[iowarider]

Actually just frog, it should not have surprised you or him. It is the normal way of things when you put your name on a document that says you will work at X amount for X period of time in return for pay advanced. They wait for 5 weeks before starting to take money out of wage, and "at least mine" calculated it out for me that the first 6 months would be slim.

Moral of your story, go in with your eyes open and your head on straight, not their job to wipe your nose and change the diapers, just to provide an opportunity for some one to accept or turn down and deal with the consequences. As for interest on money owed, where do you find interest free money, and again it was spelled out before signing on the bottom line. All reading this, look into student loans if you want a better rate and better terms for pay back. Yes lots of paper work, but that's the way it is.

[iowarider]

Folks, my apologies, I had a rather lengthy write up on to-days successes and when I hit spell check it did its thing, but I must have punched cancel instead of submit. I'm tired and my time on the library computer is running out. Ill re-post it latter. thanks.

Oh, while all are welcome to submit questions, and if you must, negative experiences that have been posted throughout the boards, that's OK. Just know that I will respond with what I know to be fact as it has happened to me and the readers can draw their own conclusions.

[apilotiam]

I said I was not going to do it! I said I was not going to do it!

I left reading this post twice and now I am doing it...

No I am not! I am not doing it!

I am not going to post my experiences with CRST...

because....it was all up to me

to swallow their guff
and let them act tough

and again...it was all up to me.

Just leave this company and chalk them up as vagabonds, rogues and thieves.

I did say it didn'tI?

[iowarider]

apilotiam, LOL , not a problem, a thread like this should be open to all. But so far your experience has not been mine.

[iowarider]

OK, second time I stupidly lost yesterdays write up, so I'm going to abbreviate it and go to today.

Ground and found gears on the range, went to "run the ramps", that means get on the interstate and take every ramp that goes up and off, over the road and back down onto the interstate. The idea is to downshift and up shift all the way. Did fair, in my mind. We came up on a wreck and the trainer the guy driving take a side route. We all sat their for ten minutes in complete silence, except for the trainers instructions, while the poor trainee drove his first time on a big truck on a non marked non shouldered black top road. I swear the clinch marks our back sides left on the seat were still there this morning.

bad four trainees in the cab at one time is to many in my book.
good Trainer did not wuss out and take control of the truck, but instead helped the student gain a lot of experience that we all will need at some time. Turned a possibly bad experience into a positive.

After getting back to the school around 10:00 We spent the rest of the day working on information for the Pre-Trip inspection process and going over a truck to identify all the parts and how to speak about them during the CDL test. Man oh man, had no idea that I would need to be part mechanic for this job!!

CRST had a question about my un-employment time in my work history, but by the time I got to my recruiter that afternoon he had already taken care of it. I may still be in the rose colored glasses phase but I swear no one I have met from dispatch, to recruiter to trainers have treated me anything but with respect so far. [/b]

[iowarider]

Day 4:

We get to the range and are immediately split into groups of three. then we got in the trucks and headed out to run the ramp some more. Much better with fewer trainees in the truck today, turns out one of the trainers was not there yesterday. We all had about an hour of driving time each today. My turn was again a mixed review. First part I thought I was really doing pretty good, hit all of the up shifts and most of the down shifts. Then on a down hill off ramp I missed a gear completely, got frustrated and did really bad the rest of the trip. Trainer says ah don't worry about it with practice we will get you to where you can recover from that just fine. Nice they don't get to excited about things. After noon we practiced pre-trip inspection while half of group did the trailer and tractor "tug" test. Way to many steps to type, what it does is check that both the trailer and tractors brakes work and the air lines have been hooked up correctly. Later made the first run at how and why to record information in log book. Man oh man, another great way to get a ticket with out really trying :? Thinking I should have headed the warnings of many that this course is way to fast. Yes it is aimed completely at getting the CDL and then the training is done with 28 days of on the job training.

Good: trainers all have the patience of Jobe.
Several had questions as to how to get our money for the background check, and finger printing, $58 and fees for hazmat. Head guy at the school comes in and says OK guys, this is what is going to happen. Ill pay for it.

Nothing ugly or frustrating today to report, OH, I got my birth certificate so now its on to the hazmat test.

oh personal frustration Will miss easter dinner with my family and boys, schoo runs through weekend

[lisag]

Hey, Iowarider! Thanks for sharing your story and I hope your training goes well. Sounds like it is!

My husband is supposed to start training there week after next. Just wondering when you get to go home - after the school training or after your 4 weeks on the road? Thanks for the info and good luck!

[lisag]

How's your training going?

[iowarider]

hey lisag,

I'm afraid the only answer I can come up with is "it depends". After passing CDL, and passing CRST driver test, then orientation, some get trainers soon others it takes a bit, have not figured out the rime or reason other than just luck of the draw. I have been told, but not by anyone in any authority, that we can wait in Cedar Rapids and company pays $40/day layover pay, or we can go home, but at no pay. I will look closer when I get the chance. Not been able to get to a computer for a while so things are behind here as well.

[iowarider]

All were a little disappointed that we had to work straight through Easter, but for most, home was to far away to make a difference anyway. On, Easter Sunday we came in and drove at 6:30 until 2:00, so I took advantage of living near by and went to see my sons even though it was only for a few hours. Guess this is one of those welcome to the profession moments. Since the last time we talked things have been all over the board as to my drives. As the instructor said Sunday, You have every thing you need you just need to work on Constancy. I think that's to be expected since the group only had between 6 and 8 hours behind the wheel this morning.

Sunday was an experience, we found ourselves being instructed to drive completely through the heart of Cedar Rapids Iowa, construction, stupid drivers, narrow roads and all. At the end the instructor says, we do not get to spend enough time with you in town, you improved a lot in the last 15 minutes, that's why I do this, it forces you to concentrate and improve and we get to see how you will handle pressure. We know those that do will go on to be good drivers. Well we did it a second time today, and he was correct, I feel so much more confident about my meager abilities and even my gear changes are much smoother.

Today we ran the CDL driving course and I did fairly good, the skills portion, backing, I blew miserably, worst of the week, don't know what happened. Pre-trip inspection, repetition, repartition, repartition, boooooooring, but it does work.

Driver to student ratio was only two students per truck/instructor and that made things much better for the on the road portion.
Lesson learned:No matter how you are getting CDL check student to instructor ratio.