Need some advice on a CRST truck lease

I see your point and I thought the same until I went there. I was a hard head and had to find out for myself if they were really as bad as I had read about all over the forums and from my experience...they are. Buck (the recruiter) paid my fuel to get there so that seriously nudged me in their direction. If you, or anyone else wants to pull double or even triple brokered freight go for it. Personally, I'm not cool with that at all. Malone's "Agents" are brokers who take their 15-20 percent before Malone takes another 25 percent before the contractor even sees a dime. Many of the those Agent/Brokers aren't getting that freight directly from a customer that means even more (a THIRD set of hands in your pocket) percentage has been taken out...again. The person who has all the skin in the game (the contractor) is getting totally hosed by places like Malone. Period.

I had my orientation in Birmingham and Rob the safety guy there had me teaching a third of the class during the securement phase of the week. Great place! None of those guys had any business doing open deck work at their experience level. Malone also hounded me relentlessly daily via texts and phone calls when my truck was in the shop getting an overhaul complaining how THEY weren't making any money and that it needed to get back on the road...or else. They tried to treat me like an employee and canceled my lease because I was broke down. I was losing revenue AND losing money on the overhaul. Nearly 10k to be exact. They didn't LOSE a dime, only the opportunity to GAIN revenue. There's a big difference between the two. Loss and gain. I went backwards while they only failed to move forward.

Don't even get me started on how run down and nasty their facility is, or how equally rude and nasty their ignorant employees are. Thinking of taking your own truck to the location and sleeping on the lot? Good luck unless you sleep like the dead. It's literally right next to a very active railroad line. It made sleeping nearly impossible as well as our classroom time due to the excessive noise.

Ready to get your truck inspected? Guess what? You have to take to like three places they approve of. That's it. They're all small little independent shops that WILL find things to make money off you. The whole entire process down there is set up to bleed the contractor dry regardless of whether he brings his own truck or not. I just hope that since CRST bought them that they will shut that place down and write it off before they get sued into oblivion. It only takes one guy to go in there loaded up with the right electronics and Malone will be over.

If you're a street smart individual with any real dealings with the types that most only see in the movies than you'll see everything like I did. It's very clear. They're all a bunch of crooks in bed together with the common goal of squeezing you dry. The naive will never see it but they will sure as hell feel it. I didn't write to persuade anyone in any direction. I don't feel it would work anyway. It didn't work for me. I read tons of negative stuff yet I went anyway. All I can say is I've never seen leasing on as a positive thing since and it was a huge fire under my ### to get my own numbers. Now I'm an Independent and couldn't be happier. Funny thing is, I made the money to do it running Intermodal! The fact there's more money in cans than there is at Malone (even with your own truck) speaks volumes. Good riddance, Joey Malone and the Crook Crew!

 

Don't forget CRST Logistics takes 25% too

CRST bought Malone in 1985, so I don't think that's likely.

I came there from doing containers and I wanted to go back. The truth is however, I am making more money this year than I have hauling anything else. There are guys here making money, and I know guys who left because they weren't.

 

I'm glad things are working for you but I feel you are an exception. I actually get some decent rates through CRST Logistics as an Indy and I can't say anything bad about my dealings with them. However, I cannot say the same for Malone. They really are a bunch of bad apples in Birmingham since they prey on the naive and ignorant. In fact, they thrive on it. If their environment was so great they would never ever have to run an ad nor hire recruiters. They would be brimming with success stories.

 

Depending on who you are, I have one of the best driver manager at Malone. He is great for his drivers, not so great for others. The guys in our lane make money and have been there a while. I can not speak for the Birmingham office.

 

Try Re Garrison out they have a pretty good l/P program but the only exception is NEVER turn down any loads they offer you and forget about home time cause they want you to stay out and last but not least don’t be late or they will terminate your lease....