Back again for more advice

by NickV
(San Antonio, TX)

Well I have come to yall for all my advice and I always get back great feedback so here comes another fast ball in the sweet spot.

Been with CRST for 8 months now, recently went to lead driver (trainer) status. I know, scary right. Anyway, I have had my fiance working the angles up at the local T/A and got two good bites. Wondering what I should do.

There is one that is a flat bed job which I want to get into. I will have a semi new truck which I have been told has a few problems I need to keep an eye on as far as oil and tires. I will get 25% of each load. Will still be driving under the CRST label but it will be for a guy that has trucks leased through them. No benefits, paid under the table, but will gain experience and have a guy that works for him that says he is only going to stay there a little longer to pay off his truck and then he is going to go on his own and buy me a truck. Kinda like a life long investment that route.

Also he says even if I dont go with the guy I will be getting my checks from he said when he opens his own place I will be first on his list. THEN, today another guy walked into the shop and is looking for a driver here in San Antonio. 30cpm, under the table, no benefits, says his drivers get an average 3000miles a week which rounds up to about 900 a week.

Think we all know you cant trust em about the miles but i dunno. Small company, hauls JB Hunt trailers. 98% drop and hook, 3 truck fleet. Sounds maybe like something I can do til the other guy gets his flatbed thing going. Really dont know what to do. CRST has me up to .31cpm right now training but its pretty nerve racking, absolutely no sleep, and making any good money for your first 2 weeks of training is close to impossible so the raise doesn't really work out.

I know I need to make a decision and to make things even more complicated I have a tractor here at my house from me being on hometime so I will need to figure out some way to get CRST their truck back so I dont have a abandonment on my d.a.c. I have heard from plenty of people that CRST is a great place to get your training and a little experience but as soon as you get a chance to bail cause things dont get better.

Anyway, hope yall can give me some insight as to what you think and the advice is always appreciated.