Profile For Junior

Update: CRST Jacksonville (JTech)

Week one done. Passed General, Combo, and Airbrakes. Yipeee Did straight line forward and back.

So far a good experience.

Looking forward to week 2.

I have been doing a lot of research trying to determine where I want to start my Truck Driving career. I have no money available for private training so I have decided I am definately going to one or the other. I'm hoping I can get some guidance from currently employed CRST and / or Swift Truck Drivers. Any information provided is going to be very much appreciated. I am really concerned about making the right decision that is going to affect my future. I have a Florida CDL permit and plan on getting my DOT Medical Exam within 2 months of going to school. Have planned out my financial budgets for each company and made the necessary preparations. I live in South Florida so some companies don't hire in this area. I am a very dedicated person so once I start anything, I go all the way.

My main concerns are:

...

4) Is the training at CRST actually paid for by the company or do they take out the money out of my check every week?

CRST (Jacksonville Florida class) pays for:

Bus trip to school - $40 - $120 Hotel Stay - ~$840 (Breakfast at Days Inn Baymeadows [mon-fri = bagel, coffee, and banana] [sat-sun = waffles, yogurt, banana, juice, coffee, bagel, cereal, and muffins] J-Tech course fee - $2995 (Lunch [not terrible, not great, think school lunch] served mon-fri, you will be responsible for sat) DOT Medical Exam - $50 CDL testing Fees - $7 to $48 So almost $4000

After six weeks of employment they will take $40 per week out. You are under contract with them for 10 months. So they will get 38 weeks worth of payments for a total of ~$1500 if you complete the 10 month contract. However, if you break contract they will collect $6990 from you. Not a bad deal if you stick to it.

5) What school will I attend if I go to Jacksonville, FL for CRST? Is it completely paid for up front?

Jtech - http://jtech.org They collect no money. You will only need money for dinners, and weekend lunches.

6) Are meals actually provided at the traing facilities or not? I love to eat all the time. All 142lbs of me.

Breakfast is at the hotel, and lunches are at the school. You will not have time to eat all the time (grazer). You will be in class until lunch and then back to class until you leave. Did not bother all 300 pounds of me.

7) Is the possibility of getting a new truck with less than 100,000 miles?

More than likely you will get a truck with much less than 100,000, but you will not get a current year truck until you build seniority. Keep in mind these companies retire trucks at 500,000 to avoid the huge expense of the engine overhaul at the 500K mark. I hear it cost on the order of >$20,000.

8) How do you get your HazMat endorsement if your're constantly on the road?

You study on your phone with an app called DMV Genie and read the book. Then when you get hometime you go to your DMV and take the test.

9) When I go for my physical, what actual excercises do I have to preform. (pullups to lift my own weight?)

No pull ups or anything like that. The only physical movement you will need to demonstrate in the DOT will be a duck walk (look it up, it is a football exercise and not difficult to do) because you will need to crouch under the trailer to check the fifth wheel. You will need to be able to climb a ladder and such, to be able to get in the cab of the tractor.

Any input anyone can offer will be great.

I hope that helps

Why do you think it would be a hard way to start out my career in teams?

Team pay is paid by the miles to the truck - you guys will split it. So... if you have a co-driver who just isn't a very good performer, guess what? Let's say you drove 2800 miles one week, but your lazy partner only managed to do 1500. Your truck did 4,300 miles - not bad, until you realize that you did the lion's share of the work, and your partner got half the pay!

What if he is a slob, doesn't care to take a shower, and throws trash all over the cab of the truck, leaves his banana peels on the passenger seat while he's driving? I have rescued some really nasty abandoned trucks in my day, you won't believe how nasty some truck drivers can be. You are living inside what is basically the size of a good closet, and a team truck with a decent team doesn't stop much at all. You sleep while he drives, he sleeps while you drive - that is the way it is supposed to work. Team driving is a dynamic concept for the freight business, but it has realities to it that can really be tough. Those realities are what I'm referring to.

Got ya, thanks. I will look out for that stuff. I am not the neatest person, but I do not like to live in filth, so I will make sure that I match up with someone like me. Hopefully, I can find them before I go nuts. LOL

I just have a question for you. Are you aware that you will be a team driver at CRST? That is a very tough way to get this whole thing started off right. At least in my opinion it would be.

Hey Old School,

Why do you think it would be a hard way to start out my career in teams? I thought it would be good to start. Mind you, teams is definitely not what I want in the long run. I actually have my eyes on Raven, or Knight solo in the long run. Maybe even OO.

But that's why I am asking you guys for advice, I am very green!

KNIGHT KNIGHT KNIGHT!!!!! What?? Just sayin'.....

I applied to Knight, and talked to their recruiter, but they had no school close to me. I would have had to go Arizona. Then I would have to deal with Florida DMV to transfer the CDL-A to Florida, and if you know anything about Florida Man, you know what a PIA that could be.

If you think I am in err, please let me know, I have until Monday to change it up.

I just have a question for you. Are you aware that you will be a team driver at CRST? That is a very tough way to get this whole thing started off right. At least in my opinion it would be.

I know its a team house. I think I will be able to put up with it for 10 months. I will bite that bullet, for a better future.

I am a late comer to the career, 48. Have a wife and 4 kids (two in college, and two in there teens). I know it will be hard for the next year, but I am sick and tired of being laid off in the technology world. You know, build something and then sales screws the pooch so the company has to close up, stuff. So I decided to pursue trucking. I researched all the options, but I need company sponsored, so... My final choices were P.A.M., Cypress, and CRST. Cypress was more regional (South East), so I thought I would not get good driving experience in the long run. So that brought it down to PAM and CRST. CRST edged out because of the technology packages in their trucks. I know I will make a little less than at PAM, but I think I will be ok.

Anyone have any advice for me during school, orientation, and co-driving? I would really appreciate it.