CRST Exit Oppurtunities???
Topic 24596 | Page 6
Smart C, your concerns are warranted and I am glad you are doin your research here, however, If you do go with CRST, make sure you stick with them not just for the contract period but make sure as I stated in an earlier reply on this thread, for one FULL YEAR. That way many more doors will open up for ya if you give us one year of CLEAN drivin. I hope you will read my diary and my posts on my journey to become a Senior Lead with CRST. I am livin proof that if I can do it, ANYONE CAN DO IT. .
Request Granted: How I Feel About Teaming.
IMPORTANT Update: Another LEGENDARY Goal Of Mine Met, Plus An Explanation.....
TRAINERS, LEAD DRIVERS, MENTORS, Whatever Yall Are Called, I Want To Hear From Yall......
The Culmination Of My Journey So Far.
Divine Intervention In Truckin'....and Also Some Updates Regardin My Students.
Another Couple Of Milestones Truckin Helped Me Reach.
MAJOR Changes With Me But Definitely For The Better.....:
Ok Smart C. if you REALLY want to join CRST, read every post on those 8 Above links. I call them the Big 8. THOSE is what CRST has done for me. Those are proof that no matter what, if you have Commitment, Motivation, A MAJOR Drive to succeed, and have what it takes to be a Top Tier Driver, then those things can happen to you also. Also take a look at this:
A Summary Of My 1st Year In Trucking And Why I Returned - Article By MillionMiler24
Brett started that thread just after my 1 year anniversary with CRST. In there contains a link to an article I wrote right after my 1st year was done. I am still with CRST to this day and I wont leave them ever. The only way I will leave them is by leavin this Earth. I love them THAT much because they have done SO MUCH for me and I continue to work hard, train the drivers of tomorrow and try to make the truckin industry a better place to be.
Smart C. If you do still decide to come to CRST and know what it truly takes and you REALLY believe you can handle us, then my friend, I wholeheartedly wish ya the absolute BEST of luck. Just make sure you are an INFINITE % SERIOUS about this before fillin out that application and speakin to a recruiter.
Also speakin of that, dont let recruiters start spittin out numbers at ya. Truckin is a PERFORMANCE based industry as OS and Brett have stated on NUMEROUS occasions. The numbers recruiters give ya, you can make that, however you HAVE TO PERFORM and be a TOP TIER DRIVER. That is what a lot of people startin in this industry fail to understand and thats why so many dont even make it 90 days in this industry.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Can someone explain why CRST is mainly team-only? Wouldn't that hurt their bottom line, since it's turning a lot of applicants away? I don't get it.
Austin asks...
Can someone explain why CRST is mainly team-only? Wouldn't that hurt their bottom line, since it's turning a lot of applicants away? I don't get it.
They run a lot of priority, expedited freight with demanding delivery times. A team truck can run from Port Elizabeth NJ to the left coast in less than 3 days, 2.5 if all goes well.
That type of freight commands a premium rate with a higher profit margin.
Austin asks...
Can someone explain why CRST is mainly team-only? Wouldn't that hurt their bottom line, since it's turning a lot of applicants away? I don't get it.
They run a lot of priority, expedited freight with demanding delivery times. A team truck can run from Port Elizabeth NJ to the left coast in less than 3 days, 2.5 if all goes well.
That type of freight commands a premium rate with a higher profit margin.
I see what you're saying, but I figure they would still make more money offering non-expedited freight delivery in addition to expedited.
Austin asks...
Can someone explain why CRST is mainly team-only? Wouldn't that hurt their bottom line, since it's turning a lot of applicants away? I don't get it.
They run a lot of priority, expedited freight with demanding delivery times. A team truck can run from Port Elizabeth NJ to the left coast in less than 3 days, 2.5 if all goes well.
That type of freight commands a premium rate with a higher profit margin.
I see what you're saying, but I figure they would still make more money offering non-expedited freight delivery in addition to expedited.
There is always a but...
CRST is a very successful company with an operational and business model that works for them. If you don’t think “teaming” is your cup of tea, look at other options:
As a wanna-be driver, questioning the “why” of how the big carriers operates, is somewhat futile. Try to focus on this stuff...
- Truck Driver's Career Guide
- Brett's Book: The Raw Truth About Trucking (free online version)
- High Road CDL Training Program
- CDL Practice Tests
Good luck!
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Austin asks...
Can someone explain why CRST is mainly team-only? Wouldn't that hurt their bottom line, since it's turning a lot of applicants away? I don't get it.
