Crete Carriers, any Info?
 

I am getting tried of waiting for a mentor from Swift, I call them every day and get the same answer ( we are working on It) its been a week and I need to get to work (bill collectors are camping on my doorstep) :shock: . I really don't want to jump ship, but with the time I have spent with attending the 3 week course and the 1 week at orientation, the week waiting for a mentor, I need to start putting some bread on the table. I am a welder and Fabricator by trade (30 years), and this is a new career for me. I know I will have a lot to learn, I managed to work in the metal fabrication industry for 30 years and I still have both hands and all my fingers, and never smashed anyone, so I know something about safety, I can do this I just need a chance.

I am interested in hearing from anyone who has worked or is working with Crete Carriers. How do they treat their drivers and what are they like to work for?

I have my CDL w/tanker/doubles,triples/and soon Hazmat.
Do they have a finish training program similar to Swift ( 6 weeks w/mentor)?

Unless they have changed policies, Crete only accepts students who have attended a PTDI certified course, and I can tell you right now a week course is not PTDI certified.

Uturn2001

I think the course I attended was PTDI certified, It was 3 weeks long not 1 week and we had to fill out PTDI sheets that show how many hours we had for class room, range time and road time.

If you had attended a PTDI course then you would have recieved the documentation upon graduation. Even if you did take the course, without the documentation you have no way of proving it.

If you can prove the course was PTDI certified then you might have a chance.

Also there is a chance, no matter where you go, that you may find yourself playing the waiting game on a trainer, regardless of what a recruiter may tell you.

Uturn2001

Thanks for your input...At Swift you don't get your certification paper until you pay off the $3,900.00 you owe them for school...you got to serve your time with them or pay them off yourself to get that.

I will just have to be a bit more patient ...like you said I will most likely play the waiting game just about anywhere...besides I want to finish what I started and as far as I can see Swift is no better or worse than alot of the other companys to get some experience under ones belt.

Mostly I was just wanting info on Crete ....you know keeping the options open.

I am just excited about the prospect of driving..have wanted to do this for a long time ...just want to get started learning the ropes.

Have always loved 18 wheelers...get stoked when I see one decked out..Pete or KW are my favorites but I like them all !!!!!!!!!!!!

From a complaint I read on another site, they make it rather hard to cheat on your logbooks.

I'm sorry but I have to say it "that is a dumb complaint" :roll: No offince

I don't plan on cheating ..I am going to log it as I do it! :)

Yes, please don't plan on cheating, but don't expect to run legal 100% of the time.

Why would I be offended, I think it's a pretty dumb complaint myself.

Swift
 

Same here I got done with them on the 6th of this month waited no mentor. I'm going with Transport America maybe not the best or worse but I need road time.

Swift
 

The coarse is PTDI I took the document and copied it. They refuse to give it to us until we run with there mentor. Atleast the one in TN is ptdi. I did get the copy before the decided to take our file from us. It was hurry sign here which I really didn't like. But I kept the certificate out and took it to the copy machine as did a couple others we kneww we would be waiting forever, we was class 534 and 531 was still waiting for mentors. Good luck.

Yeah, ooooo-k 8) You might sit at a few docks for 5 or 6 hours a couple of times and one might re-think that :lol: But seriously, the rules are there for a reason, especially for a new driver.

If its been a week, I'd wait a little bit longer. If they are answering the calls, then thats a good sign. Freight could be slow this month, they could have a lack of available trainers, or they just have a long waitlist for applicants. I know you must be anxious to get behind the wheel, it wasn't long ago I was feeling the same feeling.
LIFE:
To me 1 week= 3 days
To you= 1 week= eternity!


IT might seem like forever, but you've passed all the courses, classes, and certifications. Patience is a virtue :D

Lets just say I am going to try my best to run legal....I know from the way everyone talks that this could be a challange.

Still no word on a mentor.......down to pbj sandwiches :shock:

Might have to do some Welding while I wait......anyone need some welding done? I am state certified and portable :D

If I were you I would wait another week or so. Any carrier you go to will probably have you on a wait list as well.

The Swift Millington (Memphis) academy is PTDI certified, but as mentioned earlier Swift does not give us the paperwork until the school is paid for. I was in class 531 and my mentor (from the Menasha, WI terminal) picked me up in Memphis.....then he turned out to be a real butt hole and I asked to be removed from his truck. It took them another week to find another mentor willing to take me.

I have been with out income since the second week of August.... I did get the check for my first week and then this week no check. But I should be getting the checks regularly now that I am back out on the road.

Most of class 531 waited a week to get a mentor, some waited 2 weeks. Swift, and probably many other carriers, are VERY short of trainers. A lot depends on which terminal you are attached to. Some terminals have more available mentors than others. It also depends on how picky you were when they asked you what your requirements were. If you said "I'll take the next available" you should get out soon... if you need a smoker or a female........ well the wait could be longer.

Hang in there, put in your time at Swift, get that tuition paid for by Swift .... then decide what you want to do after that.

Thanks kuettel,

That's want I want to do ( do my time with Swift )...I am a non-smoker, and wasn't picky..will take male or female trainer...and Hope they are not a Butt hole :D .....I plan on waiting as long as I can....hope Swift gets on the ball soon.....I started school at KC last week of August, so I guess I haven't been without as long as you...I feel for ya :sad: Keep your chin up and I will too...good luck

Seems to me that if they really "gave a flip" they would have properly scheduled you to meet up with a trainer, or mentor....

Don't need any welding done...but if you get tired of waiting around, and you want to get to work with a good company that will get you on board with a "finisher" (trainer) and get you making money... Call 1-800-641-4748, ext 5718 and talk to Christine in Recruiting. The company is CFI, based out of Joplin, MO http://www.cfi-us.com and if you are interested, you can come over to http://www.cfidrivers.com and post questions and get answers about the company.

CFI does not pay its students poor wages. The student gets paid 26 cpm for every mile the truck is dispatched, and the miles are paid as "practical miles"..not HHG short miles. Additionally, if the truck is dispatched into the NE 12 states.... you would split the 5cpm premium paid for those miles. You would also receive 50% of any extra stop pay and any other pay that goes to the truck. Also, the "finishers" trucks are run and dispatched as "SOLO's", not team, so the finisher is in the jump seat all the time when the student is driving. I'm a "finisher" for CFI, and I can tell you that finisher's trucks normally run 3000 dispatched miles a week... do the math. :D

If you call Christine...just tell her my post here at CAD pointed you her way....tell her Skywalker sent you.... No money in it for me... At present I'm not working for them.... I'm on a hiatus to take care of some issues at home.

Thanks Skywalker

I took done the numbers and I am going to give Swift a few more days, If they can't get therer act togather I will take your advise, and see what happens.

Dirtclod

I'm not sure who does Swift's training in the KC area now, but I know it used to be Fort Scott Community College. If that's where you went, Crete does accept that school. From what I understand, you go out with a trainer for a total of eight weeks and it pays $500 a week. I think you go out for four weeks then time off then four more weeks and most likely with a different trainer each time. I work for Crete and am happy here. You can find all the contact numbers by clicking the link in my sig and feel free to PM me if I can be of any further assistance. Best of luck on the new career! :)

Ditto, I think you would be VERY happy at Crete. The think I like the most is I get treated with ALOT of respect.

Thanks Buckeye and FlyByNight,

Crete is on my list of carriers to check out