Asked and Answered, May 24, 2024

Tim and Erick are back to answer drivers' questions about the state of the trucking industry, pay and benefits, equipment, facilities and more. Check out the latest episode of Asked and Answered. #trucker #trucking #truckingnews #supplychain

[@user-kb9ly1bx8g]

Please start ordering the Freightliner trucks with the fuel cap on the side of the truck instead of behind the sleeper. Many fuel pumps have the pumps offset and short hoses. This makes it very difficult to fuel.

[@Error-4-0-4-]

Yes please. Some times because of the way the pumps are offset you have to pull way up for the passenger side to reach and then the def wont reach without backing up.

[@DG-mo5kr]

Personally I like the new Denver drop lot. Probably the best drop lot we have that’s not a terminal. Nice and big. Good gravel. Fence d in and safe. Good lighting. Good location. Easy to get to.

[@LawrenceHanson2]

I just found out there's a New new drop lot. When the paved one we were in near Golden kicked us out, they got this one on the other side of Denver. It was not what I'd consider easy, it was small, a busy train track right by it... I did not like it. Unless that one is the one they've settled on, and I never saw the interim one... it's good to know that there's possibly a different one to check out.

[@DG-mo5kr]

@@LawrenceHanson2 The Denver drop lot is anything but small. You have all the room you will ever need. Once you go there a couple of times you will see it’s easy to get there and more convenient to stores like Walmart and restaurants than the other drop lot was. Yes there are train tracks close by.

[@farrukhisrar]

I am working at Crete as a Driver for 2 years . No regrets! Best Logistics Company

[@adriansear3518]

Thank you both for taking the time to do these and the weekly video updates. No other company does this, and it is a shining example of what makes Crete Carrier so different from every transportation company out there. Keep me posted on the negotiations with Paul, too. 👍😂👍

[@alejandroesparza9323]

I am from El Paso, TX and in that drop yard it gets bad most of the time for the last 2-3 years, they double park their trailers blocking other trailers in actual parking spots. Our (suppose to be) parking spots at the back they're always taken. They have 3 rows for bobtail parking but normally the park 6-7 rows blocking partially for any trucks coming in to the yard. They even park their trucks in the employee parking area (cars). Normally tuesdays and wednesdays are the best time to safely maneuver in their yard. I hope Crete finds somewhere easier to drop (and drive in) trailers safely.

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

Thanks for all that valuable information!!!

[@jimmywayneoconner9225]

Question guys, if we can be trusted with a $200,000 truck unsupervised, but if the shop closes in 30 minutes and I need to run to Walmart, why for the love of all that’s good and kind can we not get a drop box for the keys?

[@edwardantrobusjr2253]

Safety classes. It doesn't matter where they are, it's my experience, the planners find out you want to go to one, they route you in the opposite direction. It has happened to me many times, including this past week.

[@LawrenceHanson2]

My experience is when they find out you want to go ANYwhere that isn't necessary, they send you in the opposite direction. Or, if you press the issue, "punish" you by making you layover for a day.

[@edwardantrobusjr2253]

@@LawrenceHanson2 Not just not necessary. I'm overdue for an A service. And just like every other times, they keep me away from terminals. Over 33 years, I've worked for 7 different trucking companies. Crete is just as bad as the others about operations keeping trucks away from terminals when due for service.

[@genehart404]

You say to go to our shops for inspections and repairs because they are more through,, I agree If they get it in the shop,, or do what is wrote up the first time,, it's discourageing to have to put it back in shop for repairs that were not done on a t1,, I put delivery off a day to do this which puts my pay out,,, it's wrong

[@edwardantrobusjr2253]

On the ThermoKing vs Carrier reefers: I've been pulling reefers for more than 27 years. Almost 20 of that at Shaffer. It's my experience, the ThermoKing reefers use noticeably less fuel. They are also less noise making sleep better. I noticed, you never mentioned driver sleep... In 27 years, I've never had to take a ThermoKing into a shop for repair! Carriers, many of them .

[@mikeandpennymorenzetti3965]

Same here, I've been here 11 years, I love the thermo King. 👍👍👍

[@truckingames6120]

New drop yard in Denver is awesome! Better than the last

[@LawrenceHanson2]

Once not long ago... Driver: "Can Shaffer drivers get reimbursed for the loss of time on all the live unloads" Erik: "Shaffer drivers get an extra milage pay to offset the lower miles" Now. Driver: "can Shaffer pay for parking on loads that deliver at night" Erik: "Shaffer drivers get an extra milage pay to offset the extra expenses" Lol. Which is it. Do they get extra to compensate for lower miles, or to reimburse parking and other expenses?

[@ronss1]

trucking rates are horrible today..be glad they dont reduce ur pay like other companys

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

Or layoffs…

[@user-kb9ly1bx8g]

No company installed cameras! Dash cams are cheap. Go buy your own.

