Central Refrigerated Truck Stop

With this comapny, 5th is fixed. Only thing we move is the tandems.

 

Awesomeness.. I know where winter hides while its spring and summer.. Over here in wyomin.. I'm at exit 401 and there's snow everywhere!!! Its so nice to be away from those bad strorms for a few days.. I wish I could stay in the west till summer hits..

Well I might be at wvc if anyones around.. I'm gunna try and see if I can talk my way into a new 386.. This w9 is killin me on repairs.. It DOES NOT want to get over 5.9 mpg.. Flat, hills, flat and hills. It'll hit 6 in the first part of the day and by night I'm at 5.4.. There's something horribly wrong with this truck.. Its not holding good oil pressure either..

I hope they do it..I mean I know its only been 2 months.. But I've spent atleast 2500 on the truck.. And it stil needs atleast another 3k spent to run right..plus instead of a one year lease.. They'll have me for 3.. Anyone have a 386? Are they fuel efficent? Good pullin power? Are they real heavy like the 379s?

 

386 is the lightest truck in all of the Central fleet, even lighter then the Volvos.

 

If there is a tornado warning out there, I'm sure my 01 or 99 is smack dab right in the middle of it. I think my DM is trying to kill me...let's see, OK City, Carthage, St. Louis, KCMO. Fairly certain the Higginsville Pilot is in the path of some inclement weather!

 

Your Balance was 109,000, doesn't make any sense to me...When my adopted son and I started our lease total was like 72,000. Now my balance shows around 23,000. Check your balances online. It shows you everything there. Your lease could not have started at 109,000, now mine does show the trucks purchase price on mine was 106,000, but my lease was about 72,000. I can get the exact figures if you like.

 

S
:smt039

 

Dark: Ok here it is with my payments my total lease is $83,460 for three years, not $109,000. Join the Truckers Forum, lots of help on that sight.

 

WHY MILES ARE PICKING UP!!!!!

4/29/2010 Fleets Ramp Up Recruitment As Freight Shows Signs of Recovery

Fleets are ramping up their recruitment efforts in anticipation of a recovery in freight, according to MTS Driver Recruiters, which said it has seen increased activity among its customers. MTS Driver Recruiters provide recruitment process outsourcing to the transportation and logistics industry.

The company said it's experiencing a boost in demand for its recruiting services, and it expects the demand to grow as freight tonnage increases in 2010.

According to the company, many industry experts are predicting that the driver shortage will return with greater ferocity, as many drivers who have been unable to find work have abandoned the trade for other occupations.

"Even with current lower levels of business and reduced demand for drivers, fleet operators have been realizing that they must deal with leaner times by identifying recruiting methods that are far more effective then those relied on during the past driver shortage," said Ken Walker, principal. "As freight tonnage goes back up, it will take much longer for the number of available drivers to rise and get to the point where we reach the previous 'shortage' levels of the past."

"Fleet operators have a large pool of experienced drivers to tap into right now, but it appears that a return to the days of driver shortages and retention problems are not far off," Walker said.

American Trucking Associations (ATA) demographic studies have shown that key age groups for drivers are shrinking, causing the potential for shortages that will increase the time and cost of finding drivers.

 

LOOKING UP...BUT CAUTIOUS...

5/4/2010 Second Quarter Shows Fleets Optimistic, Yet Shy

While fleets did show some optimism about their business and their intentions to buy new equipment in the second quarter, many are still going the cautious route and aren't trying to get ####y yet, according to CK Commercial Vehicle Research's second quarter Fleet Sentiment Report.

The report's Buying Index, which measures the percent of fleets planning to purchase power units and/or trailers in the next three months, was up 18.4 percent from the first quarter. The index found that 33.3 percent of fleets plan to place orders for new power units, while 29.8 percent plan new trailer purchases in the next three months. However, this percent is still below the four-quarter moving average and well below the same quarter last year, according to the research.

While the numbers are improving, 50 percent of those fleets that do not plan to purchase in the second quarter said they don't expect to place their next order for over a year. Thirty-four percent of those don't plan to place an order for 10 to 12 months.

"Most industry forecasters are expecting soft demand for power units the remainder of 2010 and the answers here reflect that," the report said. "There is even a strong indication that many fleets won't buy until mid-2011."

In addition, those that are planning purchases of power units are not doing so to add capacity. Only one respondent indicated that it will add capacity, while the rest are buying for replacement demand.

The report did find that a greater number of for-hire fleets are planning to buy power units, at 63 percent. "This is a change from recent past quarters where private fleets were showing stronger inclination to purchase power units," the report said.

The percentage of fleets who plan to buy trailers in the second quarter is 19 percent higher than the first quarter and above the four-quarter moving average. Two of the three largest fleets in the group expect to purchase trailers in the next three months. However, the fleets not expecting to add trailers in the near term are not planning to order them any time soon, with most expecting their next order to be at least mid-2011.

Overall, when fleets were asked "how's business?" there was a 15 percent improvement over the first quarter, and the best results since the third quarter 2008, when the researchers started asking the question. On a scale of one to five, five being excellent, 55 percent said business was at a four or five.

 

I have never seen trucking suffer the way it has the last two years. It has been rough for everyone, including myself. Hang in there guys it is looking better............More like some of the old days. I would suggest saving for the next downfall.....Even us oldies I don't think thought it could hurt us to bad, freight always had to move, the last two years taught us we are just as vulnerable!!! It is picking up all over, I saw truck traffic die, fewest trucks on the road I have ever seen in my career!!! Now truck traffic seems like it is just about back to normal!! No longer take it for advantage, I know it can change at any time. Keep on trucking...got to go got a green light now on my door!!

5/13/2010 Freight TSI Sees First Year-Over-Year Boost in Nearly Two Years

The Freight Transportation Services Index gained 0.9 percent in March from February, its third straight monthly increase, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The index experienced its first year-over-year increase since July 2008, rising 2.6 percent from March 2009.

Over the first three months of 2010, the index has increased 1.6 percent.

The March Freight TSI of 97.8 is a 4.5 percent increase from the recent low of 93.5 reached in May 2009. In May, the index was at its lowest level since June 1997. The Freight TSI is down 13.4 percent from its historic peak of 112.9 reached in May 2006.

The Freight TSI index has risen 4.5 percent over the last 10 months, starting in June, after declining 15.3 percent in the previous 10 months beginning in August 2008. The index has increased in eight of the last 10 months.

The Freight TSI measures the month-to-month changes in freight shipments in ton-miles, which are then combined into one index. The index measures the output of the for-hire freight transportation industry and consists of data from for-hire trucking, rail, inland waterways, pipelines and air freight.

The freight index is down 12.5 percent in the five years from March 2005, and down 1.9 percent in the 10 years from March 2000.

For additional historical data, visit www.bts.gov/xml/tsi/src/index.xml.