Hi all. I'm new here and new to trucking. Just finishing up school and sifting through the recruiters and horror stories, lol. I have narrowed it to CFI and Crete and am trying to decide. I know all have good and bad and all have critics and supporters. My specific questions about CFI are mainly regarding equipment. I have been in one of the T600's-man it felt small and I plan to take my wife with me as much as possible. Also, how are the 13sp trans? Learned on a straight 10. Not afraid of changing, just looking for heads-up and comparison. Also, could a newbie realistically expect to get through near SE TN (Knox) much or am I gonna be stuck alot in the NE? Do they have a terminal in Knox? Also, how bad is insurance, I've heard it isn't great? Layover/detention pay? They told me 28-3200 miles on average, is that about right? Thanks for the opportunity to ask these questions. Bear with me and any help appreciated.

I decided on CFI and will be going to orientation the end of the month. I have put most of my other questions to bed but have another. Looking for opinions (educated) on the super-single tires. Are the noticably worse in inclement weather as opposed to tandems?

You made a good chioce IMO. Despite my personal feelings for they way they treat experienced drivers. I can only say good things about how they deal with new inexperienced drivers. The pay is much better for a starting driver.

Super singles...a mixed bag. Personally, I would rather run them. Others hate them.

They suck BIG TIME on ice. Perform about the same in other conditions.

__________________
.
I'm gonna kill the next SOB who tells me I look stressed out.

--Unknown

Danc69, thanks for the encouragement. From all the info I can find, they sound like a good company to start. I can handle the ice/snow (just shut down ) but I hate to hydroplane.

Be forewarned. Super Singles will break loose on wet pavement when you are under a heavy load, pulling a hard grade at slower speeds. I never noticed any troubles when pulling under "normal" conditions on wet pavement.

I attribute this to the HIGH torque generated by their current engines at lower RPM's. While others might lay the blame completely on the tires.

NOTE: I said "break loose" not hydroplane. The CAT engines produce about 1450 ft lbs of torque at 1300 rpm.

__________________
.
I'm gonna kill the next SOB who tells me I look stressed out.

--Unknown

i was looking into cfi a week or 2 ago to sign on as a O/O until i started reading these other forums from cfi drivers, and the new pay package

here is the forum page
wwwcfidriverscom
you got to add the...... in there cause i only have 17 posts and cannot post links till 20 posts

but it should be good for the new rooks coming out of school tho. just at a drivers point of view if i was a company driver for them i would be hunting a new job at the end of the year... do to the new merger they had

If you are going on the road with your wife, I would probly not go with CFI. Those T600's are small cabs even with just a solo driver, but with your wife, man, I can hear the arguements now. Might I suggest Interstate Trucking? Big Volvo 780's. Cant beat it, no matter what anyone says.

__________________
Brian - Carpe Diem!
I dont have to love my president, or any god, to love my country!

you should hace when to crete