Got handed a print out by another Crete driver today that basically lines up how Crete will be dealing with retrofitting the new APU's. Essentially, if you don't have a 2007 model century you aint getting one. What screws me is it also said that if you dont keep your idle% below 30% you dont get any annual pay raise. Yippee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Right now I'm sitting at 42% and its only going up. I'm in Alabama and it's hot. I can keep my idle down in the winter but summer is a different story.

The only good news was that the APU's will provide AC current to run an appliance or two. I figured Crete would be too damn cheap to go that route. You might actually be led to think that Crete gives a crap about us!!!!! No, that would be asking too much.

 

Its like 90 degrees down there...make that 120 inside the sleeper !!!

Holy Shit !! Man....good luck

Dont let those corporate monkeys give you the anxiety like they do me..

Ef 'em !!!!!!!!!

 

Fair enough, Bill. Let's not stray too far off base.

Back to Karnajj in the hotbox sleeper. What would Driver Development suggest in this situation? It makes me queasy just thinking about the poor guy sweltering in that red oven.

Maybe Karnajj would be willing let you 'bunk up' at his place instead of the local hotel du jour while you are on company business. You fellas could get some face time, and maybe resolve some of these burning issues. Plus the company wouldn't be out all of the travel expenses.
Unless he idled. :wink:

 

Jeez TF. Just when I begin to think that you might be salvageable, you throw out zingers like that one! 8) :wink:

 

Giggle, Chortle, LMAO :lol:

By jove, I think Belpre122 is on to something!

Any CEO's reading this post?

 

You guys that are away from your families and complaining.... why do you do it? I haven't run 48 states in almost 10 years. I work regional in Upper Midwest. I am home every weekend and average about 12K miles a month (148K miles a year average for the last 6 years). I mowed my lawn already this evening, will do some modifications to my Jeep tomorrow, and will bowl with my bowling league (along with my wife)Sunday afternoon. Typical weekend.

Been this way with my current carrier since I came on board the first of the year. Same with my last carrier for 9 years with them till owner sold it. Some here sit for 2-3 days waiting on the next load. I usually sit about 20 minutes. At most 2 hrs. (can't remember the exact date of the last time though). Make myself available for any load and any situation. Not afraid to clean out a trailer or even (rarely) assist in an unload. Will even do a little shag work. last time I did that I got the miles for the work and about $30 an hour as well. No one wanted to do it, so they spiced the pie and made me an offer. So what that I had to just drive into the Hunt Midwest caves in Kansas City, get loaded, and deliver it to a lot. $70 and paid miles for a couple hours time (no real work involved and about 20 minutes driving). Not bad if I do say so myself.

You don't need years and years of experience to get on with a lot of carriers that offer regional running. Usually, just a good clean record, good work history, and motivation will get you on with them. And you don't have to take a pay cut at most places. I get .40 a mile. Now that may not be much to those at the "Heartland Carrier .53 a mile" places, but since I average 12K miles a month and stop at the house a couple times a week and am off on the weekends..... so what. And guess what... I usually drive around 60 mph without being forced to, listen to the XM (provided by company), and am not stressed out by acting like a rodent on a wheel running as fast as I can to get nowhere.

It's all about willingness to do whatever it takes. I don't refuse ANY load even though I am not on forced dispatch. I do little "dirty deeds done dirt cheap" runs when needed. With only 5 months at my present carrier, I am already known as one who they can count on to get the job done, so they drop all the freight in my lap I can handle and they get me home. Got the tractor and trailer sitting next to my garage and will deliver in Chicago area Monday morn.

Some of the big carriers have opportunities like this, but usually on a seniority basis. Got to get away from the flashy ads in the truck magazines and look for those smaller carriers with a good customer base to find the best jobs. They are in every region of the country. Freight is more consistent and usually pretty decent customers to deal with because you get to know the receivers by name.

You don't have to run fast to make money. It does take an operations staff that knows what they are doing though. When you are not sitting around waiting, you can make pretty good money even if the truck was cut back to 65, 62, or even 60 mph and still have a life as well. And even in this economy, there are carrier that do this that are still hiring. See them all the time.

 

Why did I do it? To see the country. Yeah, it's just loading docks, interstates, and truck stops, but it' more than most people get to see.

My wife had rolled out on me. I lost the house. More importantly, I lost my sense of home. I found it on a truck. No, not being in the truck. But finding out the importance of friends and family to me.

It gives me time to think. Where did I go wrong? What could I have done better? What does the future hold for me?

At this point, a few months in, I see that I could make this a life. I enjoy the solitude. I enjoy being away from it all. But I could also just as easily return home to the hustle and bustle.

 

Bluebeete??? $1000 a week??? Is that supposed to be average??? Or once a year??? Make it HALF, then I believe your number. And THEN IT DOESN'T PAY THE BILLS ANYMORE!!! :evil:

 

Understand that one, George. Been there, done that. Of course there are circumstances like yours. But, earlier in the thread, there were those that complained about not getting home and staying out 4-5 weeks and sitting 2-3 days waiting for another load. There are too many good companies to drive for to settle for one that treats a driver that way... unless of course they choose to be out.

Sorry for your circumstances. Wish the best.

 

I've been on vacation now for 2 whole weeks-- and have missed all those qualcom messages--- so Crete is cutting back the speed to 62?

but installing APU's?<<< what kind of time table for that? and are they going to screw us and leave off the 110 Volt AC power supply in the bunk?,, cause I'd gladly trade 3 miles per hour easy install of a dorm fridge/microwave( be able to power it).