I worked for CRST for one year. I had good times and bad times. Things out of the drivers control have to line up in order to be successful. A good dispatcher, Co-driver and miles which they have few and far between, unless u kick back to the dispatcher in which you have to be introduced the game. CRST VAN EXPEDITED is a team company, which means two drivers share driving responsibilities. I had couple Co- Drivers who did not pull their share so I requested a new Co-Driver. Both times it took about 10 days for a driver to meet up with me, all the while I was not paid anything. One would think they would come up with a better system, after so many years in the industry.
I always had trouble getting reimbursed for Toll Roads. I drove NJ and NY several times in which the toll cost me more than I made for the trip and I was never reimbursed. When I was never paid back for the tolls I was paying them to drive their freight which they made money on. Drivers talk about this at the terminals a lot. When you take in account they have 6,000 drivers and they short them by paying them late on tolls or not paying them at all it adds up quick. The average toll I paid to go in and out of NJ was $125.00. The average pay for the CRST VAN EX driver is .10 a mile when its all said and done 3000 miles $300 6000 $600. They promise drivers in orientation about .34 miles for one yr Exp.
Unlike reputable companies you do not see your payroll stub until your on home time. The reputable companies show your long form pay check on the QUALCOMM on payday. They put charges on you from a month ago non reimbursements the tricks go on and on. If you do not have a ledger you will be ripped off and when you confront them with proof they have words like unauthorized (your dispatcher told you to take toll road and you tried to get reimbursed they dont recall authorizing it) and you cant do anything about it. I had one good dispatcher at CRST VAN EX the dispatcher gave the truck 6,000 miles every week for about a month then he was fired for some reason. That keeps in line with their modality. It is common place to sit for 5 days with no load waiting on a load and not be paid layover.
For every heart wrenching story of an American looking for work in these troubled times. There are companies like CRST Van Expedited to take full advantage of Red Blooded Americans; For every report filed on here, I have talked to a dozen drivers with heart wrenching stories of losing the house and car so they are trapped working there, for they have no place to call home now its gone and CRST VAN EX took it with their empty promises of pay and a better life Traveling the country and being paid for it. I have personally talk to dozens of drivers who are now on social assistance for the first times in their lives the irony is he has a full time job and is gone for a month at a time I could see a man striped of all his pride of not being able to provide for his family and listen to his child on the phone saying daddy I miss you when are you coming home. There is a reason CRST VAN EX was in the black for a cool $150 million. They are playing 3 cards Monte with the payroll. There needs to be a Federal investigation. I plan on sending e-mail to the attorney General of my state and ask the local American Legion to get involved.
I read some of the rebuttals for CRST VAN EX I can tell they are from the Dispatchers and office people. I was appalled at the descrimatory remarks making fun of they way one American wife spelled and her sentence structure, it just goes to show the callus nature and lack of humanity that CRST VAN Expedited has. The IP address can be traced back to Cedar Rapids . If youre a driver you need to contact UPS and Con-way and let them know who they are doing business with contact public relations department 404-828-7123
John Smith
Cedar Rapids,#2Author of original report
Mon, October 12, 2009
It just does not end with this immoral company. I was at the truck stop this weekend, doing some CB work on the side. I met four CRST Van Ex drivers out of Cedar Rapids, IA. They told me more horror stories about low pay and not being reimbursed for authorized tolls. A driver told me he only made $75 last week and that was gross pay. I pop in and out of the Truck Stop a lot. I always see dirty CRST trucks stuck there in prison. They only authorize truck wash every 2 months. There are only couple places you are "authorized" and can't be under a load. I was there a year and was never allowed to wash truck. The company is hard to quit with out them dinging up your Dac/USIS Report. They will slam your reputation.