While the legal name of the company is "CRST", it originally stood for "Cedar Rapids Steel Transport", based out of Cedar Rapids IA. The CRST timeline is here if you're interested in how it grew into the huge company it is today.
At some point in it's history (around 2007 I think), CRST Van Expedited went from using solo drivers to an all team outfit. It never occurred to me to work for Cedar Rapids because they have a somewhat bad reputation among other drivers. For instance, CRST's 20/10 program assigns 3 drivers to one truck. The rumor is that 3 new drivers train each other.
In reality, 20/10 works like this: "CRST Van Expedited's Three Person Team Driver Program (20/10 Program) teams three professional truck drivers that live in the same area to run for 20 days and then come home for 10 consecutive days. Two drivers are on board the truck at all times, routed through home areas every 10 days to switch driving partners. You work 20 days with 10 days off at home. Because of truck utilization, 20/10 drivers earn similar paychecks to teams driving a full month...." (source)
I had a dream sometime around May 5th about two men - one taller than the other. The first time I saw them, they were in casual clothes, sitting a an outdoor type table somewhere. The next time I saw them they were dressed in slacks and dress shirts with ties - professionally. The taller one's clothes were black and silver - black slacks and maybe a white/silver striped shirt with a black tie. I didn't recognize him at first, but when I did, we hugged each other. The hug felt good.
I've seen CRST's logo done in black and silver, but it didn't dawn on me that maybe the dream was a "sign" until I saw the CRST application online. I'd been praying about my job situation, so I figured "what the heck", and filled the application out.
Long story short, I'm having to provide the results of my last cardiac stress test and echocardiogram. I've already gotten those back from Dr. Goodheart and Dr. Feelgood, and I'll scan/email them in the morning. But aside from the medical stuff, I've been accepted to CRST's orientation in Oklahoma City and will most likely be added to the payroll once I'm done there. I'll leave in a truck with a co-driver from OKC and be gone for a while.
CRST will provide a rental car for the trip to OKC - I'll be sharing it with at least one other driver going to the same orientation. I Don't know all the details on that yet.
This is my last email conversation with the recruiter:
Full benefits include:
• Medical coverage from Day One (Blue Cross),
• 401k retirement plan after only 90 days,
• Paid vacations,
• Blue Shield PPO including dental and vision,
• Free life insurance,
• Twice-a-week paydays,
• Per diem tax benefit,
• Internet payroll access,
• Accident and disability insurance
In other news: I've been taking Buddy to the Piggly Wiggle strip mall to walk at least once a day since the "rent crisis" that happened the last part of April. I don't care to be around E.F. Hutton anymore, and the walking at the Pig is better for me and Buddy anyway.
But I've had a cold for the last couple of days and haven't felt like walking. I haven't felt like doing anything for that matter. No energy or motivation. And the situation with Disabro and his damn high-powered pellet gun (another expensive toy) has left me feeling empty and sick inside. I won't go into the details here, but I've realized that I don't want to live here with him. I don't even want anything to do with this property. I'd rather just save my money and transact a normal business deal - buy a little piece of land outright from a stranger some distance from here.
It won't take long to save some money once I get back to work, and once I have the land, it won't take long to put some kind of housing on it.
I guess that's about all for now.
