Truck Driver at Crete Carrier Corp.
Machinist’s mate discovers rewarding career hauling freight over America’s highways for Crete Carrier.
by Warren Duffie

A common thread weaves through Charles Cornelius’ military and civilian careers: wanderlust. From sailing through exotic ports on an aircraft carrier to rumbling through America’s vast landscape in a powerful 18-wheeler, this former Navy man is fascinated by new places.

“I have to be honest,” Cornelius says, “Every time I drive by the ocean and see one of those huge Navy ships, I’m tempted to enlist again just to see where they’re going.”

Joking aside, this trucker sees plenty of adventure driving for Crete Carrier Corp. He might travel through a pulsing urban metropolis or pristine mountains or along breathtaking coastlines. It’s all in a day’s work for this former petty officer first class. One of the nation’s leading trucking companies, Crete, headquartered in Lincoln, Neb., boasts more than 5,300 drivers and 5,000 trucks, and covers millions of miles each day in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Crete has three operations: a “dry van” service for non-refrigerated goods, a truck line transporting refrigerated loads, and flatbed services.

Cornelius, 47, works on the “dry van” end, hauling everything from massive rolls of paper to coils of steel cable. His shifts last from either midnight to noon or 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sometimes, he works 14-hour days, but never spends more than 11 hours on the road.

Before a run, Cornelius inspects his vehicle — ensuring that his tires, brakes, lights, and blinkers are functioning properly. Then it’s off to pick up his load from a Crete customer before hitting the highway. The duration of his journeys vary as much as the terrain. One day, he’ll make a short trip to get home to Tennessee, where he lives; another day he’ll embark on a week-long trip to and from Canada.

The Navy veteran usually elects to drive for three or four weeks straight. He’ll spend a week at home before beginning the routine again. On average, he travels up to 2,645 miles per week. In addition to his driving duties, he rides with new truckers to help them grow into their new careers.

“The training aspect is really satisfying,” he says. “These people are fresh out of driving school and really need a mentor. “My trucking experience helps, but so does my ability to explain procedures clearly — a skill I developed in the Navy. My military background also taught me to give every job my best effort, and as a result, I’ve been awarded ‘Driver of the Month’ three times since I’ve been with Crete.”

Is Trucking for You?
The trucking industry provides a wealth of career opportunities for veterans. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, there are about three million truckers in America — a figure expected to increase by 10 to 20 percent each year through 2012. Annual earnings currently range from $40,000 to $58,000.

Trucking lends itself well to the values taught by the military. Truckers often work long hours alone and without supervision. Hauling cargo requires self-discipline and a commitment to getting the job done right.

“I’ve dealt with several employees with military backgrounds, including Charles,” says Bill Vest, who works in Crete’s Greeneville, Tennessee, terminal and is Cornelius’ supervisor. “They always seem to have established goals and go out of their way to get the job done. That’s why Charles has been such a success. I can count on him.”

From Aircraft Carriers to 18-Wheelers
Cornelius was born into the military. His father was a Navy man, and the family lived in Pensacola, Fla. The future trucker often watched the maneuvers of jets and ships and knew he wanted to see the world and be part of the action.

After enlisting in 1980, he served on the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz as a machinist’s mate, and later on the guided missile cruiser USS Richmond K. Turner (which served off of the coast of Iran during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm) as a personnel officer. By 1995, however, the Navy was downsizing and offered Cornelius the opportunity to retire with a full pension before completing 20 years.

“For a long time, I had thought about being a truck driver,” Cornelius says, “and I wasn’t looking forward to going back to sea. So I decided to get my civilian career started.”

A year before his retirement, Cornelius began researching trucking companies and attended several career fairs. He decided on Landstar Poole (now Landstar Carrier Group), reporting to their driving school three months before his separation date. After a month of learning the basics like shifting gears, handling a 53-foot trailer, and backing up a huge 18-wheeler, Cornelius made his first run — transporting several massive rolls of paper to Canada.

“I was nervous, and I prayed a lot,” he says. “But the Navy taught me that I could do anything, and the trip went beautifully.” He later drove for J.B. Hunt before steering to Crete in 2002.

Reflecting on his transition, Cornelius would have done one thing differently: He would have saved more money. He and his wife were planning on him staying in the Navy for 20 years. Leaving five years sooner threw a kink into their post-military transition plans.

“My first year was hard,” he says. “I was only earning 23 cents a mile — not much when you consider that you have to pay for your health care when you leave the military. It wasn’t until my second year that things evened out.

“That’s why I recommend Crete to people who want a trucking career,” he continues. “Crete starts you at 38 cents a mile, and with the amount of driving you do, you can easily make between $40,000 and $50,000.”

In addition, there’s always steady work, he says. And where most trucking companies assign you a load, at Crete, you can often select from two to three loads.

So how can you drive a successful transition? Cornelius offers the following:

Save, save, save. “Start gathering your nest egg as soon as possible. That way you’ll be alright if you don’t find a civilian job at first or if you have to take a pay cut.”

Prepare early. “I started looking into trucking companies a year before I got out. Do the same for your career. Be as educated as possible, and don’t shortchange yourself.”