When if first begins to write a file it starts at 0 hangs for second and then shoots up to ~14MB/S and drops like a stone to like 1mb/s and then goes even lower for about 4-5 seconds and then goes up to ~4MB/s for the rest of the write time but it will periodically jump up or down ± 1MB/s any thoughts? i have another one just like it and it writes at like 12 all the way thru straight as an arrow (for movies mind you). could the settings be different on this one versus that one?
Hi CjAllyn92,
Dear member of SanDisk Community, welcome.
Please, test your Cruzer, in other PCs, to define the problem and have more information.
Luck, and then you tell us, what happened, please.
Regards, Alfred. (Google translated)
Try it out on other PCs as well, just to isolate the issue. 
Another echo in this thread! 
