Stevens or Central Refridgerated? You have to start somewhere

Discussion in 'Motor Carrier Questions - The Inside Scoop' started by Grinnbearit, Nov 14, 2007.

  1. Grinnbearit

    Grinnbearit Bobtail Member

    Well here I go. Looking around the boards I have seen a lot of bad stuff about Stevens and Swift. Knowing someone that has had success at Swift but was never home I have to take it as the truth. If you are a Stevens or Central driver and have had success there let me know. We are all well aware of the terrible things that happen to seasoned and newbie drivers alike and the only difference is the name on the side of the trailer. I know Stevens asks you to sign a two year contract but outside of that How is/was your experience there? Can a guy go in there do his job, stay off the radar, Get a few days off a month, take the wage for a time and get out clean? Are the vehicles in good maint? Is their lease worth a driver's time, etc? Thanks in advance


    Grinnbearit
     
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  3. panhandlepat

    panhandlepat Road Train Member

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    i can only answer one question ....DON'T LEASE A TRUCK FROM ANY COMPANY!!!!!!!!!
     
  4. Foxhunt75

    Foxhunt75 Light Load Member

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    Aug 30, 2007
    Boise, ID
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    Central Ref...
    The top 12 things to keep in mind If you go here,
    • 1 Keep on top of your dispatcher: Don't let them pull you from loads, and don't let them give you a 700 mile run with 4 days to deliver it. Especially if the shipper won't take it early.
    • 2 Do not deal with weekend or night dispatch: Idiots, they know nothing, cause they refuse to look up the dispacher notes from the day before. They know nothing of you needing time off, or need to be home, or the truck/trailer's condition.
    • 3 If you have a load with not enough time to deliver: Let your dispatcher know, before you accept it! They get a little up tight when you accept a load and can't deliver cause you're out of hours. Even if it's not your fault, like a break down. In this case just tell them to stick it.
    • 4 Do not lie on your log book... EVER!!!: You will get caught, you may get fined, but it's your License, not there's. Don't let them talk you into lying. Don't let them push you illeagal. Dispatch, and Saftey are two groups in one company, but Dispatch will work against Saftey any chance you give them. And if saftey catches you... ugh!
    • 5 The saftey dept is your friend: Getting dogged by your dispatch to run illeagal? Feel that your truck is too unsafe to drive, but dispatch says it's fine to run like it is? Call saftey, and your problems will be fixed in no time flat. Or just ask the dispatcher for the EXT to Saftey, and suddenly they change their tone.
    • 6 Do not say anything over the Qualcomm you don't want recorded, or to be used against you in a court of law... Ever: Self explanitory.
    • 7 If you have a scrape, wreck, fender bender, break off a mirror, scratch, dent, run off the road etc: Even if it's not your fault, prepare to be put on probation, and your logs to be scruitinized under a microscope.
    • 8 For god sakes, Shower/Bath once in a while: Trust me, you will be graded on this. Some of our clients have refused loads due to driver appearance. I #### you not.
    • 9 The qualcomm lies about your directions, always double check!!! TheCompany accepts no responsibilities for driver error, even if the Qualcomm said gave you a specific set of directions.
    • 10 You can not get your rig above 70mph: So, stop trying, and if by some miracle you can go faster down hill than 75mph, the qualcomm will tell on you. If you run against the govenor all the time, and need the extra power to get out of a trailer walk around, and you don't have it... Is your seat belt on? Cause it's gonna get bumpy.
    • 11 Your truck will not idle on it's own: Staying cool and warm can be a challenge. The fuel optimizer will start and stop your truck, due to incab temps, if it's working right. Most of the time it's not. Let maint know, and have them either pull the plug on it, or have them show you how to use it correctly. If they can't get it to work properly, they will usually pull the plug to let it idle all the time.
    • 12 If you quit, Do NOT abandon your truck: Get a load to a yard, then quit. Or better yet give them 2 weeks notice. You won't burn a brige, and you'll keep a clean DAC, and you will leave on good terms, you're welcome to come back.
     
    revslev and roadkilled Thank this.
  5. grandmadebe

    grandmadebe Light Load Member

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    Dec 5, 2007
    Denver, CO
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    Two days ago my best friend (both grandma's over 50) met up with a stevens recruiter and now we are seriously thinking about signing up....

    After reading the threads here we are having reservations....

    soooooooooooooooooooooooo

    should we do it?????

