My name is William Overton and I'm here to tell you that CRsT does not give a damn about public highway safety or their driver's, to them it's all about the money! I and my team partner, Mr. Hayworth were denied leave for health care during our time with CRST and the only way to receive it was to quit! This is how it began;
We were told by the recruiter that we neeeded t take a two week refresher class, have $250.00 for food and supplies, and bring enough clothes for 7 days. NONE OF THIS WAS TRUE! The two week class kept getting pushed back that it ended up being four weeks of hell! Though we had to call home for more money OFTEN, we made it through. During this class we were informed to never call them for a reference, don't come by to see them at all, and that they would deny we had ever went to the school.
Now, if they say i never went there and I already had my C.D.L. How in the world can they say I have a bill of $4837.96 when it was suppose to only be a 2 week refresher class? I then went out with a trainer. On my first day the trainer drove off the campus a few miles, then told me to get into the driver's seat. After observing me for about 15 minutes, he could tell I could drive. He then proceeded to go into the sleeper and fell asleep. His was very inappropriate and why companies are wondering why there are so many training accidents. I started out as a Team Driver from day one. All my trainer showed me was how to operate the Qualcomm computer in the truck, where YOU can check my records.
This trainer took me to Outback Steakhouse and asked me if I wanted a beer. I told him "No, I don't drink" and he proceeded to order himself a beer as well as a steak, which can be proven because he used a credit card to pay. This is while we are in the company truck! I sat and thought to myself, "This is how C.R.S.T. Trains their drivers?" I really didn't want any thing holding me back from working, so I held my tongue. After two weeks, that trainer quit.
Upon meeting my second trainer, he immediately asked me if I know how to float gears. Now in class we were informed not to do so, so my reply to him was "I like to double clutch." My training with him was for two weeks, keeping in mind that classs and driving has turned into
months when I was told that the refresher class would only be two weeks!
When the extensive 2 months training was completed Mr. Hayworth and myself were ready to head home and pick up our truck as well as set up appointments with our doctors in order to renew our medications because we are both on high blood pressure medicine. We contacted dispatch on the Qualcomm to put in our request for leave and was stunned that dispatch denied us, saying that we had to go back out another two weeks without our meds! This is medication that has to be taken daily for our health. The conversation with the dispatch is documented on the Qualcomm computer.
Not only was C.R. St. Putting our life in danger, but others on the road if we were to have a stroke or a heart attack! I don't know about you, but i couldn't live with myself if I killed someone or didn't take care of myself properly knowing it could have been prevented. Nor would I want to work for a company that cares more about the "Almighty Dollar" verses someone's safety and health. So, I made the decision to go and get my medicine.
C.R.S.T. Forced me to quit so they could charge me a bogus ass tuition fee and I refuse to be cockholded!
Sincerely,
William Overton
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