Originally Posted by ChromeDome

The lock kit is a very high end padlock and kingpin lock set. I have looked up the kit they use in the past online, and they charge less than retail for the set. When you leave Central you can take it with you or sell it back to them for a good bit of the purchase price. I do not know what the cost is at this time. It has been a few years since I bought one.

They will also charge you for 2 load locks. This one bothers me. Since you will end up dropping trailers with these in them at times. But you get them when hooking trailers allot also. Basically they have the drivers buy them so that the company never has to buy any. Nobody brings them with them when they leave. And since they have like 130% turnover, they have ALLOT of spares.

They will also take out money to hold in an account for when you leave the company. I cannot remember exactly what they call it. But basically it is like 500 bucks that they hold to make sure that you truck is clean when you leave. And if they have to recover the truck it will cover some of that money.

All the money they withhold is after upgrade. And it is done in small weekly amounts. So it does not hurt too bad. 50 for school, like 5 for load locks, 10 for lock kit, 10 for retainer.
You do not notice taxes being taken out. The .08 cpm of your pay that is perdiem will make it so that your gross and take home are about equal, before other deductions. So it is fairly easy to figure out what you will take home each week based on the miles you run. You will probably take home about 70 bucks less than your taxable gross while paying for school and other deductions.
I just did a refresher with them. So my total for school was less, and paid off faster. Then I had my safety bonuses put toward payment. So I was paid off in 8 months.

While you are in training you should only have taxes taken out.

Thanks so much...lots of info ...I know us newbies have so many questions....it is very helpful when more experienced drivers take time to help....maybe I can pass it on one day to others....thanks again

Originally Posted by happy30311

I have made it through the one year mark as a company driver. Central is a good starter company but do your year , pay the school off and leave. They don't expect you to stay longer then that. They want you to lease a truck or leave befor the year is up. That how they make the bulk of there money

Are you still with Central? I am receiving emails from various company recruiters,have you gotten them also?

Originally Posted by galloways

so, a few questions herewhat is a lock kit, how much does it cost and what charges , besides taxes , will be deducted form our checks while in training....or even after going solo? just want to know so there can be few surprises ......I also read where you recommended chains to be put on the truck when you upgrade...who would I ask for that ? ..thanks

Lock kit is $100 and taken $10 per week. Ld locks not sure on price. I get edge and give them to students if they need them. Most trks have some. The retainer aka security deposit is $280 at $40 per ask. Also nothing is taken out til you go solo. The chains will most times b on the trk. If not see the shop. I just recommend putting them on before.you really need them so you know what to do.

Originally Posted by road runner 9630

Lock kit is $100 and taken $10 per week. Ld locks not sure on price. I get edge and give them to students if they need them. Most trks have some. The retainer aka security deposit is $280 at $40 per ask. Also nothing is taken out til you go solo. The chains will most times b on the trk. If not see the shop. I just recommend putting them on before.you really need them so you know what to do.

ummm what kind of "edge" do you get? Is that a trainer special?

I think he meant to say extra???
I never bothered to ask for reimbursement for load locks. Always had too darn many of them. I would get to the point that I could not store anymore and then try to find other drivers to give them too. If that would not work they would be free to good home.

Once on a dedicated run I would go several months between visits to the terminal. All work that needed to be done on my truck was done at the Volvo dealer in Harborcreek PA. That way I could go home and pick it up when done. But it also meant that I could not drop off extra load locks. And I never picked up my jacket for my 1 year safe driver. I wish I had gotten that. It was a nice jacket.