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CRST Driving School

by James V
(Bronx NY)

I'm looking on going to crst driving school. Signing an 8 month contract and driving for them. Do you guys have any advice? Should I go or not?

Comments for CRST Driving School

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Aug 23, 2016
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Crst training NEW
by: Anonymous

Ive trained more than a few driver students at crst,i recommend trying to train at roehl or crete,but not crst,england or swift.just my opinion.At Rhoel,your trainer will make certain you can map without gps,their very particular that you follow their route.

May 29, 2016
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How many drug test they do befor you go otr with trainer i lnow they do one the first day will there be another NEW
by: Anonymous

How many drug test they do befor you go otr with trainer i lnow they do one the first day will there be another

Jan 31, 2016
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almost like piramids workers NEW
by: Anonymous

what century is this away for 120 hours per week not paid for over time not paid for time like codriver etc in comparison to europian standards like night and day especialy in canada amnesty international must check the situation since goverment does not give a f

Dec 02, 2015
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I Do not know about the military 25 % NEW
by: Anonymous

I do not know about the military 25% i was going with CRST but i change my mind because i do not apply to be driving trucks teams and thats a team company job so i went to another company that shows concern thats Schindler they really tell you everything you need to know

Dec 02, 2015
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INFO NEW
by: Anonymous

Can someone verify the CRST pays vets more because of time served in the military. I am told that they calculate 25% of your time served is counted toward driving experience. I don't understand how that works. Can someone educate me on this process

Nov 05, 2015
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I found a lot of useful NEW
by: Anonymous

192.168.1.1 Thanks guys

Oct 15, 2015
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CRst NEW
by: Anonymous

Well I pass all the test to get my permit have not did road test now hearing so much bad about crst dam near not about to do road test only $120 in the hole with them because I did not had to get a room stay where the school at so what you think would another company hire me and train me with the road test

Oct 07, 2015
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CRst NEW
by: Anonymous

Well I stared my third day with School for Crst I didn't have to get know room because I stay here in Texas leave on 25 of this month 4 days orientation then 28 days with co driver ,I Do know they have us schedule for that I think this class room is like 23 of us I think in all 26 so its wild and if my check don't look right and I don't come home like I suppose to after 28 ...you know the rest

Oct 07, 2015
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Nice NEW
by: Dan

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Oct 05, 2015
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Nice NEW
by: Dennis Davis

Way cool! Some extremely valid points! I appreciate you penning this article and the rest of the website is also very good. Also check my latest article http://blog.gradguard.com/2015/09/10-job-search-resources-for-college-and-beyond/

Oct 03, 2015
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Going to contiental trucking school for crst NEW
by: Souljaboss

Going to conentinal trucking school want stay in a room my house 4 weeks training I do know after school I will go two weeks with a co driver after that how long will I stay out 2 weeks home time or ????

Apr 20, 2015
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CDL NEW
by: Anonymous

Yes it is simple to obtain your CDL thru crst . BUT it's not free. After you start driving with your co driver (not trainer) they take $40 per week out to pay it back. If you quit you have to pay back 6000. I'm currently employed by them. In my honest opinion. Don't come here. You will run great with your trainer but when you get out with your co driver, you will have crappy runs and no home time. If you do join. GOOD LUCK you have a long 10 month contract ahead of you.

Apr 09, 2015
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new to truck driving NEW
by: Anonymous

Im looking to go to crst next month and i just have one question is it easy to get your cal through them and do they actually get you your cdl any feed back well help me

Apr 08, 2015
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6 months at CRST NEW
by: Anonymous

I went to the driving school and signed the contract at the Riverside terminal in California in September 2014. It was easy and the people in orientation were pretty nice. Waited for my trainer for about 3 days(he was on home time). Then we went out for a week and I got to go home because he wanted to go home for his birthday(he was an owner oP)Thern we went out for aanother9 days and my training was over. In those about 16 days I was on the road with my trainer I brought home about 1700 dollars at 25 cents a mile. Then I got with another student who I met at the driving school where we got our license together. They gave us a brand new 2015 freightliner itwith only 7 miles on it. But my codriver left about 2 weeks ago when we went for home time and its hard to find a new codriver. Overall the company is great. If you talk nice to your dispatcher and take the loads they give you with no hassle they treat you great. I heard other people i made friends with in the school turn down loads for whatever reason then after that their dispatcher always gives them trouble. Just take your loads and they will get you home on time. Do what they say without complaining and they will like you and help you out once they get to know you. You can't expect to be fresh of the trainer and be telling your dispatcher what you are and aren't going to do. It doesn't work that way. In at 33 cents now at the 6 month mark and making about 1100 a week.

