My first couple months with Shaffer / Crete

The only thing I know about DHT is the color of their equipment and that they have a terminal in Nogales Arizona, where I used to go for a load of Mexican orange juice once in a while when I worked for Indian River. You’d drop your tank at a drop yard, a Mexican truck would take it somewhere on the other side of the border, load it up, and bring it back. If you were lucky, your tank was picked up and returned back to you in the same day. If you weren’t lucky, it would take several days. The first 48 hours were free. After that you got layover pay. I hated going down there. I’ll take any border town in Texas (except for maybe Brownsville) over Nogales any day of the week.

 

At least when I picked up loaded tankers near the border they always had all their parts, nothing had been stolen or replaced, and they still had the same tires on em that they had when they were dropped off. Rarely ever got that lucky with dry vans.

 

Question. Does Crete/Shaffer allow you to choose your own routing and fuel stops or do they have a fuel solution you have to follow? Only rule about fuel that my last company had was that we had to fuel at either pilot or flying J. It didn’t matter which ones.

 

Nice. I’m considering switching to the reefer side. Reefer is where I got most of my experience, it pays better than dry side, and from what I hear, the miles aren’t as high on the reefer side. Not much lower, but lower. Running 300-400 fewer miles a week than the dry side while making the same money is right up my alley, if in fact that’s what’s going on.

I was approved for orientation in Lenoir City TN. I start March 5. I’ll be calling my recruiter tomorrow to ask what my starting rate would be in both divisions along with some other questions.

 

What has been your weekly average mileage wise?

 

Been out west at all in that short time?