Crst Experience And Truth

Hello. I am currently in CRST facility and have gotten my permit. I have been seeing people getting kicked out over pretty much anything. Has anyone debunked CRST. I would like to know the full truth. Do they purposely try to kick people from there co tracts to pay the 7000 school fee? This one makes no sense but is it possible for CRST to withhold your license until you get all 10 months in after contract signed?

Is CRST worth sticking with?

I hear nothing but bad things.

Am i stuck in this contract.

Has anyone completed the CRST contract?

Please let me know any pros and cons about this company.

Over 20 rollovers and accidents in the last 2 months makes you wonder, and every time i ask a trainer about these rollovers they ignore the question. I just feel like something is being hidden from me. I was also threatened to get booted due to medical and i had to do all the work that the recruiters should have done. Contacting CRST's doctors and mine they even hid the fact that my DOT medical cards was sent to them until i made them listen to the recording of me and there doctor on the phone saying i was approved for driving.

Hope this all makes sense please give feed back.

Thanks Mike And a bunch of other CRST recruits

Hi. First off, be aware that all company sponsored training will eliminate students during orientation. Orientation does not mean you are hired or entitled to the program. It means you were invited for an interview and the company weeds through those with bad drug results, bad driving records, legal issues...or even just bad attitudes. If you went to an interview for a job, would you automatically think you have the job? Would you expect the company to hire everyone interviewed?

Crst does not with hold your license, but they make it difficult to get hired elsewhere. But that is the contract you signed (if you did). It is recommended to stay at your first company a full year. Stay the year, complete the contract then move on if you like.

Rollovers...well...its been a bad bad winter. My company had four in one week due to the wind recently. I doubt anything is being hidden from you. Students are nervous enough without having juicy details about accidents. Do you really want to see pics and videos then get behind a wheel?

Drive slow, give a good following distance, and turn wide. If rollovers scare you that is how to prevent them.

As far as you getting information from your doctor, that is your responsibility. The HIPAA law states that it is not the recruiters business what your medical issues are. You could have signed a release for your doctor to submit documents to CRST doctors and I'm guessing that isnehat you did. Why would they hide your medical card? Misplaced or be disorganized I can understand, but you sound a little paranoid.

You obviously did no research when choosing a company. Have you researched the trucking life in general? There's some great links on this site to help you.

Has anyone debunked crst. I would like to know the full truth

The full truth is that a lot of subpar people show up for an opportunity to get through one of those training programs and they have to be weeded out. Some will lie on their application, some will fail the physical or drug test, others will just have a horrible attitude and work ethic. And you will also find no shortage of whiners and complainers throughout that place - current drivers, current students, incoming students - the industry is rife with complainers.

All you have to do is focus on you. Listen closely, learn all you can, have a great attitude, and work your *ss off. That's what they're trying to find - the handful of people who are serious about this and are ready to take on the long list of challenges this industry presents. You have to show em you're one of the good ones they're looking for.

If you can find one or two others that are as serious about it as you are then stick with them and work together to help each other get through it. Stay positive, avoid the groups of complainers and crybabies, and focus on learning this new trade. You'll be just fine.

Keep us updated, will you? We'd like to know how things progress for you.

Has anyone debunked crst.

Michael, I actually have experience at this!

I debunked Western Express, a company that has just as much bad internet reviews as CRST.

I found out the "whole truth," and it was that a bunch of people who didn't have a clue about how to succeed in, or even get started in, trucking were the ones making all those ridiculous claims. I built a great foundation for a very successful career at Western Express, just as many others have at CRST. In fact we've had several of our members here make a great start at CRST.

Sounds like many of the people who arrived at CRST lied on application, about background, driving history, ****ed hot and failed to do appropriate research and studying prior to arrival. I went through Prime myself but there are many, many drivers out here who were trained and succeeded with all the major companies, CRST included. You get out what you put in, same as every other aspect of life. If you actually want to be a driver, stick it out. As for accidents and rollovers, think about how many trucks they have on the road at any given time, every company has their share of them.

I am a trainer at CRST. Like all large carriers, CRST walks the fine line between maintaining standards and keeping butts in trucks. As a trainee, their standards seemed capricious and arbitrary - sending people home for seemingly minor things and keeping people who I wouldn't have in my home, let alone hire to work for me. There is a method to their madness though. The trainee with FIVE FELONIES and the prospective co-driver with a murder conviction (to be 100% truthful he pled it down to manslaughter) both TOLD THE TRUTH FROM DAY ONE and got hired! The driver who backed into a few trucks at truck stops and the driver with a misdemeanor conviction both, "forgot" to disclose these things and got sent home!