Mar 21, 2015
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Crst NEW
by: Glen

I'm not sure way everyone hates crst. It was a good place to start trucking. You get out what you put in. Free training was great and the contract was only 8 months. My trainer was awesome! Jermaine an owner operator. We ran lots of miles and the money was decent . Once on my own with another codriver it was a learning experience. I had a very good fleet manager Reese. He was very good about keeping us running. We usually only had problems with the weekend dispatchers. I stayed there for almost 1 year. With the experience I was able to get a local driving job. So why does everyone bash crst?? It's a great place to get experience . The year went by fast and was well worth it for me. Now I'm making over a grand a week driving local and I have weekends off. I sure the people that bash crst couldn't hold a job anywhere

Sep 16, 2014
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CRST NEW
by: Anonymous

So i started driving with CRST recently. I just finished my 28 days of driving with a trainer (who happened to be an owner operator). In the 28 days i got paid roughly $1,700 ($200 of which was from orientation). So in that aspect i did fine and that amount of money has been a pay raise compared to what i was making for the last 6 months. I got to see states i never would have thought to travel to, and have met a few good people. For me personally, i expected things to be miserable; sleeping in a moving truck, not showering every day like im used to, and eating at a truck stop. Things turned out better than i thought thanks to my trainer (who was actually very intelligent about trucking) by giving me little tips along the way. Its about being flexible and not so thick headed.

Saying that, and i know y'all were waiting for it, here is the bad experiences i had with CRST. First, we got a truck assigned to us that had a laundry list of problems that they were reluctant to fix, but did so after it sitting untouched for 3 days. Even then it still had some electrical problems. Our dispatcher was as smart and people friendly as a box of rocks. All he and his team cared about was the load and us running miles to make money. Yet he would have us sit for a day or more while searching for another load. When my trainer was sick and in need of some medical attention, they blew off his request for a day home to see the doctor and sent us across the country. (My trainer still saw his doctor after countless hours of arguing with me and him). Finally, every time we asked about home time for me after i had finished my obligation for training, they all of a sudden had a load waiting at our destination that was headed back across the country and completely ignored our request, even though we had sent them in with ample time. At this point i realized they like for you to just lay down and accept what they tell you, as if you are a toddler. So i stopped that real quick and TOLD them i was going home for a few days, and that if they have a problem with that, they know where to contact and/or find me. A day after getting home i get a call from my dispatcher and told him no more childish games or i will not be returning to work for them. So we shall see how this goes.

Moral of this long winded story is, be flexible, somewhat intelligent, willing to put in the hours, and not lie down for their shenanagins, and you will do just fine. Even then, i still have a feeling they will either try to make you into something big, or try to make you quit.

Nov 15, 2013
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Money NEW
by: Anonymous

I've agreed to take the challenge I've always wanted a cel my kids are basically grown and when I'm away the can always stay at gradmas and she loves it so I can be gone as long as I need be I go to ceded rapids sat the 16th but my concern is that I haven't worked much in a month and was looking for work when I seem the crst ad I've slept in my car and been homeless basically I'm just broke to be honest they say they will feed me but what happens if I don't have the money to pay my permit that they are to repay why can't just pay for it I don't Mind paying the back but what will they do with me if I can't pay

Nov 05, 2013
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Crst driver training program NEW
by: Joseph sanfilippo

I joined Crst 6 months ago my trainer was an owner opp bought me dinners lunches rented hotel rooms - awesome trainer very patient I couldn't ask for a better trainer however in the training I was making 400$-500$ a month but after traing my checks was barely 350$ mostly the struggle of funding a co driver I was getting frustrated I was approached by a driver for John Christner trucking ( JCT) I was told I will earn 1500$ a week and I would be able to drive a brand new truck- my first load the old international which is mostly what they drive ! - this old equipment broke down 3 x in the first month then the 2nd week I sat in a pilot truck stop for 5 days !!
My checks were in the negative I have come back to Crst there is no perfect trucking company but Crst actually cares about their drivers jct is an awful company run from jct and join Crst ! At first you may not earn the big bucks but you will soon enough I'm now earning 42 cents pm

Jun 04, 2013
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RUN SAVE YOURSELF NEW
by: Anonymous

STAY AWAY FROM CRST DON'T GO NEAR THE PLACE!!!!

Sep 18, 2012
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How do you handle bad dispatchers
by: Mom of a new trucker

My son is currently in training at CRST, and he's on the road with his trainer. His experience hasn't been to good.

Please tell me what do you do when you have a dispatcher who doesn't return the emails or calls when the drivers drop off their loads, and are waiting for a new assignment.

This dispatcher, when he decides to return the call, curses you, and proceeds to tells you how f'd up you are (pardon me)this was his dispatchers actual words to him, when he was trying to find out when he would be given a load that will get him back home in order for him to pick up his "hard copy CDL".

When my son signed up w/ CRST he was told that they would get him back to his home in order that he could pick up his permanent CDL license.

Is there a line of command? are dispatchers allowed to treat drivers in such an unprofessional manner? Please don't get me wrong, my son is nobody's punk, he is well capable of handling himself should the need arise, but as his mom, i'm trying to get him to handle tough situations in a more professional manner, despite the un-professional manner in which he was treated.

My son doesn't know that i'm even on here asking for advise on his behalf.

Thanks to all who respond!

Much love to all of you. Your jobs are tough,and demanding. We couldn't enjoy a lot of the pleasures that we have if it wasn't for dedicated truck drivers.

God Bless!

