Rakusa,
it it took a while and planning for us to leave... It was in the works for us to purchase the truck we had been leasing, then Swift bought Central, that hastened our departure. After we got the truck straightened out, we put in our two week notice. We were on a dedicated loop and liked our DM. Wanted to give them time to find another team to replace us. The nice thing was, the loop we had, had us dropping a loaded trailer at the customer's 20 miles from home once we did our final run they wanted us to come by a terminal so that they could 'retrieve' their equipment off our truck. Klingon having mechanical skills did that for them. So we took our pick-up and a box containing their QualComm (intact and not damaged) to a terminal and got a receipt for it. We had (the previous quarter) removed all $$ from the maintenance account, so didn't have to wait for that. All in all, pretty painless.
As to working for a 'Landstar' type company, or your own authority... Klingon had his own truck back in the 80's, so didn't want to 'lease on' any more. We chose the authority route for us. Let me just say, Central did NOT prepare us for that route! We/I had no clue about booking loads, rates, lanes etc... It's been a vast gap of learning we have had to jump, and are learning! I would recommend to first go to a company that will pay %. Landstar is just one of them. Compare numbers vs. services they provide... Then make a choice. LEARN the eb and flow of the rates and lanes... Put $$$$ aside. IF you still want to get your own authority, do it then.
Good luck on what ever you decide to do
Central Refrigerated Truck Stop III
Discussion in 'Discuss Your Favorite Trucking Company Here' started by Lady K, Feb 19, 2014.
Page 66 of 69
-
Arkansas Frost, FLATBED, scottied67 and 3 others Thank this.
-
Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds
Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.
-
anyone here on miller/coors and know if there is still an albany dedicated fleet?
-
Here's my story of leaving Swift step by step. Was at home in northern California with Swift's empty trailer like I always did (just unplugged the pigtail for hometime so the trailer wouldn't 'ping' so they wouldn't harrass me about bringing it back to the terminal for some other drivers). Applied to another company that had orientation in southern California the next week. I stayed under Swift's authority , insurance, permits, plates etc to bobtail (did drop their trailer at the terminal on the way south) to Los Angeles. Did 2 day orientation, came out and grabbed one last Swift load then bobtailed home. Bobtailed over to the Bay Area to the new company's terminal Sunday night right before midnight when my new contract would go into effect. Got a message on the QC, basically asking what am I doing driving all over California bobtail? Replied back, that I was terminating my contract with Swift immediately. They wanted me to bring my truck into their terminal to have their techs remove the QC, yeah right.
rakusa Thanks this. -
Last edited: Jan 12, 2015
scottied67 Thanks this. -
Well, it was a year ago today that the assimilation process started. Anyone want to participate in a where are they now?
I'm still around, although not as a Central local. I was told the day before Thanksgiving that my last day of work in my position was going to be that Sunday. I appreciate the whopping 4 days notice. I applied for an office job, and while I went through that process, I did part time local work, since we were still busy.
Then a position opened up, doing the closest work to local that Swift has. I'm in a day cab now, doing what I think they call shuttle work. Pretty much I work afternoons into evenings, taking a load somewhere, dropping it, and bringing a load back to the terminal. I slip seat the truck, and my day driver is a nice guy who starts early, so I don't have to be at work at 2am.
It's not an ideal position, but it's better than over the road. I don't intend on keeping it forever, but for now it works.
So where are you now? -
-
New company uses paper logs. Will say the QC has faked out the DOT a few times rolling through weigh stations; they see it bolted to my dash set on the brightest setting (at night) and wave me on through. A few months ago I had to unplug it because it kept rebooting over and over or something and affecting the radio speaker which was really annoying. I think it had to do with QC headquarters somehow realizing the unit is moving around the country without an active account? Anyway when/if they ever mandate ELD's all I would have to do is open an account and activate the unit. If nothing else I plan on keeping it for the Antique Road Show lol.rakusa Thanks this. -
I think back to when I was first investigating Central and the warning I received about leasing. I was told there was no money in it even when training. I must say, after training 3/4 of the year last year I cleared nearly $70k and I'm shooting for $80k this year. For all the warnings that told me that I just didn't understand what I was getting into, it has been exactly what I expected. And, I want to thank those who originally encouraged me here. -
-
As far as an update from me. I left Central about 2 years ago and became a fleet manager at a regional company, and I hated it (turns out from former coworkers it had much more to do with the company than with the job). Anyway I am now driving again, this time with Ryder, running a 26' box truck and driving local. I'm not a big fan of all the warehouse work I do, but hey I'm paid hourly so if it takes me 3 hours to unload and breakdown my pallets, and stock shelves, that's just more money in my pocket.
One concern I have is the company I am contracted with has merged with another company and I might be out of a job come April. So you all might get to see me kicking around out on the road again this year.
Any recommendations for companies?smadronia Thanks this.
Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds
Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.
Page 66 of 69