[KRWOOD]

I'm getting ready to switch companies. I plan on running hard for 6 months to pay off all of my debts. I thought i would come here and think out loud and find some opinions.

Crete:
<Pros>
.41 cpm
load select
kinda close terminal (Ottawa,IL)

<Cons>
opti-idle
bare bone truck
opti-idle
no webasto
probably short length of loads >600 miles

Celadon:
<Pros>
volvo truck
long length of loads
1 paid week off every 30,000 miles

<Cons>
.32 mile



What am I missing?

[Colin]

It takes 22% fewer miles to earn the same amount at Crete as you would at Celadon. 3000 - 2340

That being said, $.32 isn't a horrible wage to me. Yes, you're out there to earn money, but short haul sucks the ass. I've done both.

JB Hunt average LOH around 300-600 vs. May averaging closer to 1100. I rarely needed an alarm clock except on the delivery date.

A quality truck with the room and features you want/need makes the whole thing go very nice. I've done both.

JB Hunt Freightliner Century with vinyl and a cassette deck vs. a May Trucking Volvo 770 with full carpet and a cd player with 9 speakers including subwoofer.

As far as Opit-Idle goes, I'm not too keen on the tractor starting up every so often. A reefer is much more isolated than the actual engine. I never felt the reefer start, but I could hear it if I was awake. An engine I could feel if it shut down or started back up.

I like the idea of a paid week off every 2.5 - 3 months. A lot.

I've heard a few rumblings on this board about Celadon having some short freight issues as of late. If you're going to run hard, then the pay is most important. Go with Crete, but be ready for the unload, drive 100 miles, relaod, drive another 500 routine, unload the next morning. Not my idea of fun.

[movinit]

We just came out of Laredo and it does not appear that Celadon is suffering to badly for they were everywhere on I-35 coming and going.

We have been checking out Celadon for teaming and here are some things we have learned.

Word has it that the solo's are being transitioned into Internationals as the Volvo's get to old. The recruiter we talked to said that the teams used to get Volvo's, however they are now being assigned Freightliner Columbias which means solo's could end up with one of those also.

They have fueling/routing by computer, however the driver we talked to today said you can fuel at any TA or Pilot and the routing is semi-mandatory as long as you don't have excessive out of route miles.

They allow pets, but they have to be dog or cat no reptiles, birds, fish, snakes, etc.

Approximately 3% of their loads involve NYC. They do have forced dispatch.

Home time can be banked and you can take the truck home.

We have talked to several drivers, all have said they are happy and none had any real complaints. One solo we talked to said they purchased a piece of property 2 years ago for $25,000 and paid it off just this month which tells us they must be getting loads.

[KRWOOD]

I just can't get over the opti-idle. I would like to try it for a month but I don't want to look like a job hopper.

What about May trucking? Would you drive for them again?

How many miles per week?
Avg length of load?

It pays a little less than Crete but might be worth it to sleep at night.

[marcel27208]

I use to drive for celadon i live in north carolina and seen laredo 10-12 times per month...alot is midwest to laredo and northeast to laredo. Depending on where you live the have a regional that gets you home on the weekends(they have a macro that requests hometime) and Ive ALWAYS been home on time everytime. They dont run out west much unless you team, good trucks also.

[OK]

Funny you should mention.... I currently drive for Celadon and am thinking of switching to CRETE !

Yes, in many ways Celadon is a good long haul company. Ave. length of haul, 1030. Miles per truck per week, about 2150. Remember, this is using a 52 wk basis, time off, vacations, etc... These are all posted facts on their Investor website. They pay short miles, you lose about 10-15% of all miles you run. $20 for shag... Yuk!

Their Indcianapoliis terminal is wonderfull, dorm rooms, cafeteria, tv/lounge room with leather couches, open access to any ofc personell, etc... Very organized, very well run, my stock has doubled in the last year...

Here's the rub, their pay is low, about .06 - .09 cents per mile. You get back about .03 per mile on the every 30k mile $1,000 bonus, but that still leaves you .03-.06 below the industry... Why?