I successfully completed my contract. No, they don't withhold your license, you need that to drive one of their trucks. Their contract terms are different than most companies. You repay the cost of your ticket to truck school and the cost of your meals at truck school and that's it - the rest is forgiven. You drive for 10 months and you are free to walk away. Many trucking companies just provide an interest-free loan that requires you to make payments over a year or more. That said, if you don't meet the terms of the contract you signed they offer you the choice of paying back the amount in full or coming back to CRST to honor the contract. The terms of the contract you signed includes a non-compete clause. If you work for another company before completing your contract CRST will sue that company for violating the terms of your non-compete agreement. The other companies know this and will refuse to hire you until you finish your contract.

While the hiring standards seem harsh, as a trainer I'm thankful that all the problem children get sent home before one of them gets on my truck. I've never had a trainee that was less than reverent on my truck and I'm sure that's why.

Trucking is a dangerous job. In 2014 (most recent year that statistics are available for) 880 drivers died while trying to operate a CMV. CRST's safety record is about average for a fleet their size.

Does CRST have shortcomings? All companies do! A total of FOUR terminals to serve the lower 48, a medieval attitude on alcohol (your truck has been in a wreck and is 300 miles away and 10 days from being repaired - we might need to drive another truck in an emergency so stay sober or we'll fire you), getting an RO to have your truck worked on is like pulling teeth - you'll swear Maintenance had to search under the sofa cushions in the lobby to get enough spare change to pay for your truck's repairs to justify the wait. Do your time, learn what you can and be thankful that someone gave you the opportunity to start in this industry even if was just CRST.

Today is your lucky day. I'm at the CR terminal. I'll be glad to address your concerns. Look for the laptop next to the pool tables.

There seems to be a lot of different opinions on crst.so I would like to give mine.i already had my CDL a license but I needed refresher training.i talked to the crst recruiter and she said that I would have a 10 month contract.What she didn't tell me was that it would cost 6500 dollars.i guess I should have asked but I didn't.i found that out when I got to orientation.i figured I could make enough money to survive.after four and a half months I made about 5200 dollars.my mortgage alone is 1000.We went on home time for 2 days and then had no load for a week.no paycheck.no layover pay.that was the last straw.i got hired by another major carrier and quit crst.They asked me if I had a contract and I told them yes but they still hired me.keep in mind I have a certificate from a trucking school.it worked out great I was able to stop the financial bleeding. About a year later crst sent me the bill for 6500 or go back at.30 cpm and finish the contract.i didn't pay them because for one thing I don't have the money and for another thing they didn't give me 6500 in value.Then recently I found out my co driver got released from his contract without owing because he had taken the summer off to work his business but when he went back to orientation they told him he was out of their hiring area.he still lived in the same place.So three points to make here.crst did not enforce the non compete agreement.they still haven't gotten anything from me.and I still am working.My advice to people is try to get your license from a school,and possibly get tuition reimbursement from the company that hires you.just make sure you understand the sacrifices trucking takes.do your research.it pays well in the long run but you work hard and it's long hours.that being said crst may be OK for someone with no money to get started.each situation is different.if you got your license from their school your probably better off sticking it out if you can.but if you have some experience or if you have financial obligations like most people stay away.You probably won't make more than 12 per hour your first year and it could be less.so keep that in mind.i recently saw a crst ad that said 74000 to 100000 a year.After 1 year.dont believe that because that's an outright lie.the company I work for company drivers with 3 years experience get .45 cpm average 58000 per year.thats for a six day work week.lease operators with this company tell me they can make 1000 per week profit.in closing I know there will be those who find it easy to criticize those who bash crst but put yourself in the shoes of someone who has been roped into their program then can't make enough money to pay their bills or support their family.you would be better off with a 10 dollar an hour job.at least you'd be home.

I completed my contract with CRST. If you don't plan on finishing the contract don't go to the school, why would you expect them to be ok with that?

It's not the companies fault people roll trucks. Pay attention in class and make good decisions on the road.

Lots of people go to the school just to turn around and quit, I knew in advance what I was in for and had planned according. Read on this site and see if you are or are not prepared to live with trucking. If not CRST will not baby sit you.

i recently saw a crst ad that said 74000 to 100000 a year.After 1 year.dont believe that because that's an outright lie.

It is not a lie, but it is somewhat misleading.

There is most likely an little * in the advertisement, letting potential new hires know that this is $74,000 is paid to the Truck/Team. Which means it would be split, so the actual take home would be $37,000 to $50,000 per driver.

Go to joincrst.com you can judge for yourself.it says 74000 after 10 months.is it company driver or lease.Crst needs to be more honest in the recruiting process.the tuition cost is not mentioned. They should let people know exactly what it is they are selling.a little goodwill and honesty goes a long way in business. Otherwise you lose credibility.If you have to put in the ad that's not a typo what does that tell you?.lol