Central Refrigerated Truck Stop

**Raincatcher** · 05.19.2011

Originally Posted by Firebirds71

I agree with smadronia, this sounds like a communication error between your qualcomm and their system, keep an eye on your idle time on the qualcomm, if your qualcomm says you are idling at 12% and they are saying 42%, then there is either someting wrong with your qualcomm or there is something wrong with their system. If I had to guess, I would say that the problem would be in the qualcomm, unless all the other drivers are getting hit with over idle fees.

I actually mentioned that the system must be wrong,he said there was no way it could be wrong.,the system gets a signal each time the ignition is turned on. Then I reminded him I had spliced all 487 wires back together after the qualcom cord had been severed (don't ask). He still insisted it couldn't be wrong and said it showed the engine had been running for the past 72 hours straight. I couldn't get through to him that I had not been idling since I got dinged the first time and asked him what I was supposed to do to keep warm when it was 16° up in Minnesota when I had been idling. He said "use your bunk heater" " ...ummm,it doesn't work,remember?" He insisted he didn't know,I sent a mac31 and include it on my Mac 9 every day. Then he insists I inform him of these issues and not bother OTRM with non-mechanical issues.

Not the brightest light on the family tree...Safety is looking into it...

**Firebirds71** · 05.19.2011

Originally Posted by celticwolf

That is bad advice. You never want your tandems heavier than your drives. That can cause your trailer to start whiplashing. Furthermore most shippers want your tanks full before they remove the excess weight.

You can ask fuel/permits for heavy load fuel routing or you have the shipper remove product.. I have done both without issue.

Funny then how central tells its lease drivers to arrive at shippers with under 1/4 tank of fuel, and your tandems will only be heavier when you burn your fuel out, otherwise the axle weights are close to the same. This advice is only for those real heavy loads like 45k, most trucks cannot haul that much without going over weight. Of course all of this is dependant on what your total weight at the time you scale is. At the most, you only want to have your trailer tandems about 2000lbs heavier than your drives, this will allow for a full load of fuel and not go over on axle weights. I agree with the fact that a shipper would want you to have full tanks before removing any excess weight from your truck, this way they can have as much on the truck as legally possible. There are other variables in this equation also, and each circumstance is different.

**HUNGRYONE** · 05.19.2011

1. Thanks for the fuel info it makes perfect sence. I dont know why I was confussed on when or how I should fuel but fuel and permits told me to only fuel for my load soooo idk it just confussed me. 2. I think leasing is going to be just fine. I really do think I just had bad luck my very first week. I do not spend beyond my means and I spend as little as possible. I have no wife,kids,car,insurance,school to pay,sorry to say but not even rent no bills what so ever except 50 bucks a month for my phone. 3. most important thanks for answering my questions somtimes I might need some advice and most of the time the answers come back quicker on this site then they do on qual comm or phone call. lol j/k well half way. but thanks to all of you mo fo's

**galloways** · 05.19.2011

Originally Posted by Dennis the Menace

The recruiters at Central don't seem very friendly. Every time I talk to one it seems as if I'm disturbing something they had going on. Isn't recruiting new drivers their job? I like what I'm seeing about this company on here and they are a forerunner on my list but to talk to their frontline representatives and be treated that way makes me look at them differently...

the first recruiter we talked to was awful...couldn't get a call through to him...would not call back....then we received a call that "he no longer was with them" and our next one was great

**Dennis the Menace** · 05.19.2011

Originally Posted by galloways

the first recruiter we talked to was awful...couldn't get a call through to him...would not call back....then we received a call that "he no longer was with them" and our next one was great

I have spoken to 3 different recruiters and only one of them was pleasant and helpful. I think I his name was Mario and I may have his extension written down somewhere so maybe I need to look for that. I've narrowed it down to 3 companies and Central is one of the top 2. Just going to try not to let a bad recruiter change my opinion of Central.

**JimBob24** · 05.19.2011

Mario will try to get you to lease. He is a very gregarious individual.

**Dennis the Menace** · 05.19.2011

Originally Posted by JimBob24

Mario will try to get you to lease. He is a very gregarious individual.

Definitely not interested in lease at this stage, if ever. Do you or anyone else know of a decent recruiter at Central I could talk to to get good honest answers with no BS?

**galloways** · 05.19.2011

Originally Posted by Dennis the Menace

Definitely not interested in lease at this stage, if ever. Do you or anyone else know of a decent recruiter at Central I could talk to to get good honest answers with no BS?

Central recruiters ...the only complaint we have so far about the company. When we called and asked for a different recruiter, we were told we had to speak to the one we had already spoken with. SO if we were doing this all over again...I would not mention that we had already talked to anyone and just ask for John....there may be other good ones...he is just the only one that helped us out

Steve at drivers solutions was the most helpful recruiter we ever spoke with...wish he was at central!!!

**galloways** · 05.19.2011

Originally Posted by Dennis the Menace

Thanks for the info Celticwolf. That helps clear that up. I appreciate all of your guidance on here.

yeah, celticwolf has probably been more help to us than anyone....and he didn't even know it

just wanted to mention that central also gave jeff a $200 advance if he needs it the day he left with his trainer..i think it is on a card they give you ....not sure about how the card works. We also had quite a few questions abour money..how to survive during the school and training. School turned out to take longer that we were told so that was one week we had not planned for. But with the $100 the first week with a trainer and the $200 advance (if needed) will really help I think. This is Jeff's second day with his trainer so I am still waiting for more info

**Dennis the Menace** · 05.19.2011

Originally Posted by galloways

Central recruiters ...the only complaint we have so far about the company. When we called and asked for a different recruiter, we were told we had to speak to the one we had already spoken with. SO if we were doing this all over again...I would not mention that we had already talked to anyone and just ask for John....there may be other good ones...he is just the only one that helped us out

Steve at drivers solutions was the most helpful recruiter we ever spoke with...wish he was at central!!!

I also spoke with Steve at Driver Solutions! He was good but when I questioned him in an email about whether I could go with PAM instead of USA Truck, my account was suddenly disabled the next day. I was shocked. He didn't respond to emails or voicemails anymore either.