I'll tell you why.... Mexicans. That's it, Mexicans. Celadon has become the premier freight forwarder from Mexico to points US and Canada. The CEO, guy named Russell, has decided that he's gonna bring in as many Mexicans on HB1B visa's and have them haul loads from Laredo to Waxachie,TX (South Dallas) at .19 per mile. He's making a mint on the cheap labor and plans on expanding it, all across the US! These are facts, documents available to be read by anyone on the Celadon Investor site.

This Russell guy (The CEO) states he doesn't need to raise driver pay cause we drivers are all delerious happy due to the length of haul and quality equipment. Celadon has raised their "Rate per Loaded Mile" from $1.41 this time last year to $1.51 today! (Not counting fuel surcharges) They have passed, none, zero, of this increase onto drivers and Russell states he has "no intention of doing so in the near future". These quotes available on the investor site.

Their raising their rates gradually, bringing in more and more Mexicans drivers, and keeping it all to themselves! Last quarter was their best, Net $6.1 million. Russell and his gang (Pres and CFO) took half as bonuses. Zip to drivers. They BRAG about it at the "Bears and Sterns" Investors conference! "No more money for drivers.... they like it here"!

Yea, expect to wait a couple days to get outta Laredo... they got the Mexicans takin many of the loads north at .19 per mile.

When you go to Waxahachie (south dallas) terminal, expect the cold shoulder if your not hispanic and don't speak Spanish, yea it's getting that bad...

I'm thinking this CEO Russell guy is selling out us American drivers, ever so slowly, and am thinking of getting out while the gettin is good.,

Their Website: www.celadontrucking.com

Check out their 4th Qtr Investor conference call and lsiten to them figure out how to get more "WETBACK" and "MOSSBACK" drivers.

http://fulldisclosure.com/company.as...cb&ticker=cldn

So, what's the deal with Crete?

[KRWOOD]

Thanks for the info.

I'll scratch celadon off my list.

[OK]

Well I really didn't intend to neccessarily turn you off from Celadon. They ARE a good company in many respects. Not many companies average 1030 miles per load!

My point is what I see as the "Ken Lay-Enron-ish" profit taking by the Corporate Higher ups. I know these guys have brought this company a long way, and it is just in the last 3 years or so that they have started making the bucks. I don't fault them for wanting to get a little payback financial-wise.

For me it's just what appears to be wanton GREED over integrity and "the right thing to do". To brag to Investors about getting more and more cheap "Wetback and Mossback" (Their Words) drivers over American drivers, and stating we don't have to give our drivers any more money so we won't, is just despicable to me.

What ever happened to MEN OF HONOR, Captians of Industry that were proud of the company they built and the wealth dispersed amounst it's employee's? Now it's just about I got mine, I got mine, I got mine, to hell with the employee's!

Yea, it's a good rolling up and coming company, good miles, reasonable pay, new model trucks, mostly good conditions, bennies, etc... I just don't like where it's going and don't think I want to be a part of that...

Of course.... I could be wrong?

[movinit]

We were also thinking about going with Celadon, however this is the 3rd posting I have read in regards to Celadon selling out American drivers for cheap labor. One of the postings I read was Celadon's CEO being quoted several times with the attitude that American drivers are overpaid. We have decided we won't be the ones helping hold the knife to our own throats in order to rob us. Celadon will pay dearly when they hire all of those foreigners who think nothing of our driving laws (one trip to Laredo convinces anyone of that). Lawsuits, lawsuits and more lawsuits will eat up any profits Celadon will reap from selling out.

[OK]

Movinit... You show great courage! Celadon is generally a good company, reasonable pay, great miles. To reject them based on their involvement in the degradation of the American worker shows great fortitude, a rejection of personal narcissism. I congragulate you. YOU are a great American! I only hope I can muster the same courage to reject those that bait me in the front while stabbing me in the back!

This Celadon CEO, Russell, is drooling to get his "MEXICAN TRUCKS" into the US, and states on his Investors site to his market analyists, "Don't worry, outgoing Sec. of Transportation Lloyd Mineta has assured the truckimg industry the border with Mexico will, Be Open Soon'". Mexican drivers in Mexican trucks crisscrossing the country at .15-.19 cents per mile! God help us!

I will not particpate in the destruction of all of America! Yea, I want for me.... but not at that price!

GREED, GREED, it's greed without honor!

Corporate America is making us a third world cesspool!

Stand your ground men of America, stand your ground!