell phone. About halfway through the turn I realized that I was not going to be able to complete the turn without eventually contacting the trailer next to me (on my left). I had driven only 48 foot trailers at the school they sent me to and this was a 53 foot trailer.

OK, no problem. There is still 15-20 feet between my trailer and the one next to me so I have time to stop the truck, cut back right, straighten out and come back around for another try.

I take my foot off the accelerator, engage the clutch, reach my right hand over to the left side of the steering wheel to start turning back to the right as I slow and stop the truck.......

It is at this time that the evaluator, still on his cell phone, looks my direction and in the mirror and sees the trailer. He flips out, starts yelling "Stop! Stop!" and hits the parking brakes. What the....????

He accuses me of not watching the trailer. I respectfully disagree. The three witnesses try to tell him that they saw me correcting the problem before he hit the brakes. He insists that I was not watching the trailer. There was still a good 15 feet between the two trailers.

I fix the problem and come back around and park the rig with no problems. The evaluator tells me that he will test me again that afternoon or the next day. Everyone who fails their first road test is being given a second one.

I was not retested that afternoon, so I figure I will be retested the following day- no biggie. We are dismissed for the day and head back to the hotel. Upon arriving at the hotel I am told, by the desk clerk, that I have to check out. HUH??? I call CRST to find out what the heck is going on. The lady I speak doesn't seem to know and faxes over a voucher for the night.

I arrive at the terminal the next morning. They call people who failed both road tests in to the office one at a time and give them the information to a refresher course that CRST is sending them to in OKC. They call me into the office and tell me that they are dismissing me because I "almost took out the whole side of a trailer". HUH??? Hardly! I call in the three witnesses who had seen what was going on. Nope.....they don't want to hear from them. I also point out that their own company policy states that drivers cannot talk on cell phones, even with a hands-free set, because they cannot safely manage that in addition to driving and monitoring the space around the truck (and I agree). So, please explain to me how the evaluator can talk on his cell phone and still adequately monitor the space around the truck AND what I am doing behind the wheel?
I also pointed out that the truck was in 2nd gear and never over 1300rpm from the time I turned into the yard. I was moving at 5mph or less. So, please explain to me how, IF the evaluator could manage talking on his cell phone while adequately evaluating me and monitoring what I was doing, is it that he let a situation develop where he felt the need to make a frantic grab for the parking brakes?

The only clear and reasonable answer is that he was not paying attention and, therefore, had no idea what I was doing- which was identifying the problem and taking steps to correct it.

So, I was offered NO second road test and NO opportunity to take a refresher course. This is a breach of contract based on lack of equal opportunity. I had to call an attorney to make them pay for my bus ticket home and he is also speaking with them about voiding my contract.

Their pay is not the best you can find for recent graduates, there were a LOT of drivers sitting at the terminal waiting for loads and for repairs (some had been there for 5-6 days) and I spoke to a trainee who had been with them for 47 days and had only completed 15-16 days of his 28 days of on the road training because of trainers home time and shortage of trainers. The rest of the time he had been holed up at the hotel because they required him to be available in case they found a trainer for him.

I hope this helps you.

PoundPuppy

 

Thank you Sassy.BigBlue- I was not expecting CRST to provide me with training during my road test. What I *was* expecting and was entitled to under laws regarding contracts was equal testing conditions. These conditions were not provided:1) The evaluator was on his cell phone during the last portion of my test. At no time during the testing of any other driver in the truck was he on his cell phone.2) Every other person at that orientation session, who did not pass their first road test, was given the opportunity to take a second road test. I was not given such an opportunity.3) Every other person at that orientation session who failed their second road test was given the opportunity to attend a refresher course at a local trucking school. I was not given this opportunity either.Now, having previously taken a number of paralegal courses, including several on contract laws:In "mass contract" situations (multiple people under the same contract either individually or as a group) equal opportunity must be given to each individual under the contract to fulfill the conditions of the contract. Failure to provide equal opportunity to fulfill the contract to each individual under the contract constitutes a breach of contract. ON THE UP SIDE:I start orientation with KLLM on Monday! The pay (cpm and orientation pay) is higher and the benefits are better. My home terminal will also be closer to my house.All in all, it has all worked out and I am happy with the end result.PoundPuppy

 

Hi myminpins!

Things are going great at KLLM! My trainer picked me up on the day after orientation and we ran like rented mules until 12/21 when we came home for the holidays. He had already scheduled the time off and it was fine with me.
The longest we have waited to get a load was 4 hours and that was only on one load. The rest of the time we got a new load before we delivered the one we had. Keep in mind that this is the time of year that freight is at its slowest- so to not be waiting for a load or only waiting 4 hours for a load is pretty darn good!
When we got into the yard on 12/21 there was a catered meal waiting. The company treated its drivers to a holiday dinner complete with all the trimmings- turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, corn, green beans, apple pie, and more!
I am very happy with KLLM! Our PikePass, EZPass, SpeedPass and Indiana and Ohio toll cards are paid for by the company. The remaining tolls are readily reimbursed by them. TransFlo of our paperwork is free. Repairs are speedy as are resolutions to problems and concerns and answers to questions. We are known by name at KLLM rather than our employee ID numbers- which is refreshing. We do have to pay for an Enforcer lock set (two padlocks and a kingpin lock) when we get our own truck but the locks are ours to keep. We also get to keep the points and perks on the Pilot, Loves, TA and Petro cards (I know that Schneider, for one, doesn't let thier drivers keep the points and perks). Lumper fees are company paid at most places and reimbursed readily if there is no company account with the lumpers used. We have accounts with pretty much every truck wash in the country and so our trailer washouts are a drive in / drive out affair. Just sign the ticket and go. The same with repairs at TA shops (we had an air line break on our trailer and had to stop at a TA and have it fixed). If we feel road conditions are unsafe we have the right to pull over and park it- regardless of when the freight is due. KLLM makes it clear that safety is paramount and lives up to it.

I saw a rumor posted elsewhere that CRST owned KLLM- this is NOT true. CRST put in a bid for KLLM but I have been told that they were outbid by Jack Lyle and Jack will be taking the company back over in early 2008.

Happy trucking and Happy Holidays to all!

PoundPuppy