    We are both new new!!!!!

    What about all this negative???

    Who else will pay for training and help us become a new team. 5 weeks out with a stranger seems awful! Also we DO NOT want to go to new York and we need to get home to our grandchildren so we don't loose connection..... What about no pay if you miss the deadline and them stealing from bank accounts????

    WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON????

    Please advise!!!!!:biggrin_25517:
     
  6. Foxhunt75

    Foxhunt75 Light Load Member

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    Aug 30, 2007
    Boise, ID
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    Every trucking company, just like any job, has it's up sides, and downsides. Gotta take the good with the bad.
    If you know where the bad is, and can take steps to avoid them, on the job, then your your job will be mostly ups, not downs.


    No trucking firm will ever pay for your training.
    However, they will help you pay back thier tution fees.
    IF you go out and get your CDL before joining a company, the cost is a lot lower.

    Most company schools have a two week class, then 4 weeks with a trainer on the road, or a min of 3 weeks OTR.
    And if you already have your CDL before going, the time in class will be about 2-4 days. Those first two weeks are just to get you your CDL.


    That's between you and your dispatcher.
    Let them know what your needs are. I f you need to be home every week, two weeks, etc, let them know. It's your paycheck.
    You can deny, loads if you need to, however, before you refuse a load to New York, find out where in New York it is.
    Upstate New York is farm country, it's not just one big city.



    1 I have never heard of a major trucking firm refusing to pay, as long as the load was delivered, for being late.
    However you will not recieve your on time bonus.
    At Central Refrigerated the Ontime bonus is $20-$25... Whoopdie Doo!

    2 I have never heard of any job stealing from a bank acount.
    But, to actually access funds from your account they would need your permission.
    The only people I know of that can do this without permisson, is the federal government.
    They can withhold pay, and you can end up in the hole, with a job.
    Unless you quit, or are an owner operator, you won't have to worry much about this.

    You are being paid, to deliver loads, not to drive a truck.
    Yes, you have to drive, but you won't get paid till you deliver a load.
    Of course, your company is making more money off of you, than you are off of them, but that's normal lol.
     
  7. Grinnbearit

    Grinnbearit Bobtail Member



    Foxhunt is a very optimistic person.:biggrin_255: Seeing that you have such a great attitude about this, do you work for Central? It's always good to have someone you can ask more detailed questions of later.
     
  8. biker40

    biker40 Bobtail Member

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    Dec 3, 2007
    St. louis, Missouri
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    Hi, just thought i would let you know about stevens, its not 5 weeks its a total of 10. 1 week of orentation, 5 weeks with a trainer on the road, back for 1 week orentation 2, then 3 weeks with another trainee on the road, thats where you get the phrase dumb and dumber, then back to the yard to wait for a period of atleast 3 days to get your tractor then you'll get a load out for acouple weeks then maybe home,,maybe. Let me tell you from first hand knowlege, they will tell you anything to get you to dallas but then change the story when you get there and if you decide you don't want to drive for them then, you will pay your own way back home. be safe

    Biker
     
  9. hendersoncnc

    hendersoncnc Light Load Member

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    Oct 28, 2007
    baltimore,maryland
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    central called wendsday..the recruiter said its 25 cents a mile..2,500-2,800 miles a week i guess thats ok.
     
  10. Foxhunt75

    Foxhunt75 Light Load Member

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    Aug 30, 2007
    Boise, ID
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    Yeah, I used to work for them.... Wish I still did too.
    Oh well, I have an open return policy with them.
    Told me to come back as soon as I can. Maybe after the holidays.

    Everyone in SLC is really great. And most people are up front, and honest with you.
    Their Planning, Dispatch, and Saftey all seem to work against eachother. but it all somehow works.
    Their Training Debt is bar none the best group of people I have ever had the pleasure to meet.

    Thier group of people in Fontana, CA.... try to do a decent job.
    But there's only so much you can do with a soft turd, before you look at it and say, it's still a turd. Don't know anyone from Atlanta or New York and as for thier school in Irving, TX, I dunno any of them from Adam, or Eve.
     
    revslev Thanks this.
  11. Foxhunt75

    Foxhunt75 Light Load Member

    108
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    Aug 30, 2007
    Boise, ID
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    It's actually .29/mile, but .25/mile is prolly closer to the truth.
    After taxes, and if you went to thier school, that's about right.
    An Honest recruiter? Impressive.
     
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