Central Refrigerated Truck Stop

I got my weeks paid vacation when I was there.
Got my 1 year safety award and jacket, but never got around to picking it up lol.
For the guys happy with 2500 miles a week.....not at central I was not happy with that. Pay was too low. Now if it was 2500 miles a week and home every weekend I would be ok. But not when out all month.
I am out this weekend so far. At my Columbus terminal. Short on miles so far, but a load home will take me over 2500. I hope to get one tomorrow.
But not much moving out of here on the weekend, so I have to wait and see.
Was stuck up around Connecticut and Rhode Island yesterday. Had to run the 95 gauntlet with as few tolls as possible from DC to Northern Connecticut. Not fun.

 

I talked to a flatbedder while in the SLC terminal. You have to get put on a (LONG) waiting list...and surprise, surprise, they're not hiring for that right now. Also, you have to live in the west. They only run the northwestern 5 states (for the most part).

 

Flatbedding... used to be decent if you could get on, but now? Not as much. You need to be in ut, ca, az,nv area to get on too.

Paid vacation is real, I had a week last year and 2 this year. You can get paid without taking the vacation. If you take it keep in mind you might lose your truck. Vacation or not, anything more than 4 days that's not repairs will risk being unseated. However, you could go out 9 days or 2 weeks, and then take 4 days. As long as they file the vacation time, it's legit. I use it to go to conventions,

Realistically, as a lease op, if you take 4 days off, you're going to be in the hole. Unless you could get the break even point done early in the week, and split the home time across 2 pay periods, you're sunk. My friend who's been leasing thru Central almost 8 years is 2 paychecks in the hole when he goes home for 4 days. And, you can't guarantee that you'll run well, so it's likely you're going to be behind.

Take heart to what happened to JJ and Jess: for 90% of Central's Rent operators, you make enough to break even and get small paychecks, or you're in the hole. And, you'll see $1 or less of every $3 you see. In the end, you don't get paid better renting a truck.

 

Yeah.. that's what keep me from leasing.. I love being home.. I was just curious though.. As far as flatbed.. I figured there was a massive waiting list..

Well since my dm has went on vacation I've recived two loads.. I 99 in atlanta later today.. And they want me to wait till 1330 on the 8th to pick up a 300 mile that delivers 1200 next day.. Then pick up in tn on the 10th in tn and 99 to il for the 13th... And for some reason nights and weekends are not talking to me.. So we'll see how my weekend goes..

 

Atlanta? Don't get stuck at the Conley Detention Facility. I recommend the Petro near the 285/20 split on the west side.

Maybe n/w dispatch ignoring you is a good thing?

Although the Fontana crew did help me out of a cluster plucked brokered chicken load that was impossible to deliver ontime. Although the new driver, who couldn't park his 387 to save his life, who repowered the load was only gonna be a few hours earlier than I would have been. Apparently the broker didn't know we had a preloaded trailer at the 01 until I was already there for 3 hours. Those 3 hours made the difference between me making it to the 99 or shutting down near Charlotte and repowering. At least the repower works out to be the same mileage plus an extra stop and some backwoods NC trucking!

That was my 3rd chicken run in as many weeks. I lost my supertrucker study guide in the blizzard in MD. How many chicken lights does a chicken run earn you???

 

The only reason you're leasing is home time? Being broke and having to pay Central aren't reasons enough?

 

Yeah pretty much.. I can't get any broker than I am now.. Shoot.. I haven't seen more than 100 in 3 weeks going on 4 now.. I am actually prolly getting let go of..

I argued and argued and finally said I wasn't taking their crummy loads..so now I was instruckterered to call cole at conley monday and to not move my truck an inch untill he gives me the okay..

My replacement team said its a big no no to refuse a load.. So I'm just curious why I can do it with my reg dm all the time and nothing happens but him getting me better loads... Man.. I didn't know trying to work harder and make a better living was against the law at central... I guess this time around wantin to work harder bit me right in the left buttox...

 

Yall have to remember that all you are to Central is a Butt in a seat!! Sad but that's the way it is!!

As a company driver you cannot refuse a load, as a L/O you can but you will probably sit for a day or so as punishment.

Struggle and get through your year and look for another company as has been stated here at least a hundred times CENTRAL is a starter company and that's it.

Central in the last few months has changed a lot, I still talk to a few friends there and they are staying because they are worried about what will be put on there DAC if they leave another sad but true.

This is a message we got from our DM when JJ delivered to Walmart early in Cheyenne WY and he sent in a 6 as he was getting unloaded after she had said there is NO WAY WAL-MART WILL TAKE YOU EARLY, The weeknd crew got the app moved up.

I also have pics of other QC messages saying if JJ refused a load then he could sit, Our attorney will find those ones very interesting and so will the IRS.( LOAD in question was 528 miles deadhead for a 270 mile delivery with 4 days on it)

 

Well that's fine with me.. I mean im setting either way but what's important to me is that I stood up for what I believe in.. And that's not waiting 2 days for 300 miles.. If they fire me.. Then I can so easily get a job at home with wmart or home depot.. And the sad thing is.. Ill make a steadier and sometime better pay then my 600 one week 100 the other 5 weeks I'm out.. And stability is what I'm lookin for... I really should have researched here before I came aboard....

 

Believe me I give you Kudos for standing up to them!!

Just don't do the whole Lease Fleece because you think it will mean more miles, CENTRAL will burn you.