Central Refrigerated Truck Stop

I am trying very hard to find something close to what I had at my last company, and it is almost impossible to find in a large company.
Crete I have heard bad things about, as well as Shaffer, there refrigerated company. They are not that bad for a large fleet probably, but I am trying to be picky for now lol.
I am currently going to be talking to another local company to see if they still have a truck available, and sending in info to LJ Kennedy, to see if they are hiring. I really don't know much about the local one accept you are home weekends. Kennedy 2 years is needed, but they start at 40 cpm for long loads but is sliding scale. Also pay .08 cpm extra for oversize loads.
I have gained about 25 lbs sitting this summer so I am trying to stay flatbed to work it back off.
Also Kennedy has some ok and some good perks. One I like is a 550 a week minimum. If you are available to work the week you will at least make that much. No info on them on this site though. But that can be a very good thing.
I am looking slowly, taking my time. I cannot go too long because I do not want a 6 mo gap in driving, but I also do not want to rush into a company just to get behind the wheel.
All of the company's I am looking at get you home at least once a week. Or 2 14 days out and 4 at home. Plus pay well.
Also my years are misleading. I have been driving since 1991. I worked some other jobs in there, went to College etc in that time, and drove local allot of that time. My recent OTR is my time at Central and my 9 months driving at Fitzgerald. So a little over 2.5 years out of my last 3 have been OTR. And they will not fault me for too many jobs since I left my last one on layoff. I am actually still an employee on call.

You will find something that suits you though. Just always be aware of what you are doing and what is around you. There is no time that a 4 wheeler should have a chance to get next to you without you knowing about it, if you watch. When one does, especially to your right, is when there are issues. It takes time to learn the dimensions of the truck, the trailer etc, and to know how it will react to what you are doing. This can change with the movement of the tandems also. So with a trainer you learn how to alter your turns based on all factors. After a year or so it all becomes second nature.
Though we all have days where it seems we cannot put a trailer in a hole no matter how large it is lol. Been there done that. At that time you reset your position, take a deep breath and get out and look.
Just a short walk can help loosen you up and can get you in that hole.

You will most likely never, or almost never have to parallel park a truck. When you do it is mostly in rest areas. The idea behind testing on it is that it shows if you learned steer and counter steer. If you can do it, without tricks, then you can back in just about anywhere. Though I would not recommend blindside to anyone, unless they want to hit something or have a spotter. It is just not safe. I am fairly good at it, but it is still not safe. Don't do it if you do not have too.

ok, I am tired and rambling again lol. I can never stay on one topic some days. I need to get working so I can be around people again. I am sitting at the house most of the time because that does not cost money. Maybe I will put my CB in my Explorer lol, so I can BS again.

 

JJ has a load outta Isola MS with 7 drops in Chicago Pre-set from Rochelle IL to Tolleson AZ, so a good week with the extra drop pay.

 

I apologize in advance for the stupid questions ( been up a couple of days getting everything in order before I bus on down to Utah). I'm sure this has been answered somewhere in these 600+ pages, but I can't find or remember the answers.

When you take your 3-4 days Home time, do you Bobtail to your home or what?

Does Central have Comdata for pay, or is it direct deposit to a bank account only?

Is that light at the end of the tunnel actually a Train?

Thanks again.

 

I'm sorry to hear that. My heart goes out to you, 1bad, and your family.

I had an uncle die right as I was taking home time. We knew he was sick, but my co-drv and I had made plans, including quite a bit of cost for tickets, car and room for a convention. My dispatcher asked us if we wanted to cancel home time for the funeral, which I always thought was a crappy thing. Sadly, Central is not so good about getting people home when they need to be.

I'll keep ya'll in my thoughts.

 

If your close enough to Conley you can drop your trailer there and Bobtail home.

You can do direct deposit or have it put on your card.

 

Thanks Jess!

According to Bugs the Navigator it's 52 miles.

 

We used to live near the fair grounds if you have some where to put it you can take it home.

 

i'm 50 pages behind the times so not caught up to the thread. i ran my laptop and printer off a 40 watt inverter. wally sells them cheap. along with small printers. 10 inch mini notebooks are $300. 8 years later i still have my 40 watt inverter. mini's don't have rom drives though so a laptop would be better and wally sells them as low as $350.

 

Keep us posted on your journey! I may not be far behind you!

 

Who is wally and how do you get in touch with him?