Real story about CRST

I sent my recruiter a reply asking for more specifics, and she replied right away, so I now have it in writing. 22cpm training, 26 cpm after training, miles are split not pay, because people who team drive dont always have the same experience, and at 5 and 7 months raises. As for doing my homework - what do you think I'm doing on here? So far, I've got 3 prehires, and CRST pays the best of the 3. If there are dozens of companies that pay much better for training pay, AND hire new drivers as in I just got my CDL a week ago, please, send me a list and I'd be more than happy to check them out.
I do appreciate all the info you guys are sharing, it helps a lot.

 

1. Swift
2. Conway truckload
3. Schneider
4. Watkins & Shepard
5. SRT (although I don't recommend them)
6. Covenant

Werner might be in that list, but I'm not sure of their pay scale.

Not a dozen. But more than one.

 

I applaud your decision. My only caveat would be not to incur any unnecessary expenses because the money just may not be there. We made some "comfort" purchases for the truck as soon as he got back from his 28 days that in hindsight might better have been put off for a little while. I think the $0.22/mile for you during training may be a better deal than the $50/day they were doing with my significant other went through. They run the trainees hard because the trainees have to have a certain number of miles for their training to be considered complete, so don't base your calculations for expected income on your training experience.

 

Swift does not pay better - they were one I got a prehire from. I've been told repeatedly by many many many people to stay away from Swift, Schneider, CR England, and Werner, but in particular Swift and England.
I was told today to check out Watkins and Shepard, going to do that this evening/tomorrow morning. Was also told to check out Knight. Conway told me they weren't hiring any new drivers 'at this time'. Never heard of SRT, but if you don't recommend them, why list them? Covenant I will check them out too.
Again, thanks for the info, much appreciated.

 

Stevens pays $350 per week flat rate during training. .26 when you go solo. one cent raise at six months and another cent at one year.

 

SRT..... I would drive for those dirtbags again, before I even filled an app with CRST.

 

Researching Big truck truckin' companies is an art form.
You not only need to listen to what's said, you also need to listen to what's not said, --- which is hard for a wannaBee or fresh newBee to do.

First of all, what's more important to you, --- the pay per mile, the actual miles you'd be getting, (even if it's fewer than another company advertizes), or the quality of training received?
There's more to learning than just the amount *advertized* per mile.

If company A pays .25 cents per mile with teams averaging 4,000 miles a week, and company B pays .22 cents per mile with teams averaging 5,000 miles per week, which company sounds more attractive to you?

Now, figure company A has outstanding training while company B leaves a lot to be desired. Would that affect your decision at all?

I highly recommend that you re-read EasyLiving's post describing Schneider. I begat my career with Schneider and, as planned, I remained there for more than the magic one-year time frame that most newBees shoot for so they can move on to a "better company".
To my way of thinkin', why not shoot for the top companies that are willing to take a green driver and train them properly, then remain there to collect the pay increases and bonuses? That's how I approached my entry and I'm here to tell y'all that it sure pays off better in the end. You'll be miles ahead of the job-hoppers seeking that elusive great gig, always starting at the bottom but never reaching the top.

I climbed the ladder quickly at Schneider. Doors opened for me before I even knocked on them. I was offered a dedicated account runnin' team, pullin' a set of doubles --- 6,700 miles in seven days, then two days off. Besides the mileage pay, we were paid for breaking up a set of doubles, which we did five or six times each trip. For that we split a cool $175 to $210 for our efforts. That gig paid a tad over $1,000 for 7-days, from California to Norfolk, Virginia and back again, same destinations every time, all military bases.

From there I became a trainer where I learned as much from my trainees as they learned from me, --- things that I still use to this day, and hopefully the same for them. I thoroughly enjoyed training and would do it again in a heartbeat.
From time to time I look back on those fond memories and realize what I would have missed had I "moved on to something better" after one year with a Big truck truckin' company instead of doin' the un-thinkable by remaining longer than that.

When I hear or read,
It doesn't make any difference which Big truck truckin' company you choose to sign on with first, -- except for the color of their Big trucks, they're all the same,
I beg to differ.
In my opinion it certainly does make a difference.
A huge difference.

I remained with Schneider for almost five years before finding a better fit with another company. That company required at least five years experience driving a Big truck to even be considered for the job. I lacked a few months experience, but because of Schneider's reputation for training drivers I was given the chance to join a company with drivers who had two and three times more experience than I had at the time, which, as it turned out, was a golden opportunity to bump elbows with the Independent Contractors (I/C) with twenty or more years experience, gain their confidence and learn what the experience had taught them, first hand.
As an added bonus, how many small Big truck truckin' companies are y'all aware of that putcher butt in a triple-digit Big truck?
I credit the first Big truck truckin' company I signed on with for providing me with what it took to get from where I was to where I wanted to be. Call it a "foundation", if you will.
What's built is only as strong as it's foundation can support.

Wisely consider all aspects before making a decision.
Don't focus on just one, even it if seems to be the most important, --- at the time. Desperation can cloud your vision and doesn't sell well with truckin' companies. One thing that will help make things go smoother in the Big truck truckin' industry is patience. It takes practice, so the sooner you start, the better.
How 'bout now?

I wish you good luck and
the best of success
in whatever decisions you make.

 

twistedjen something else to consider at CRST in less thing have changed you cannot drive solo for 6 months. So lets say you sign on and find a co-driver 3 weeks a month later your co driver quits while you stuck in BFE you cannot solo they may allow you to deadhead to the nearest terminal. But then you will sit till you find a new co driver, now your dispatcher will send you a list of 10 names of people to call but as my last Co driver there found out most either have a co driver and are running or no longer work there. I would take another look at Schneider or Conway truckload or W&S again. Best of luck in your decision

 

THAT is one of the worst new driver orientation/truck school stories I have ever read/heard. But I *do* believe every word of it. If any one needs a better deal than this one go to Swift. Yes... Swift. Not the best but not as bad as CRST evidently. You WILL get plenty of driving time at truck school, accomadations are very good and you get paid much more during your time with trainer on the road.

As for getting your diploma, you don't need one to get hired at another 'student driver' company. **Some** of them require one but most do not. I never got my diploma after being with Swift for a few months I got hired at Trans Am with *just* my CDL, no truck school diploma. Actually been driving since 2003 and still don't have my diploma