OWNING TRUCK

Do a search here on this forum regarding lease purchase programs and trying to go the O/O route with out the capitol or experience needed to understand the business end of it. After you finish reading a few pages,.. then ask your self the same questions.

Hurst

 

What he said ^^^^^^^^^^

 

First thing you should do is talk to insurance agents they will tell you what to expect with your experience.Good luck!

 

Seriously?

Besides quoting an insurance rate,.. how would an insurance agent advise a rookie trucker on how to become an O/O? Maybe I'm not comprehending your intended meaning,.. but I am honestly confused by your post.

Hurst

 

You have a one year contract with CRST as a company driver? How does that work, exactly? I thought all these truck company jobs were at-will: they can tell you you're fired, you can tell them you quit. Right? Or do you owe them some money for your CDL training? Remember, there's no indentured servitude in the United States any more.

 

Oh brother.

 

CRST has a CDL training program. They bring in non-CDL holders and put them through their own school in cedar rapids. They put them up in a hotel (If your lucky) or in dorm rooms in the building. I went to their orientation,.. I lasted 2 days before I walked out and went home. They teach them how to pass the CDL tests,.. then do their road test and send them out with a trainer. While out with a trainer they are supposed to be working on who they will be teaming up with when they get back to Cedar Rapids after being out with the trainer.

They sign a contract to work for CRST for how ever many months. Once they complete the contract,.. the schooling is free,.. they owe nothing. If they fail,.. get fired or quit before the contract is up,.. CRST wants something like $8k for the schooling and makes it difficult for them to be hired with anyone else.

Thats probably the nicest thing I have ever said about CRST.

Hurst

 

I kinda thought so, Hurst. I guess I'm like you on this kind of alignment....I can't even imagine saying yes to a deal like that. And with a team waiting for me? Not in this lifetime. $8K? I retract my earlier remark about indentured servitude...I see it still exists. I'm old now, but even so...for the first 50 years of my work history, my favorite phrase, often repeated was: "F... you, pay me off." Still pretty much way up on my list of favorites. Like, "another piece of that peach pie, please," or, "it delivers when?"

All the CDL schools I know about (not many, admittedly) are there for one purpose, and it's not about being a commercial driver. They're selling a program to attain a CDL, the driving part comes later. If ever, I guess.

 

Oh it gets better. When I went to orientation,.. they had 2 sections. Current CDL holders and none CDL holders. I had a 15 yr vacation from trucking and needed to get my foot back in the door. I am old school and had never heard of 3 yrs recent before insurance would cover you BS.

What killed it for me with CRST was that they start you at (This was back in 2011) $.22 cpm to the truck for all miles. Thats $.11 cpm split. Plus they wanted me to take a refresher course and then sign a contract. I told the recruiter before she sent me the bus ticket,.. I will not be taking a refresher. The marine guy that teaches the class,.. he's from Fla also,.. wanted me to be a trainer. When I heard they started you out at $.11 CPM,.. I stood up and walked out of class.

I stuck to my guns,.. still ended up paying my dues with a different company. Not sure which would have been worse.

And sadly,.. I dont know of any CDL schools that actually teach students how to drive or give any real world seat time. Rather a single goal and thats to obtain a CDL. Forget about how to run down the road under a load. Who needs to know any of that?

Hurst