My wife and I are wanting to start trucking as a team

You seem like a nice couple and very smart so here it is

1.)What are the alternatives, if any, to CRST for broke wannabe drivers in California? Since we're in Santa Rosa, I'd prefer Sacramento area or Bay Area. The further north it is, the better (in before Eureka!)- that means less driving for me (my '89 Volvo 760 Turbo gets like 18mpg).
Try knight transport they have a terminal in bakersfield/Tulare area.I don't here too much complaining about them but do your home work.Click Here
to see what they have to offer and stick with the van division if you can refers Freight is a pain,and you don't want to start out charged with claims.


2.)Is it possible for my wife and I to share a hotel room/mancamp/company room together during training? If yes, how?
You Better Clear that upfront with the company before you start heading that way.But if they don't you don't need that sorry outfit.
Are you sure she wants to to do this? There are a lot of stress on this job.If it was me I would go for this by my self first and have my girly at home until I see for my self what kind of a devil I will be dealing with.And if you like the company you could ask to be her trainer and you should be ok to do that.I hate wise cracks and I don't want to see you get in trouble if one of these schmucks say something stupid to your girl during training trying to rush her in learning to back up fast or shift gears and all that crap the big dummy instructor thinks how to do better than superman.


3.)After getting the CDL and after the 28-to-whenever day (according to what I've read) OTR training, is there any way to guarantee that we are on the same team? I understand that we won't be with each other during the initial training time (hopefully we'll get decent trainers)
Plane your new venture right make sure you start and finish your training before the winter and if she goes with a trainer ask for a female trainer at least they don't smell like a basket full of pampers.and they don't shout and scare the heck out of her every time a car goes by.
4.)Do you get the same truck for every run, or do they switch your trucks between runs? I'd like to keep stuff in there like a cooler, propane stove etc.
Once you are together you will stay in the same truck for at least six months to a year for most companies but keep this in mind the more stuff you have in that truck the harder it is to quit that company if that was your only choice.

.)Related to 4: is it possible to just hobo it out, not take any home time and live in the truck, or do we need to waste money on renting a place to stay at for a few days a month? We will have a car (I refuse to take a bus). I am asking this because we have nobody to stay with in
Yes you can stay with the truck and they like hobos.

6.)Are there female trainers or are they all male?Yes most of them have female trainers Is there any way of ensuring that someone doesn't start creating a umm.. "Hostile work environment" around my wife? If her trainer does this, can her trainer get switched with someone else?
Yes but it depends on the incident most of the time if she is with a female trainer everything should go as planed.


7.)Can anyone give me details on the physical test?
Most likely the whole class will have one day during orientation to go to a clinic for a physical to see Dr.Nick


very basic stuff
Good luck and happy trails

 

I agree but if the OP can make good money locally he might be inclined to try it out. Sometimes unnecessary strain can be put on a relationship when you're confined to a small space. Even though they'd be working together they'd be on different schedules. I was just trying to give the OP options.

 

What ever you do, DON'T GO TO CRST. My husband and I worked for them for about the a month; thats all it took for us to realize it was the JOB from HELL. Everything they told us, they LIED and the final straw happened when truck broked down in Williamsport, PA. Of course they rescued the load but they wasn't too much to get the tractor fixed. It was so bad that after being stuck in a hotel for 3 days, we caught the bus home and never looked back at CRST. Found this out after the fact but every time someone completes their orientation with them, CRST get paid $5000. Schneider is a good company as they mainly focus on SAFETY; my husband use to work for them. Schneider will train you and your wife but you both will need to go out for at 10 ten weeks training on the road before you can hook up to be a team driver. Just give them a call and ask all your questions as they more honest than CRST. I wouldn't recommend my worst to enemy to them...............GOOD LUCK. Something for you to ponder for the future. My husband and I own our truck and its a wonderful feeling to work for yourself. We're currently in the process of obtaining our own authority. That is where you will see the big bucks; being able to cut your own check. It however comes with more responsibility but in the end, its worth it. Something for you guys to think about in the near future but for now, do your research and ask question like you're doing know. Another good thing you can do is visit some truck stops and ask drivers questions there.

 

I would think most of my answers would apply to multiple companies. However after just reading THIS, I would think twice about CRST.

 

Is it Expressway Transport?

 

You could start first with a trucking company, then after becoming qualified, be your wife's trainer. This way, she wouldn't be in a truck for a month with someone she doesn't know. That's the route I personally would take.

The one lady and her husband posted about working for CRST and being stuck in a hotel room for 3 days, so they caught a bus home. That happens to most of us at one time or another during our career. It's happened to me a few times, but the company paid for the hotel, meals, and breakdown pay so I didn't complain. Eventually, it will probably happen to you and the wife with any company you may work for. Look at the big picture and do what you need to reach your goal.

 

I think it's a great idea you want to team with your wife! My husband and I are in the lease purchase owner op program at CRST and have had nothing but an AWESOME experience!!! They did let us share a room, there are female trainers but if you want male or female you need to specify that to recruiter and orientation and yea you can just live in your truck, we stay moving two months, and visit family couple days and head back out, no apartment, no bills except phone,car and credit card. CRSt is a good starter company, BUT everyone's experience is different. You will get good and bad responses, this company is what YOU make it. Be cool with your fleet manager don't cuss on Qualcomm, don't turn down to many loads. And you're golden. I went to the Cedar Rapids Iowa facility, the California one is now in riverside not Fontana, it's new, been there once it looks very clean. Faculty nice. Whatever you choose I wish you two the very best of luck with your career and if you ever have any questions you can message me anytime

 

Hi everyone! I'm new and looking for advice in this category. My husband is 49 (50 next month) and I'm 45, and we've been married for 26 years with no children. We live in southern Idaho. His parents own a very small sanitation company on the verge of closing, which my husband has driven for the last 10 years straight and 30 of the last 33 years. Our business failed in 04 so I went to school. In 11, I ran out of student loans with my bachelors still 1 or 2 semesters away (long distance school) and I found my associates degree pretty worthless, so I have been working for the family business since then, but the pay me under the table and a lot of what my husband makes is in benefits (utilities, gas, rent, ect.).

We really want to drive team and his driving record is nearly spotless, but mine has a few problems, most recently my license was suspended 2 years ago due to a no insurance ticket, but good since then. My husband has driven all the trucks owned by his folks, the largest of which is a front loader. He doesn't currently have a CDL, because the truck he normally uses doesn't weigh enough to require it, but he says he could easily get one. Would he still need a school since he has never driven a tractor/trailer truck? His driving record has been accident free.

We were thinking we would probably go with swift, since they will accept my history (according to another site), and go to school in Lewiston, then train and team. After much reading here I wonder if that would be our best option, since he could learn and train and I could ride with him until my driving record has more time to cool off. We would also prefer a company that would allow our large old golden retriever since we owned his mom and have had him since birth. I don't know how long we have before the company folds, or what kind of severance we will get. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

What are the other problems on your record ?