Central Refrigerated Truck Stop

Thanks Chromedome for telling it like it is. Have been with my company a year and a half now and guess I'll be here for about the same. After that, would like to get with a smaller, Oklahoma grown company to finish my career out with. BTW, for those who think their going to make money as a driver....my 1st full year was $21,000. Granted, I got paid per diem but....there's pluses and minuses to that and as for me....would rather be able to claim my own per diem and get paid a living wage. Thank goodness I live with my brother and have very few bills.

 

<soapbox>Sadly, most people come into this job without a full awareness of what it really is and what it involves. On top of this the training companies take full advantage of this and exploit those mis-beliefs, high hopes and dreams. Now there's nothing wrong with hopes and dreams, but they can blind one to reality.

This profession takes a level of commitment that some have never experienced and are not prepared for. Over the past few weeks I have met several "rookie" drivers. I call them rookies (some would call them steering wheel holders) becauuse they lack some of the basic skills. Some couldn't navigate their way out of a wet paper bag with a hand grenade. Some could barely make a straight back, some didn't have any concept of how we get loads, what planners are supposed to. Do etc... These drivers scare me!

I've also met many professional drivers (even some with central). The ones that understand the business of trucking, don't drive their trucks like they stole it, have respect for their equipment, road, and environment. These are the ones that raise my hopes about the industry and the decision I made to do this.

Y'all need to remember this is a business. You are either an extension of the business as a company driver or a partner in the business as a l/o or o/o. How you work to help meet the goals of the...

</broken soapbox><enable gravity>

Darn splinters and nails everywhere now. Got to run, the buzzard is starting to look at the armadillo in a threatening way. I think he's hungry and I need to check out the truckers lounge here at Sadlers. I like this place.

 

I HOPE i get detention for it. appt at 1000, got into a door # 1300 released # 1430. should be like 2.5 hrs detention.

Now i hope i dont get a citation for using a freeway onramp on the 101 in San Mateo because im out of hours... they have 2 rest areas in the whole bay area No truck stops or travel centers... one rest stop is on 280 which is closed to be rebuilt and one in Sausalito across the GG Bridge and I have a stop in SSF in am so thats a no go also. NOW if dispatch did what I asked and called americold, and all the stops to reroute me then I wouldnt be here at this onramp now. Logical route: Merced, Tracy, Livermore would have been done today and I could have gotten the port of oakland and my SSF stop tomorrow and get out of the Bay area to drp trailer in stockton then come back to the bay area bobtail and have an easier time to park for my hometime.

 

All the post here have opened my eyes!! I think if I decide driving to be the way to go I will go to a local school and just pay the money myself. At least that will give me four more weeks at home before joining a company to finish the training. I now look at company supplied training as a last resort.

 

So, how did the meetup with Cole go?

 

If you're going with an outside school, check the local community college to see if they have financial aid. A gal I went to school with did just that. She had to log the hours she spent at our school to get the financial aid, but of the $4500 tuition, she only had to pay a little.

Also, some companies that still hire drivers fresh from outside schools will provide tuition reimbursement. Central used to, when they hired outside. They paid the check for my co-driver directly to the loan, since my co-driver had a loan. I got the money directly to my check $150 a month, until it was paid. We had to submit paperwork and proof of payment to Central, but we both got paid.

 

I'm one of VERY few drivers here that has a place in the Bay Area to park a truck & trailer when ever I need to & man it makes it nice whenever I have to go up there.

 

JJ and Jess....just wanted to say hello. I read the old board all the way through and skipped up to thread 800 after I read to 223 on this one....there's allot of great information. Anyway, I've been through Johns training all the way until he quit Central. Also have followed allot of others ie; Chrom and 1bad/widow etc, was sorry to see JJ go.

 

Ya.. I tried to see him twice yesterday.. And he's always outta the room.. I finally talked with him and I'm still here.. But my punishment is my own demise.. I could have been long gone outta here.. But instead.. Were sittin at -25 in ga this morning on our load board...

Like I said earlier.. I'm just showing my age and not my iq... So quick to drop the hammer.. Before thinking... How will this affect me directly.. So alas... I'm taking another 34 and for the 3rd week only going to see 100.. But its partly my fault.. Not gunna blame central... Atleast fully blame them... Hehehe...

 

lucky. I tried to park in Southland Mall in Hayward in the abandoned part of the lot where NO ONE parks and they kicked me off... I am never buying anything from any store in that mall again!

I understand its their written policy but come on, no one shops at that mall anymore and the lots on the west side of the mall are empty. Talking about maybe 20 cars and they were about 500 ft from me.