Crete Carrier Corporation - Lincoln, Ne.?

Shaffer is a reefer division of Crete, not sure about Hunt, no it is not JB. There are diferent companies out there with similar names.

At one time Crete and Shafer had a good name on the street by treeting their drivers good, but I have not talked with any of the drivers for some time. It won't hurt to talk to either of them.[/code]

 

I went through orientation at shaffer late in September.I was speaking with some of the drivers there,and they told me I was coming aboard at a good time.Apparently the owner of Crete spends alot of time in DC,but also keeps his eyes on the bottom line.His son in law is President,and CEO of the company as present.I was told that in July this owner flew into to Harrisburg,PA,and visited all the terminals in that area,and flew all the terminal mgrs out to Nebraska.Half of them didn't return to the terminals.A major shake up had taken place.The owener had received word about the increase in driver turn over loss of certain accounts.

Although the son in law is CEO at the time it is believed that if he continues his present course he too will be relieved of his duties.I was told that the company is returning to ways it use to operate.The orientation teams would set each driver down,and ask them series of question of where they like to run,how hard,home time etc. Then they would build a route around that driver as opposed to building the driver around the route.If they return to this which is what I'm seeing myself Crete,Shaffer,and Hunt(not affiliated with JB) will become a carrier that others will want to get on board with.

 

HUNT is the Owner Operator Flatbed Division.NO Relation to J.B.Hunt at all.

 

Duane Acklie is currently heading the American Trucking Association, and is the owner of the Acklie Companies, which comprise Crete Carrier, Shaeffer Trucking, and Hunt Transportation.

As the poster offered, he does spend time in Washington these days, and in fact has done some fine things for the industry with his involvement there. He is a man whom I totally respect, and came to know informally when I was leased to Crete in the nineties.

His son-in-law, whom I also came to know, is cut from a very different cloth that that of his father-in-law. Tonn Ostergard is not well liked for the fact that he doesn't quite value the drivers like Mr. Acklie did.

I'm pleased to hear that there has been a "shake up" of things. What I had been hearing lately is that they have indeed lost many long time drivers, because of changes that Mr. Ostergard invoked.

Maybe things are indeed turning around. Their announcement that they are now going to pay drivers "practical mileage" is a fine start. I've noticed over the past two weeks that others are following suit and are doing the same, as a way to draw interest to their companies.

 

Which brings up a question I have been asking of late. What are "Practical miles"? Anybody actually have a definition? We all know what Hub miles and Book miles are.

To me, and I may be wrong, Practical miles is just another new term designed to ensnare new drivers with false promises.

I strongly believe that Hub miles or percentage are the only way to be paid.

I'd not heard the term in a 20 plus year career until I got XM radio. It seems many of the crap companies are promoting it. Crete is the only halfway decent company I have heard it from.

 

Practical miles is basically being paid running a practical route instead of running the shortest route. Its actually much better than book miles but not better than Hub miles. For example,the shortest route from Dallas,tx to Salt lake city,Ut is 1200 book miles,which is running mostly on Colorado
backroads. The practical route,however,would be running hwy. 287 to I-70
and then up I-25 to I-80,which ends up being about 1300 miles which is 100 miles longer but a much better and quicker route.

 

"Practical mileage" is the phrase for a mileage determining methodology that has been a part of ALK Technologies, the maker of PC Miler since it's inception. The program is now the most widely used standard by which mileages are calculated between points, and it became so when the Federal Government recognized it and adopted it for their own use. PC Miler replaced the old and hated Household Mover's Guide, issued by Rand McNally.

PC Miler has, or did at last check, three methods of calculating mileages. 1) The shortest mode, 2) Practical mode, and 3) National Network (i.e. truck routes).

The shortest mode is much like the Household Mover's Guide, which basically routed the distance by the shortest route possible on ANY roads.
Practical routing is much more feasable, because it takes into consideration eliminating as much two lane travel as possible, and sticks to major routes that are most likely negotiable by truck. Of course, National network routing would ONLY route a trip over roads that trucks are DEFINITELY allowed on as set forth in the STAA (Surface Transportation Authorized Act).

Trips that are routed in the shortest mode are usually 10%-13% off compared to what a driver would actually drive, because they are more likely to take practical routes. Practical routing usually falls closer to around 5% or less, and is much closer to what a driver will travel between points, so in essence, it gives a driver a pay raise and it's without question, quite a bit more fair.

Actually, this one is on the up-and-up, and it's long overdue. The companies that are offering it are going to snag some good drivers as a result of it, and Crete Carriers gets credit for taking the first step. I noticed that a couple other companies have placed advertisements in the rags and will offer it to drivers in the near future.

Hub miles are great, but not many companies that have irregular routes will ever offer them. Why? Because there are too many mistakes to make, and no one wants to pay for them. The companies that do offer hub mileage pay, are usually those with definite dedicated runs, and they will hold the driver to the letter of the law in terms of out-of-route mileage.

Percentage pay is only good if the company that offers it, is honest and forthcoming in their dealings. When you have percentage pay, it's far too tempting for many people, to shave a little here and shave a little there, and the driver or contractor can get screwed....big time.

As I've attested many times over the years, I worked for a company near my home that legally took ten percent off the top of the gross freight rate amount, by brokering every last load to themselves. They set up two fax machines in separate offices in the same building, and took brokerage amounts off the top, and paid on the 90 percent that was left. They are still in business, and still doing it. It's legal, but it's dishonest at the same time.

 

I have done alot of research and am convinced that Crete is the company that I want to go to work for. I live 50 miles from Lincoln, Ne but they also have a terminal in Council Bluffs too. I have researched training schools for my cdl and think DMACC (Des Moines Area Community College) has one of the best training programs out there. I think Crete will hire from this program (it is PDTI certified) My question is: Is there a driver for Crete that will refer me to them if they pay a referral fee, someone might as well get it because I personally don't know anybody who drives for them. Thought it wouldn't hurt to ask. Thanks!!!!

 

I used to work in the Council Bluffs terminal's shop. I can say that the turnover is minute for drivers, and most who left came back.

There saftey standards are amazingly high (admitedly high enough that it annoyed drivers on more than one occasion. Higher than D.O.T. regulations that's for sure.

Annual D.O.T. inspections are done bi-monthly on trailers, and monthly on tractors. Oil changes on tractors at 30,000 instead of 100,000. All the equipment is very well taken care of.

All that said, watch out at the Knoxville shop, they have a history just letting things go. (Just saying double-check so you don't get fined) But even considering that, they have an amazing maintenance dept.

All-in-all it's a company that I can say I was proud to work for, and is my target after I hit my 1 year mark.