Profile For Stevo Reno

My mentor just told me CRST, has gotten stricter on their hiring process now. They are on the hair follicle testing crew now too !

Once they close and seal the doors, whatever happens to that load is on them! Almost ALL the loads we hauled (Fed-Ex/XPO/Target/UPS, etc) were pre loaded, drop & hooks.

Sorry to hear Bruce since you just got back behind the wheel sheesh. Wishing you a speedy recovery

Happy Birthday Mr Brett, and belated one to you too Bruce !

Just pick and use 1 or 2 study programs, so you don't get brain overload. My 1st co-driver from school was listening to others at school, all giving him other things to study with. I stayed up a couple nights til 3-4 am trying to help him. He got too much in his head, screwing him up when it came time to test.

Took him until his 4th try, to actually get it, and set him back 2 weeks in school finishing, because of using way too many app's etc. And Yes, I tried to steer him and others HERE, to use TT's valuable tools to no avail lol

Have been against all this covid BS since it began. Didn't wear a mask, unless forced to at recievers, or shippers. Pretty healthy, haven't had so much as a common cold, since 9/2014. After 2 years across the US, in all different kinds of weather, never had a single sniffle. I'm not a germ-a-phobe, worrying about the slightest chance to catch "something". Pffft we survived every other virus that's came out over the past 30+ years or more!

But am on the fence now watching, and waiting, because I have planned for years, to retire in the Philippines, and live a healthier life style, eating FRESH unprocessed foods etc. And, the nicer climate 70-95 temps. And be with my fiance, who's been waiting for me, over the last 2 years.

So, IF they stick with requiring the jab, to enter, then, and ONLY then, will I consider getting it. Hard choice, since I have pretty much been the type to not follow the herd, I dare to be different. Hopefully, over the next couple few months, it wont be an issue to be vaxxed for entry, with a negative swab test only.

Yupppp lol my goal is to make it at least to 90, 100 eh we'll see

1st off an ABS light on can simply be dirt/rust between wheel sensor and drum contact. Possibly from sitting, so driving a bit it "might" go off, or not if sensor just plain ole wore out. bad connector at plug possible. Your brakes will work fine as it does in your car with same issue. Just won't have the anti-lock action. If the lights on, after you try the key, on/off thing etc, might need to have it checked/fixed at fuel stop shop.

DOT is really all you need to worry about, IF pulled in for inspection. Been plenty of time we had this problem too, it either fixed itself, or we rolled with it as is (Only inspected 2 x in 2 years) passed each. The trailer plug could be an issue, but highly unlikely.

1 Fed-Ex trailer we picked up at their terminal, once we got 5 miles down the road the ABS came on. So we back tracked to have THEM fix it, since it was their trailer. Said problem was in the controller box, after they ran a scan, said controller box was the problem. We can wait to get things transferred to a different trailer... NOT ! They just unplugged the light, and on we rolled. Wasn't waiting for a cross load to a different trailer pfffft we got schedule to keep boys, we had no problems....

If you're driving,,,, I'd say "Look dude, I am at the wheel, it's MY CDL, not yours to protect" You said, you and another trainee? so I'm guessing you're with CRE ? lol 3 to a truck. So he is in it for the extra bucks. Believe me, if you have a problem with DOT or whoever, he will most likely throw you under the bus in a heartbeat, to cover his own butt!!

So I went to cheapest place in town $3.85 for gas, pull in 1st island next to store. Well, is a guy in a pick up with long trailer, so I can't access back pump. I sit patiently waiting on him. He musta paid $100 because after he filled up, went back in for his change. He did pump lot of gas, so I waited like 10 minutes, this place is always busy.

Well, as he pulls away, I pull forward so guy behind me can fuel. Well wouldn't you know it, some large hispanic woman is now in front of me inching forward, and honks at me. (my ex was hispanic ,n she had a big mouth!) Guess she expected me to give her my pump, sorry lady , the guy is behind me...As I exit the car, she backed up, turns to go around to another pump, I said sorry I been waiting for the pump already.

Well, as she turns, window down she calls me a F'in A-hole, so I replied yeah well "Fk you too beyotch !" She was pumping her fuel behind me on the other pump, and never said anything else LOL I was waiting for it! Now normally I am very patient etc, but when idiot people who talk smack, I don't sit by and say nothing back, when they just flipped my trigger. This whole covid BS, has sure made quite a few "Karen's" in the world Was wondering how long until I came across one hahaha well, today was the day.....

Didn't have that issue with CRST, I'd transflow our paperwork in, save it all, "just in case". Along with my notebooks, with all of our load info I'd write down. They never wanted any of it handed in.

Hold onto it all a couple/few months then burn it all on home time in the fire pit.

Lol new guy Copy/ paste my comment? it don't apply here lol whatever....