They run a lot of priority, expedited freight with demanding delivery times. A team truck can run from Port Elizabeth NJ to the left coast in less than 3 days, 2.5 if all goes well.
That type of freight commands a premium rate with a higher profit margin.
I see what you're saying, but I figure they would still make more money offering non-expedited freight delivery in addition to expedited.
There is always a but...
CRST is a very successful company with an operational and business model that works for them. If you don’t think “teaming” is your cup of tea, look at other options:
As a wanna-be driver, questioning the “why” of how the big carriers operates, is somewhat futile. Try to focus on this stuff...
- Truck Driver's Career Guide
- Brett's Book: The Raw Truth About Trucking (free online version)
- High Road CDL Training Program
- CDL Practice Tests
Good luck!
I'm just curious about their business model, doesn't make a difference to me either way. I'm currently training with prime, thank you for the links though.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
I'm just curious about their business model
In this line of business the customer will almost always go with who can move the freight the cheapest. Many companies will specialize in things in order to seperate themselves from the pack. Some carriers do intermodal , some do heavy haul and some do JIT (Just in time)/priority. This Is just how CRST has chosen to try to capitalize on a portion of the market. From what I've heard they also have solo drivers but that's primarily dedicated accounts.
Intermodal:
Transporting freight using two or more transportation modes. An example would be freight that is moved by truck from the shipper's dock to the rail yard, then placed on a train to the next rail yard, and finally returned to a truck for delivery to the receiving customer.
In trucking when you hear someone refer to an intermodal job they're normally talking about hauling shipping containers to and from the shipyards and railyards.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
I'm just curious about their business model
In this line of business the customer will almost always go with who can move the freight the cheapest. Many companies will specialize in things in order to seperate themselves from the pack. Some carriers do intermodal , some do heavy haul and some do JIT (Just in time)/priority. This Is just how CRST has chosen to try to capitalize on a portion of the market. From what I've heard they also have solo drivers but that's primarily dedicated accounts.
Oh I see, so it was just a way to carve out a name for themselves as the expedited freight company, that makes sense.
Intermodal:
Transporting freight using two or more transportation modes. An example would be freight that is moved by truck from the shipper's dock to the rail yard, then placed on a train to the next rail yard, and finally returned to a truck for delivery to the receiving customer.
In trucking when you hear someone refer to an intermodal job they're normally talking about hauling shipping containers to and from the shipyards and railyards.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Not just that...i just wrote a long explanation and it froze.
I made the following figures up as an example.
Basically...if a truck costs $3000 per week in operation and has a revenue of $5000, the net revenue is $2000.
that same truck with only adding an additional driver cost could then generate $10,000 as a team with an operation cost of $4500. Thats a net revenue of $5500.
So by running team, the net revenue increased by $3500 per week.
The solo truck will make nothing for 4 to 5 days on home time. The team truck could be run solo if only one driver takes home time. And this does happen a lot
Prime has solo drivers but MOST lease ops (which is 75% of the company) run teams with spouses/partners or TNT train as team. Why? because training is great? In part, but teaming brings in Hi Val.loads and expedited which pays more.
You will notice a push for drivers to eventually train. Why? Its all about the benjamins. The TnT drivers are getting paid less than a full team, so prime is making even more money than i stated in the above scenario.
Think about it... one truck, one set of operation costs, that can run the miles of 2 trucks by adding only one additional driver pay without adding another truck payment, insurance, QC and safety equipment etc.
It makes sense when you understand the business.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
TNT:
Trainer-N-Trainee
Prime Inc has their own CDL training program and it's divided into two phases - PSD and TNT.
The PSD (Prime Student Driver) phase is where you'll get your permit and then go on the road for 10,000 miles with a trainer. When you come back you'll get your CDL license and enter the TNT phase.
The TNT phase is the second phase of training where you'll go on the road with an experienced driver for 30,000 miles of team driving. You'll receive 14¢ per mile ($700 per week guaranteed) during this phase. Once you're finished with TNT training you will be assigned a truck to run solo.
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I left a piece of the back story out that is kinda relevant. Originally they had me on a different load. I had called the shipper earlier and that load was ready. When I was about an hour out from the shipper is when they changed loads on me. That is why I was so upset. I could of stayed out, got some good miles, a 34 in at a location of my choosing, instead I was stuck at a hole in the wall dirt lot with barely in cell signal.
Shipper:
The customer who is shipping the freight. This is where the driver will pick up a load and then deliver it to the receiver or consignee.
OOS:
When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.