Oct 21, 2011
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christmas
by: aaron

so im coming down there on the 5th of november but wats my chances of getting home for christmas

Aug 02, 2011
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Let me Rub My Two Cents Together
by: Old New Guy

I started out in the industry 23 years ago and got my start with a big company. Stayed many years and became a driver trainer.

Had a opportunity to buy my own truck through the carrier and I managed to actually make some money, hell, alot of money for a Texas Boy who never got past 11th grade, but I done plum good for myself.

I had a opportunity to go to work for a entertainer tour company and switched from the big rigs to the big perdy rock n roller buses.

Got real tired of it after a very long time and decided two months ago to get back to the big rigs.

Problem is that I had no recent OTR as a trucker, buses don't count and the past is the past, does not count. So I find myself going back through a refresher training.

I have looked at all the big companies and CRST really stands out above all of them. I have learned over time that mileage is what counts. It is what your base pay is factored upon.

People talk about CRST pays .22 cents per mile and it's weak, shallow, not very good.

Let me say this. There is not much difference in .30 a mile and .22 cents a mile. .08 is not alot of money

You need to look at like this. CRST is taking you in and training you, and when you don't have to put up thousands of dollars on the front end, it's a good day.

Once you sign a contract or agreement to stay for 8 months, you are making a commitment and that is a commitment CRST is counting upon for staffing reasons, truck purchase decisions, fleet growth, sales and marketing. Alot goes behind the agreement you are signing.

If you sign and commit, then you leave, you should be made to pay back the cost of training. There is no free lunch in trucking. No one gives you anything, you have to earn it.

I am 45 years old and let me say this to you. Everything that is free is not always worth it.

Sep 08, 2010
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$$$$$$$
by: NickV

My advice to you is bring as much money as you can. Once you get hired on with CRST in orientation you can take pay advances which I would stay away from but you gotta do what you gotta do.

But you will need money for food during this whole process. Room and board are taken care of and depending on what terminal you go to for training sometimes they offer a small lunch for free. Cant ever have too much money on the road though so empty that piggy bank and bring it all.

Good luck to you and keep us posted on your new journey into the truckin industry. Congrats on your decision also. Takes a lot of guts to get through it

Sep 05, 2010
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RE: CRST Driving School
by: James V

Thank You guys so much for your input. I'm going to go for it and God willing all will go well. I have one more question... How much money should I bring with me?

Sep 05, 2010
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Do whatcha gotta do
by: NickV

I am a trainer for CRST and I do have to say it is a good company for the most part. It has its faults just like every other place but it is a great place to come and get some miles under your belt.

If after a year you still like it then they have a really good lease purchase program. From what I heard one of the best in the biz actually. The team thing will get to you after awhile unless you get lucky.

If you have a buddy wanting to get his CDL it would be perfect. Now I do have to warn you about CRST's new policy they have. If you do not have your CDL and you go to CRST's training program to obtain your class A license then please be prepared to be away from home for at least 2 and a half maybe 3 months.

Its a long haul man so if you got family then you should really think about it. Also 8 months is a long time. Well worth it cause you get a free CDL out of it but if you quit at 6 months then they still charge you for it.

So now you have a quit on your d.a.c. which will be against you to find another job and you owe some 7 grand or whatever it may be to CRST. You will be jerked around, no matter what plan you come up with to get home for a second will be foiled unless you get lucky.

My student I have now was suppose to be home on the 6th. Yesterday we had a load to Cali where I was suppose to drop him off and him and his co driver had worked out a plan to get some home time since no one would be in the office over labor day.

Load cancelled and now we cant pick up til labor day morning and its still not gonna get him by there. You need to prepare yourself for things of this nature. Yeah you say now that 3 months aint nothing but trust me it is.
Birthdays, holidays, children's first steps, its all over the phone and it can get to you.

My student yesterday wanted to quit when that load cancelled. I had to talk him out of it. Hes done with training and we are waiting on a load to get him home and it got to him so much he was actually going to quit.

So many people come into this job thinking that time will fly by cause your making money and rolling all the time but the actuality of the subject is that your not going to make anything, your going to sit a lot, your gonna be away from home for a long period of time, things are going to be rough.

Think you are up to the challenge then yes CRST is a great company to start off with. A co driver is some of the best training you can have.

Any questions feel free to ask. Your CDL will take approx. 3-4 weeks to obtain.

You go to a 3-4 day orientation with CRST. At which point you wait for a trainer. Heard guys waiting for 2 to 3 weeks.

Go out with trainer for 28 days or 11,000 miles. Come back to terminal for road test and written test for CRST.

Then they get you a truck and a co driver for another 2 weeks. Then 4 days at home. Doesn't always happen smoothly though.

Sep 05, 2010
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CRST Driving School
by: Dennis Shipman

...not a bad company as far as these large companies go... I have never heard a bad word about CRST. So do what you gotta do, player. 10-4?

May 05, 2015
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i do not know NEW
by: Anonymous

Look guys this is what is happening in crst they are a little bit fake if you do make a crontrac with them your fuck they only gonna give you $25 cents per mile and if you already have your cdl a lisence you going to start ar 33 like i do get ur lisence by your own is way better !thanks

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