Comments By Hiram E.

Based on the advice here and other research that I did, I joined JB Hunt a few weeks ago. I am on a dedicated account for a regional grocery superstore chain. I get 500+ miles/day, 5 days /week. The orientation was miles ahead of my previous employer with good info and great accommodations. If I get back to my terminal in time I can even go home at the end of my shift!. (with the weather up here this week that is a little problematic, but will change with better weather). So far, so good....

After a year on the road and now training new drivers for CRST I am thinking about leaving them and going to JB Hunt. I have no issues with CRST...I get good miles and am treated well. I really enjoy training and love driving OTR especially west of Chicago. Considering the switch for 2 reasons...

1. Home time- my wife would rather see me for 2 days every two weeks than four in a row after four weeks.

2. Money - even though I am making double today what I was making in the first few months, the offer from JB Hunt seems to be significantly higher pay.

The offer is for a regional job ( 6 states in the Midwest ) and home every other weekend. I know better than to believe most of what a recruiter tells me...so I thought I would see if there are any others here that could tell me if JB Hunt is worth the move.

Our trucks come with a fridge and a CB antenna. There is ample storage space. I have added satellite radio (I would lose the fridge before I drive without my satellite radio. ..lol). I also have added GPS, CB, and a crockpot. Pretty spartan...but we don't sit much as a team so it works out pretty well.

CRST is indeed team driving almost exclusively. My driving partner and I have been getting 22000 - 25000 miles in a 4 week month out. We have Hazmat and seem to be moving under load all the time. We have a terrific dispatcher. I did almost all my research regarding starting companies here and was well prepared for all that I experienced from day one.

It is absolutely forbidden here at CRST. Call your safety department and they will have your back. If they like your trainer you may get moved but your status with the company will be ok. If it isn't. ..find another company. Riding up there is almost always a fatal mistake in an accident.

I can answer CRST specific questions. The info on this website is spot on though. I went to a CRST approved school in Michigan.I was very prepared for the whole process based on everything I learned on TruckingTruth!

I agree about finding the right fit for you...

I was very wary of the team concept. ..I like being alone or with family. I talked with a few current team drivers about how they liked it. The biggest and best advice I got from that was to find your partner during school or orientation. ..you will have more of an opportunity to determine if you want to spend a LOT of time with him/her. My co-driver fight like an old married couple but we get over it pretty quick and continue to work for our common good.

Yes with CRST you can take the truck home. They only want to know where it is and that it is secure.

It's been a while since I posted last. I went to Springfield last October to start with Prime. Unfortunately , I was sent home to get a medical issue cleared up and documented. It would have taken me several months of specialists visits to get everything they needed. I couldn't wait that long so I went with my second choice....CRST.

They put me in a school only fifty miles from home so I was able to do that and finish up medical. The med issue was too minor for CRST to be concerned about.

I completed school and received my CDL in early January and after a day to celebrate with my wife it was off to Cedar Rapids during the coldest week of the year for orientation. Made it through that process and was assigned a trainer.

After driving for 10 hours in a rental car to OKC... I climbed aboard the trainers truck for my 28 days of training. Thanks to all the advice on here , I expected to be challenged and I was definitely not disappointed there. It was a harrowing trial by fire...but I am a better driver for it.

I am just beginning my second month on the road after training and I am loving it so far. Every trip is a new challenge and we keep piling up miles.

If any of you want to know more about CRST...let me know. I am not a cheerleader, but I am not a hater either.