[@LawrenceHanson2]

I agree. Never volunteer to give a company more control. Get your own camera and control it yourself.

[@45Thunderbird]

I miss when our company trucks could run a keurig if you just let the engine run. Now it just hardtrips the inverter regardless. Sure was nice.

[@shamelesstruckin5789]

Pay is not fair at Crete 😢not keeping up with inflation and cost of living at all…..

[@jexmarro9]

Still better than any other place I’ve been at

[@AdamGbl95]

​@@jexmarro9"where you've been"

[@jexmarro9]

@@AdamGbl95 Wittie Bros, Trans Am, STS

[@ramblingbill9101]

Sorry I disagree. I’ve worked for Crete for 16 years. In that time my mileage pay has increased 68%. That is an average of 4% per year. Not too many companies come even close to that.

[@DG-mo5kr]

@@arielstrother1 Inflation is not Crete’s fault. That is over spending in Washington. Remember that when you vote. Trucking as a whole is not that great right now. Many trucking companies and drivers not making it right now. Until the economy gets better and trucking as a whole gets better you are not going to see any base pay increases from Crete. They only increase base pay when they need to compete with other OTR companies and hire more drivers. It’s going to be awhile before we see any base pay increase IMO.

[@truckingwithcrete]

Well explained in the fuel efficiency Tim. Great information 👍

[@Joshuatl23]

As a driver. How can i become a driver that is able to test new equipment. I would like to test a epu

[@chasedooley6237]

Great video, lots of interesting questions. I just applied today and spoke with Tammy - very excited to learn if I'll be heading to orientation soon! Fingers crossed!

[@kevinmason9265]

Good luck great company to come on with I’m Midwest regional love it onboarding is pretty intense

[@glennfoster8707]

Great company, considering going

[@TheJoyofTrucking]

Hi Foster! Nice to see you here!🎉

[@earlytoorise]

The Shaffer drivers need reimbursed for parking. That was a generic answer.

[@charlesparillojr.8649]

Crete has the greatest benefits around. However, I was wondering if they offer life insurance, thank you

[@CreteCarrierCorporation]

Life insurance is optional. Please call our benefits department at 800-998-8005 if you have any questions.

[@dennisembry3161]

If you have a APU close your curtains and the APU will work fine

[@SannarClaus]

Shaffer had a Great Lakes regional reefer fleet a while back… I called recruiting to inquire about it and they didn’t know what I was talking about?

[@mikeandpennymorenzetti3965]

It's Midwest regional now

[@grovedwayne390]

Crete is a great company. Pay for regional division is fair and consistent. 10 years of driving, and i appreciate this company.

[@charliewhite3992]

No what he is talking about when you go down the hill it goes into what they call economy mood which is putting the transmission in neutral or shoving the clutch in which is illegal according to DOT no one has been able to explain it to me yet since 2015

[@brianb5384]

Wrong dot gave the manufacturer a exception to put it in neutral or e coast for fuel economy. The computer can put the truck back in gear vs a human with no experience.

[@LawrenceHanson2]

I've never heard of an economy "mood". 🤣

[@bearsteinquist5130]

What's the starting pay for a dry van driver with 10 years experience?

[@CreteCarrierCorporation]

Please call our recruiting team at 800-998-2221 or visit cretecarrier.com.

[@QFrankdatrucker]

Can we please get a 4 cent raise 😂

[@LawrenceHanson2]

_4 cent raise _New indi terminal _increase the 5% match to a 6%match on the 401k. If you had to choose just one of these, which?

[@QFrankdatrucker]

@@LawrenceHanson2 4 cent raise lol

[@LawrenceHanson2]

I dunno. Even at 140k miles/yr a 4 cent raise would be $5,600 a year. Or $100 per week The extra 3% match would be triple that, + tax free if you retire. And a new Indi terminal? Priceless.

[@BobbyDon8]

​@LawrenceHanson2 You get something better than a match. It's profit sharing.

[@LawrenceHanson2]

@@BobbyDon8 It amazes me how often the concept of "in addition to" fails to register.

[@user-kb9ly1bx8g]

No apu. I don’t want to deal with the noise.

[@LawrenceHanson2]

Yes apu. I'm tired of dealing with the on/off avalanche-like feeling of the opti idle. And the excess heat generated by the exhaust when it kicks into regen during a battery cycle.

[@abidinadiallo9398]

Do you hire O/O?

[@TerraFirmaX]

yes they do

[@dennisembry3161]

Yes been O/O for ten years

[@briankeller5602]

Looks like crete carrier is getting tik tok famous.

[@robyn2344]

Please no APU's

[@LawrenceHanson2]

Why? Because sleeping in a truck that does a regen while you try to sleep is any better?

[@jasonking5710]

You charged your drivers for prepass

[@mikeandpennymorenzetti3965]

No drivers could get them and pay for them ourselves if we wanted to, now the company has drivewaze on the computers

[@axiom.ai.obviousbattletank7139]

Layover pay.