ALL TRUCKING COMPANIUES SUCK !!! - DON'T FALL FOR THE BS !!!

Yup! I said it...

And I said because I fell for it! I've done quite a bit of research over the last six months, and I've been especially focused over the last two of those. I chose CRST to begin my training with (and hopefully employment with) partially because they seem to have things that really appeal to me and partly because (thankfully) I was pretty much brushed aside by two other companies before I had even made up my mind about ANY company.

So, off to Google, I went and began my crusade to intimately learn about this company and it's training. And it is precisely at this point (I am quite embarassed to admit) that all common sense completely went right out the window!

My background is mostly in computer-related activities (both professionally and as a hobby) and I've spen the last few years specifically dealing in web retail and digital marketing. And one of the first things you learn about marketing on the web is that there will always be 500 people with complaints or derogatory commentary for every one person with an (unpaid or unincentivized) positive review of something.

In the online world, people are always far more willing to complain than to compliment. And life experiences, such as CDL training, are no different. I know these facts very well. Yet, for some unholy and unknown reason, the very thing that my life revolved around for the last few years, just went right out the window. Poof!

On auto-pilot I gravitated toward every negative review I could find on the web about CRST. I'm sure there are some positive reviews out there, but with my blinders fitted neatly over my eyes, I was determined to find every ounce of dirt out there about this company. And, as is often the case, I found an abundance of exactly what I was looking for. Ironically, had I been searching positive experiences and glowing reviews, that's probably all I would have found.

I was convinced I had settled on the bottom of the barrel. I had chosen the worst possible company in existence! Now, to know me is to know that would not discourage me in the least. Conversely, it only strengthened my resolve. I don't backoff challenges simply because they're tough. My two favorite words in the English language are Bring It!

The last two weeks I've just spent reading and studying on this website. And I've start to notice a very common theme in forum postings around here. People come here and ask specifically negative questions about a company or school, or they leave specifically negative comments about a company or school. And then someone will chime in and remind them not to fall victim to all the negative hype out there.

First off, the thing I've seen most is the warning to not believe everything you read. The next most popular thing is advice not to mistake someone else's experiences for your own. And these are the very things I was doing... If I honestly think back on all of the written and video reviews I've come across about CRST, I think the majority of them were authored by people whom, for one reason or another, felt wronged, cheated, or mistreated. Yep, every one of them had some point of contention that they felt they needed to set right. And they were gonna let the whole world know (or even better, they were going blowout and sensationalize) their story beyond belief.

I've tried to apply those great pieces of advice as of late, and yet somehow in the back of my mind I seemed to hold tight to my resolve to just get through what was promising to be such a horrible training experience on the horizon. I can't explain why such insanity has seemed to afflict me up to this point, but I can pinpoint EXACTLY what shook me out of that counterproductive state of thought...

CRST Expedited Trucking School and training program Cedar Rapids, IA. A (re) training diary by millionmiler24

Yup! I've spent part of last night and part of this morning going through the training experience of millionmiler24 at CRST. And I've been left with a mix of elation and embarassment. At this point, I have to apply those pieces of golden advice ( the warning to not believe everything you read and the advice not to mistake someone else's experiences for your own.) However, I can't help but feel like I'm looking forward to this potential training opportunity so much more today than I was yesterday. I'm still quite determined to face all of the challenges. And I don't think things will be any harder or easier for me based on someone else's experiences. But my thoughts have begun to shift from an ordeal that I have to get through into rather a privilege that I must earn my way through daily.

So, I've written this horribly long novella to remind the people that are just beginning their research to temper the results and keep yourself grounded. And for those of us on the path to earning our CDL, I wrote this to emphasize the power and importance of contributing your experiences here on this site - especially in the diary section if you can spare the time! While your experiences will always and only remain yours, those experiences may just give someone else the encouragement or temperance they need to illuminate their path.

Yes, we know...

Web of Lies and Misinformation

CRST absolutely has some top notch training at their school in Cedar Rapids (right behind my company's terminal lol). Their drivers come away with some excellent skills for sure.

The biggie with CRST is that they are a TEAM company. No solo drivers. The other thing, because they got tired of training certificate drivers who would just up and quit (training IS expensive for any company), they have a requirement to drive for them for a period of time so they can recover their investment IN YOU. Makes perfect sense to me. If someone doesn't honor their contract obligation, they'll have a hard time finding employment as CRST will not release that all necessary 160 training certificate, if you leave and owe them money from an unfulfilled contract.

So as long as drivers know that going in, it's all good.

West Side Transport, even though we don't have a CDL school, is also contemplating a training contact so we aren't training new drivers for other companies. It's becoming much more common in the trucking industry.

Enjoy your time at CRST, fulfill your contract obligation and you'll get top notch training and come away with some mad skills. And avoid those terminal rats at all costs!

Yeah, listen to this if you haven't already. It talks about one of the biggest problems new drivers face and will help you understand where all of the negativity is coming from:

Episode 10: Terminal Rats Are Derailing Trucking Careers

Yes, we know...

Web of Lies and Misinformation

* face-palm's self *

Yeah, I wish I would've found that article sooner!

I didn't for a second think I was sharing anything new or original, not at this place where you folks have probably seen and heard just about everything from everyone. The cumulative years of experience at this site (and I single out this site because I consider the community here to be of a higer standard than some other sites I've visited a few times and nevere returned to) but the sum of years and experience at this site is staggering, to say the least. So, didn't presume I had breaking news, lol.

But I've learned a great deal here about things you won't find in any trucking manual. And I've learned it because people shared... Sometimes embarassing, sometimes humorous, but they took the time to post it. (And usually in less words than it seems to take me.) So, it was kind of in that same spirit that I wrote all that. (Oddly, I'm good with marketing, but but not so great with expressive writing!)

And failing all else, it's now one opportunity more for someone to find the Web of Lies and Misinformation article that I wish I had read sooner.

Enjoy your time at CRST, fulfill your contract obligation and you'll get top notch training and come away with some mad skills. And avoid those terminal rats at all costs!

For sure! I certainly can't blame them (or any company) for taking reasonable defensive measures. There are so many training opportunities out there, and so many people that show up with ill-conceived notions, expectations, and sometimes even a feeling of entitlement, that I can't even fathom how many people quit or wash out every year. That has GOT to be a lot of money for these companies. So, to lose someone who actually made it through all the training... Yeah, can't blame them at all.

I know that, in reality, there simply has to be far more good trainers than bad ones. (From reading a few of your posts, there's even some really GREAT trainers out there!) So, I'm just hoping for the best if I get that far in the process. And then fulfilliing the obligation is just part of getting that mandatory first-year under my belt, sort of just finishing my last 10-months of training, if that makes any sense. I'm really looking forward to all of it!

Yeah, listen to this if you haven't already. It talks about one of the biggest problems new drivers face and will help you understand where all of the negativity is coming from:

Episode 10: Terminal Rats Are Derailing Trucking Careers

Yes, sir! In the last two days, I've come across a few podcasts here I want to catch up with today. Thank God it's suppsoed to rain today!