CRST Contract Student

I am starting school in Dallas Texas as a contract student for CRST on January 4th 2015. I'm looking to find any other possible new students heading that way or current CRST employees. Students I'm curious as to how your feeling about school and possibly making a friend to see if we might make a good team for after training. Current employees I want your knowledge and experience working with CRST. I'm seeing a lot of bad reviews and need more info to see if I'm making a mistake with CRST.

Have you looked at any other training programs. I am looking into 3 at this time pam, celadon and roehl. almost signed on with USA

I am starting school in Dallas Texas as a contract student for CRST on January 4th 2015. I'm looking to find any other possible new students heading that way or current CRST employees. Students I'm curious as to how your feeling about school and possibly making a friend to see if we might make a good team for after training. Current employees I want your knowledge and experience working with CRST. I'm seeing a lot of bad reviews and need more info to see if I'm making a mistake with CRST.

I've looked into Swift and CR England but they were no where near the starting pay that CRST offered and no where near the miles. Plus my husband wasn't a fan of me driving solo. He doesn't like the thought of e driving cross country period but felt better about team driving. I guess I'm more so looking for opinions from people who didn't choose CRST why they chose another school and for experience from current employees to see how they like it.

Have you looked at any other training programs. I am looking into 3 at this time pam, celadon and roehl. almost signed on with USA

I am starting school in Dallas Texas as a contract student for CRST on January 4th 2015. I'm looking to find any other possible new students heading that way or current CRST employees. Students I'm curious as to how your feeling about school and possibly making a friend to see if we might make a good team for after training. Current employees I want your knowledge and experience working with CRST. I'm seeing a lot of bad reviews and need more info to see if I'm making a mistake with CRST.

Charlie, if you collect 1,000 opinions on any major company you'll find that 300 hated the company, 300 loved the company, and 900 fell somewhere in the middle. In the end you'll just be chasing your tail trying to figure out what to believe. Don't worry about collecting too many opinions on companies. It isn't going to help you much. Just worry about picking the company that you feel is right for you.

We have some excellent resources to help out:

Career Guide: Choosing A Truck Driving School

Career Guide: Choosing Your First Trucking Company

Article Category: Finding The Right Truck Driving Job

Article Category: Choosing A Truck Driving School

One place you will find some interesting insights is in our forum is the CDL Training Diaries where people share their experiences during training.

Finally we have a list of Forum Conversations tagged "CRST"

Thanks :) I did do extensive research when I picked CRST. My husband and I talked and we wanted a company that pays good. I guess I'm just letting my nerves get the best of me. It's hard going from stay at home mom to being away from the boys constantly while they're so young but I know this is what's best for my family. Thank you Brett for helping put things back into the sensible mindset. I apologize I'm just nervous about this new adventure and honestly more so nervous because I've never drove a manual transmission before lol I learned to drive in my husband's 2006 F250 Super Duty long bed lol

Charlie, if you collect 1,000 opinions on any major company you'll find that 300 hated the company, 300 loved the company, and 900 fell somewhere in the middle. In the end you'll just be chasing your tail trying to figure out what to believe. Don't worry about collecting too many opinions on companies. It isn't going to help you much. Just worry about picking the company that you feel is right for you.

We have some excellent resources to help out:

Career Guide: Choosing A Truck Driving School

Career Guide: Choosing Your First Trucking Company

Article Category: Finding The Right Truck Driving Job

Article Category: Choosing A Truck Driving School

One place you will find some interesting insights is in our forum is the CDL Training Diaries where people share their experiences during training.

Finally we have a list of Forum Conversations tagged "CRST"

You certainly don't need to apologize and you also don't have to worry about never having driven a standard transmission. Tractor trailers shift quite differently from 4 wheelers and the schools often find that people who have shifted 4 wheelers tend to struggle more than people who haven't because they have some habits they have to break or a misunderstanding of how things work. So no trouble there.

The most important thing for you to do at this point is get started on our High Road Training Program. Those are the materials you're going to have to learn to get your permit and endorsements and to do your job out there on the road. Here is how our High Road breaks down:

To Get Your CDL Permit:

• Rules & Regulations
• Driving Safely
• Transporting Cargo Safely
• Air Brakes
• Combination Vehicles
• Pre-Trip Inspection
• Driving Exam

To get your CDL endorsements which are optional but highly recommend:

• Transporting Passengers
• Doubles And Triples
• Tankers
• Hazardous Materials

Two sections we've built ourselves with info you'll need for everyday life on the road:

• Logbook
• Weight & Balance

Two sections for anyone considering flatbed:

• Cargo Securement
• New York State Coil Endorsement

Charlie has done her research:

I've looked into Swift and CR England but they were no where near the starting pay that CRST offered and no where near the miles.

Choosing an entry level truck job is like choosing your cell phone company: just very competitive. You take a look at all the features, which are similar but different, coverage area, and costs, then you find the best fit for your own needs.

You mention pay and miles are best at CRST. Pay may vary by a few cents per mile. But $0.02/mile is $40/week at 2000 miles, and I feel hardly worth the difference, considering the whole package. But there's more to trucker pay than rolling miles. And there's an upper limit to how many miles you can go in a week.

My point is that, taking in all the features of any company, it's still a hard choice. If you've spent much time reading posts here, you're seen many people ask "Prime or Swift?", "Roehl or May or Schneider" and such.

Looking at reviews on other forums, nearly all companies get "bad" reviews. The only "reviewers" motivated enough to post are the ones who were "wronged" by the company, and truth be told, it's 99% their fault anyway.

In looking for a teammate, it's great to look for a new friend ahead of time. Your best bet, though, is to go to class first, and talk it up with the classmates you meet. Being a lady, your choices might be more limited. CRST has a way to help match you up.

Keep in mind than driving means two people living in a small room - less space than your bathroom or a large closet, for days at a time. Mostly one will be sleeping while the other drives. It's more than smoking/not smoking, and its closer to being married than simply working at adjoining desks.

Your husband is concerned about you driving solo. Many women are happy to do that. The single woman topic has been covered quite a bit here. Generally it's not so bad.

Good luck on starting your new career with a new year!

When I did my research my biggest concern was pay and miles. I went with CRST for those reasons but also the fact that the contract length was only 10 months, they offered the best health insurance for my family, 401K, life insurance, accident insurance, paid leave, and I was told by the recruiter we get paid even when we aren't hauling anything. I see your point with the reviews primarily being from people who got themselves in trouble or fired. In the end I'm gonna listen to my gut go with CRST and am hoping to possibly blog some of my experiences and that maybe just maybe I found myself my career company. Down the road I may switch companies and try solo. I respect my husband's concerns but I feel I'd be okay. His biggest concern is I was raped a few years ago and not knowing where I'd be for how long between loads concerned him if I was alone. It concerns me too but I'd like to believe if I'm at a truck stop fellow truckers wouldn't turn a blind eye if they saw someone in danger.

It concerns me too but I'd like to believe if I'm at a truck stop fellow truckers wouldn't turn a blind eye if they saw someone in danger.

There are many ways, and you know them, to protect yourself. And I really believe if you were in trouble at a truck stop, and you could get that word out, justice would be served before the cops showed up.

Sorry just now seen this post... I'm with crst and on 1/21/16 my contract is up with crst and I'm going to stay with them.... Had a talk with my dm today and I got a better opportunity with this company next week... I hope anyways we will see.....

Feel free to ask any questions..