Crete info needed
 

I just wanted to get some basic info on Crete. I live in West Virginia and am eligible for their Mid-Atlantic Regional and also for a dedicated route listed on their website ( http://www.cretecarrier.com/fleets/p...t_virginia.htm )

Info wanted:
Power inverters - size limits? I have both a 1,500watt direct-wire and a 400 watt cig lighter
Idling - do they try to make you shut down?
Fueling - where is most fueling done (T/S or terminal)? Which T/S is most common?
Transmissions - Straight 10 or Super 10?

Any info about the 2 fleets I'm eligible for would be great as well.

Re: Crete info needed
 

Inverters no hard wire plug in only.

Trucks use opti idle so they run then they shut off only to turn on again then repeat this cycle throughout you break ...


They use truck stops /terminals just like all the other big carriers do...I think they mainly use pilots loves and maybe T/A's ...


transmissions are meritor 10 speed.

Re: Crete info needed
 

they also have 5 minute shut down if you are not using the opti-idle

Appreciate the responses. I guess I'd have to get used to the Opti-Idle - never had to deal with that before.

You can have a hard wired inverter but only if you buy it from Crete and only if you have them install it.
They charge something like $200 for the install. Wattage is limited to 700.

Crete uses mostly Pilot's and Love's with a fair number of TA's and occasionally a Petro. Terminals with fuel (not all have them) are always available w/o checking first.

They do keep track of your idling time even with the opti-idle and will let you know if they think your % is too high.

I have to admit, I dont miss opti-no idle at all!!!!! :D

Heck, I didn't know that. What Kind of Inverter?Brand?

Also, If you have a "note from your doctor" you are "allowed" one- for your breathing machine or "special diet".

If you have an Inverter running continously it will keep those 'cheap ass" batteries drained and your opti-idle will come in as a lifesaver....and the truck will idle most often continously. <----this is the real reason they don't want you to have a large one wired in--fuel cost. Not the 'burn down the truck" excuse.

How good of a job does opti idle do when it's 100 outside and you are trying to run the truck to keep cool...or do you end up in a RED sweat box. I see opti idle working well in the winter ,but it just seems like possible major discomfort in the summer .

if it's very hot or very cold the opti idle wont shut the truck off, then you get charged with too much idle time, opti idle really sucks!!

and what? they fire you for idling too much??

no they dont fire you, but you get negative brownie points. I heard they were going to go to apu's soon, dont know it's true

I can see that I'm gonna have to think hard before I switch over companies. Right now I can pretty much start my truck on Sunday when I leave and not shut it down until I come home on Friday. It's so easy getting used to sleeping comfortably, no matter what the temperature.

that's how I do it also, if for some reason I cant idle, then the boss pays for a motel

What's bad is that really the only reason I'm looking at changing jobs is because of the medical insurance. I make on average the same as what I'd make at Crete, I'm home every weekend, etc. But my medical insurance has a $5,000 deductible for one person. Crete's is a $750 deductible for just about identical cost to me.

I guess it'd be nice getting into a truck with less than the 800k on it that my current one does too.

And what happens when they "charge" you? Absolutely nothing. Its a non-issue.

except for the fact that the truck starts and stops on its own all night.

I used Idle Aire just to get a full nights sleep sometimes....

too much idle time and they have you shot. it's in the contract :D

they claim to trade the trucks off when they reach 500,000, but when I worked for them, my first truck had 700,000. then when the motor blew they gave me one with 400,000, so dont expect to get a new one, the guys with new ones had been there a few years. If they trade yours for new one, you dont get the new one, a senior driver gets it, and you get his. at least thats how it was a few years ago

I didn't expect to get into a brand new truck - never have. The newest truck I've ever been in was when I was at Celadon. My International had under 100k on the odometer but was a piece of crap. The bunk heater didn't work, it was extremely rough riding, etc.

Now - anyone have any info on either the Mid-Atlantic Regional or the dedicated route I posted. Would like to get an idea of what the hometime and average miles/week are like on them.

Some companies turn your trucks govenor down as a penalty
after they warn you about it.

i worked for crete for 2 months and got a brand new freightliner. 2 months after being released from my trainer............. figure that one out!!!

I've never had any problem with opti-idle. I simply set it and forget it. After pulling reefer, it's not an issue to me. I've never caught any flak at all about my idle time. I had a brand new truck less than six months after hiring on. I know they've been testing a few different APU's, but not sure if/when they'll go to them. I've heard a few states, namely CA & NY have been giving some with APU's a hard time for running them. I personally suspect when they buy new trucks they'll just buy Cascadias that have the no idle 10 hour battery system built in. Sorry, can't tell you anything about dedicated and only ran western regional for a few months and it was fine except the five CPM cut in pay to run it. Good luck! :)

Well if your married, you wont have a problem with opti-idle, hehehehe

you get used to it, no big deal.

Crete just took my truck from me to sell. I knew when it was given to me to get out of Bartlesville, that it would be traded within a month. I just took the looooonnnggg way from OK to Lincoln. It had 460,000 on it. I was put in a truck with 360,000. I'm a returning driver. The next move will be into a new truck. This has happened on all 3 starts at Crete. Good luck on your decision.

All the new trucks are gone, they handed them all out. My current truck has 570,000 miles on it and still running strong. The trucks are turned in based on age, not miles. They are currently taking in trucks numbered 28800+ or so. My truck number is in the very low 29000 range. I will be trading out soon, but most likely into a used truck that is in the terminal when my trucks time is up. I personally don't care if its a new truck, as long as it is a clean non-smoker truck.

It didn't matter if you were a new driver or experienced. The trucks were handed out on a first come basis. I signed on as an experienced driver and was given a truck with 360,000miles on it. When I went to orientation in Lincoln 3weeks later Crete was handing out brand new trucks to everyone.


NOW, to answer the original question asked in this thread.

As a regional driver you are payed less than a National driver. I believe it pays 39CPM to start instead of 41CPM that OTR drivers get.

You will most likely get fewer miles per week also, but that really depends on where you live and how easy it is to get you home. A realistic figure would probably be 2000-2500 miles/week, although I've talked to many regional drivers that have now problem getting 3000 mpw.

One positive about regional drivers is that they are preplanned in advance. You will know where your next load is going before you deliver the one you are currently under. Unlike national drivers that deliver their load and then send in an empty call before they know where they are going to be dispatched.

Regional drivers also deal with more live loads/unloads than the average national driver does.

The best part about the regional runs is that you will be home on weekends, and if you live close to a terminal or heavily traveled route you can find yourself at the house many times during the week. It really depends on where you live in relation to where the customers are.

Like any other company, you give up pay for convenience and home time.

Heck you got a new one.....my first truck had 730,000 miles on it!!!