Well, my trainer was a lil weird about the lower bunk (from India) Nice guy. But I was NOT allowed on his bunk while he drove. I know it was against company policy, he was a new lease op. But it was, what it was. I figured I am only on his truck 3-4 weeks tops, and he drove fine, so I wasn't worried much.

Was few times, I had to grab the handle on the closet up top, but nothing bad. That thin pad wasn't too comfy, but I adapt to things easy enough. And I SURVIVED lol.......Me and my last co-driver just switched out our pillows, and sleeping bags etc. I did sleep on bottom when we were shut down, had added a 4 inch memory foam pad on top of mattress, so that helped a LOT

We got that message of miles per road etc but also a 2nd message with our 1 or 2 fuel stops en route. BUT I had a "secret" list of 60+ fuel stops across the country, where we could fuel anytime, since our Comdata cards, were always ON.

Mostly, the company used, was contracted with Love's, with a couple TA's & F.J./Pilots.... We always had the ability to make n choose our own routes. They wanted drivers to quit using route 54, thru Kansas/Missouri etc since some of our dumb drivers got tickets, or missed the small scale in Liberty KS, or whatever. Our DM said we could keep using that route, since we had done so, many times before no problems.

Landing @ the Love's in Tucumcari, NM @ the I-40 headed back to So Cal. Another of our fuel stops. We added stops ,we'd find all over the US @ Love's This way we didn't have to message dispatch to open our cards

I wear Skecher's sneakers, no problem with slippery stuff lol

Yep Bruce you are GOLDEN being past your retirement age, since you CAN earn as much $$$ as possible, without messing up your S.S. lol Had chat with my mentor, who is 66, about this topic, and he said that's correct.

Lower bunk mattresses are XL Twin size*

U-Haul truck ramps have ridges across the aluminum for grip LOL @ no stickers for 3 points of contacts is plain ole common sense.

I worked with U-Haul equipment off n on the past 15 years, and never fell off a step or ramp in any bad weather conditions. When I moved back to Arizona back in 2012, I road my motorcycle up into the back in the 26 ft U haul, and backed it off backwards (coasting) without busting my azz lol

My thinking/motto; "Those who can, DO. Those who can't, wish they could"

Well, if they are anything like CRST, they didn't give us a copy of said contracts. My mentors been driving for them 6 years, and has YET to get a copy of it, after LOTS of requests.....I do know that when CRST goes after people who bailed out before finishing said contract for $6000+ A judge said all they are legally able to get is ACTUAL cost of schooling. My case was $1500 for school, add in the room n board staying at the terminal during training (3 weeks) total should been approx. $2500 total IF I hadn't stuck it out 2 years lol

PLUS: After about my 13th month, I saw some weird thing on my pay. They added $375 to my gross, which put me in higher tax bracket to be taxed. Then they took back that imaginary $375. When I asked my DM about this crap, I was not told much. 2nd pay week, same thing, this imaginary $375 added, and removed again. Asked him AGAIN WTF is this stuff? Didn't get a real answer again.

So I send in QC message to management, THAT got my DM to call me right away! His bosses got that message(hehe I knew it went to them) THEN he explained it fully ! He said the IRS has to tax us for the cost of schooling, so that's what the $375x4=$1,500 was for. Since they had to show a "Value" of their training. So this proves the $6,000+ they try to get quitters to pay, is way more than schooling is.

But as has been mentioned here over the years, you can't get a college education for the cost of trucking school, and get a job out of the gate, making what your potential earnings can be, in trucking !!

It's much easier and less stressful to just FINISH your contract, then move on if that's what you choose, and be free of collections. In reality, time does fly by, and before you know it, you're free to change jobs and go anywhere else to drive.

That's my 10 cents lol

Semi's have better footing steps than moving trucks....Some add artificial grass etc to their steps as well to wipe their feet off.

Aren't you limited to earnings, while collecting social security Bruce? limiting your earning power, to not lose your benefits? Ya know the Gov'ment wants us all to be broke lol

PD save on taxes, I would've went to it if still driving, since we got that big CPM boost back in May, Would'a helped save paying big taxes weekly on income....60 cents a mile was a big boost in pay from 42 cents. So a full year at that rate I would have paid in BIG !

Yes CRST has 2 terminals I know of I went to the 1 here in Riverside,So Cal. was 3 to a room now think it's 2 big rooms. Other is main terminal in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. You get breakfast & lunch, dinner's on you.

Here where I went, you are bussed to the school in Fontana, Cal. @ 6 am SHARP lol Breakfast cafe opens around 5 am I think. Laundry/Showers/a game room, a movie room and 3 pool tables etc. 2 huge fridges n freezers for your own food storage in dining room. They run a van shuttle to a local Wal-Mart in Calif @ least Mon-Sat. lunch served at school, then bussed back to terminal, before 3pm. So you have plenty of free time (and only at school, Monday thru Friday) Plus they WILL accept your DOT physical you come with, or its given @ the school.

It was a pretty good experience I have to say, and you meet quite the variety of people! lol