(Teams) Crete, Shaffer, Interstate, CFI, US Xpress

[Hangernaid]

US Xpress has been taking us right to the edge of quiting and then giving us some miles, and then back to low miles. We are trying to switch from XD (Xtra Dumb??) back to the regular USX side of the company. If this works out, we'll be happy, and if not, we are looking around.

We quit Crete in 1997 over low miles, and we quit Shaffer in 2004 over low miles.

Since, I have heard that Crete and Shaffer have streamlined their dispatch (at least in the words of someone very senior at Shaffer), and they think they have their problems worked out

My question for Crete, Shaffer, CFI, and Interstate team drivers, is your company doing you OK? I don't believe recruiters or people in the office. I'd rather hear from teams running for these companies.

About USX, if you can get in the right part of USX, you can do OK. But the sorry, incompetent side (like XD) does not want to let drivers go to the better run divisions of USX. Some teams are running 6,000 a week and some are fighting with their FM's to get 3,500 miles a week. So about USX, it really depends on who you talk to (who's board they are on). I cannot recommend anyone hire on at USX unless you know someone who can get you on the right board or else you'll go where the turnover is the worst because that is where they need drivers.

[Clay51]

Two of us tried teaming at Crete. Out of 4 weeks together, we had one week with good miles. I a month, both of us did three 34 hour restarts, just sitting waiting for another load.

Added to the problem we had sleeping. The truck passed every crack in the road right into the sleeper.

I am trying to convince her to go to another company with me after the first of the year.

[Malaki86]

I went through the same thing at USX - XD...

What's really sad is that I never signed up to go to XD - they put me there. They'd run your ass off to get a load delivered that was late when they scheduled you for it, then sit around for the entire day waiting to get assigned the next load. Then, just about the time you'd say the hell with it, I'm going to sleep, they'd assign a load that'd make you run all night with no sleep.

Nahhhh - done with that crap.

[peabody]

Go to Interstate my hubby and I got more miles then we could do and benefits are great with low out of pocket expences for insurance while there bought 2 new cars and suv,We had only been there 1 yr, would still be there but unfortunetly hubby had an industrial accident and they won't hire him back for another six months Please what ever you do don't go to crete we are there now and in three months had to give up apt. looking elsewhere for work.Peabody

If you do not mind reefer look into Henderson out of Salem IL have a pet policy and lots of miles I know as a solo I routinely ran 3500 a week there alot of the time push 3800 a week ran team a few months and was around 6500 a week.

[Stray Cat]

Not a team, but a solo driver with Crete. I do know some of the team drivers though (husband and wife teams). As a solo I always get my 2800-3000mi / wk. and never have any payroll problems or really any other with them. I've only done 1 34 hr reset in last 3-4 mos. and I was
tired, out of clean clothes and wanted to be sure I had plenty of hours to run home which was over 2000 mi at the time.
Folks say there is no perfect company and I agree. But I also believe there is no perfect employee so I just found 1where we get along good on a day to day basis.
2 things with Crete is don't accept a load you can't deliver legally and keep your log legal and I've always been treated with respect.

[peabody]

I'm glad you are happy with the company,however my experience with them has been totally the opposite and have talked to many team drivers and they are also not happy.

[Clay51]

Stray Cat,

The question was not how a solo driver can do at Crete, but rather how a team can do.

My attempt at teaming showed we could get great miles as a team.....solo miles. In one month, we had one week with good miles, the others, either of us could have run the load as a solo and met the schedule. Heck, one load we each took a day off while the other drove, and still made the schedule.

In that month we sat for a day and a half in Salt Lake City, a day in Houston, and another day in Scranton, Pa. With those miles, why team at Crete, except to cover the loads dispatch can not cover.

Teaming with Crete is a waste of time. If my former team mate and I try it again, it will not be with Crete.

I watched a 7 year drive quit Crete last week because, first he wanted to be home for Thanksgiving the first time in 7 years and second because his terminal manger (Indy) told him he could not schedule vacation time when he wanted.

Crete is not the company it used to be.

[Skywalker]

I worked for CFI for 7+ years, solo, not as team though. But I can tell you that I never talked to a team that wasn't satified with the miles that they got, in fact most of them were wanting to take breaks. Especially the ones that were running "priority team". 20,000+ miles per month. CFI is now paying the teams 43cpm on practical miles plus the safety bonus quarterly and the additional 5cpm on all dispatched miles in the 12 NE states.

One of the recruiters there at CFI.... her name is Christine, 1-800-641-4748 ext 5718 ran team with her husband...maybe a call to her would be in order.
You can also reach her at clathan@cfi-us.com Worth a try.

I think communicating with team drivers via this forum is tricky unless they have an aircard and posting while on the road....

I know last month CFI had the freight to keep 90 more teams busy...

Just a suggestion... 8)

[One]

Conway Truckload seems to be doing ok, I never see those trucks stopped hardly atall and they run only teams.....havent talked to any of them recently though. They run all Volvo VN(T?) 870? so the quietest team trucks i my opinion. Just a thought.

[-FlyByNight-]

Conway Truckload seems to be doing ok, I never see those trucks stopped hardly atall and they run only teams.....havent talked to any of them recently though. They run all Volvo VN(T?) 870? so the quietest team trucks i my opinion. Just a thought.

It would be a 780. :wink: