Central Refrigerated Truck Stop

Central, at some point, had a great on time service record. They promise 98% or something like that in their contracts. Then, our on time record started slipping, to where it was 93% or something like that this summer. when that happend, freight changed.

We used to have our pick of loads from the contracts because we held up the on time end. When it slipped, we got what was left over, which were the crap runs. I have no idea if we're back to the 98%, but judging by the loads, we're not.

It also has some to do with there being more regional freight. I don't know if shippers find it cheaper to do the regional thing, or places are trying to save on the freight bill by ordering from places closer, but there's a ton of those short, less than 500 mile loads lately.

 

What are your reasons for getting into Central?

For me because it was the only company that accepted 21 yr olds, provided schooling, and had a good reputation (unlike the CRE and CRST).

 

And of course, it's walmart, so you can't actually get them to reassign you to a door that wasn't designed for a trailer made by Gumby to get into.

I hate having to ask yard dogs. Half the time they're rather watch you take your doors off and annihilate the dock door than help. Or, in my case I get "little lady can't put it in?"

Sure, I could put it in if a complete and utter moron hadn't decided to design this thing so a 15 foot straight truck would be the only thing that would fit.

 

Same reason so many people work the carnival. The folks who aren't hire-able in some professions, go to the ones where appearance or mannerisms don't matter.

 

reasons i went wih central i live in utah i dont have to travel away to school... they have a vet program no cost to me as long as i work for a yr with them which starts when i get on the trainers truck not when i go solo ..i know the lead trainer and he seems like a honest guy...hopfully some good luck will follow me why i choose trucking.. after nine years in a cubikle i cant stand it any more....i dont have enough education. training to go into something else with out doing alot of school/trianing that i cant afford and i have the american pipe dream of owning my own business which seems to be easier as a trucker than others...i like to drive on the road and hope my customer servcies skills will make dealing with ship/rec people go smoother...i know or hope i know it will be hard work not just doing sunday drives in the country. i once heard any thing worth doing is worth doing wrong till you can do it right i hope i wont do to much wrong and get it right as soon as possible.

there are alot of companys ive seen on the internet that pay more and seem to have better programs pay etc they also want 2 to 3 years , 60000 to 100000 miles experience... thats what i am hoping to get from central.... look at the other starter companies they have the same pay lease etc as central or worse....i think the advice given here in this thread is what we should do learn at central then take that knowledge and go else where...hopefull the fright issues listed here arent going to last then again 500 mile loads are ok if you can get 5 to 6 a week.. i wouldnt mind regional if that was the case i could get home at least

 

i know there are alot of comments on not being a lease op or ower op with cental what about the trainer lease op..they have to have 17 to 19000 miles with the trainee which is alot of money i know you will be gone alot but if its wrokable i could do that for a few years then go back to solo local work anyone with trainer stories please let me know your experiences. thanks

19000x.85= 16,150$ per 5 weeks x 10 weeks per year is 161500. per year minus cost of cours but still that is alot of money and alot of tax deductions as well all your busines expenses must add up for one heck of a tax return or lower tax bracket

 

I've heard training can make you decent money. Of course, the down side is having a student damage or total your truck. And living with a complete stranger for 4-5 weeks at a time. But most trainers I've met do okay. the ones who take 4-5 days off after a student plan for it, and tuck the money away. Some do student after student without a break.

Keep in mind that whatever you gross, you're going to see about 1/3 of. They have a sign up with the top solo l/o, top trainer l/o, and top team l/os, and the rough estimate I've noticed from the top grossing ones is they take home 1/3 of the gross. To me, getting $0.33 a mile isn't worth the headache of leasing.

 

There's a Western Regional run with Central, it's the western 11 states. I've met a number of drivers on it, and they're happy. There's also a Kraft Stockton run you could get onto, Stockton north to Portland and Tacoma, and occasionally to Farr West, UT. That would get you closer to home.

We want on that run, but they already have 4 teams and won't be adding more for a few months.

 

I have been thinking about buying a truck and leasing on with my company.
The difference would be that it would be my truck, it would be used, and I would not have to pay all the extra junk Central and other company's charge.

I was talking to a few of our owner OP's the other day and all are happy.
We pay .95 cpm, with full FSC for all miles, loaded and empty.
14 a week for qualcom, company takes care of fuel taxes, insurance is like 350 per month.
No other company charges.
On the tax end the lease OP's have an advantage. Since the Central Lease is an operating lease. You are renting the truck and 99% of the time you will never own it, since the buy out at the end is the retail value of the truck.
So 100% of the lease payments can be deducted at tax time.
With me buying a truck I get depreciation.
I plan to pay the truck off in 2 years, and use accelerated depreciation. So I can depreciate it out in the 2 years I make payments.
I plan to keep the truck at least 5 years. So that for 3 years I will have it for maintenance costs and fuel only.

Either way can be a decent deal. I just do not like the high over mileage price at central, I do not like the fact that the company I am leasing from controls my income, and I do not like that central does not pay FSC on dead head.

They are different ways to get to the same point. I prefer the owner OP route, not the rent a truck route. Some people do well either way.

 

what was that truck stop with the good bbq in LA? I was almost headed down that way until i found out that Customer service almost sent me to the wrong place with my load.