CARGO EXPRESS......JJ's New truck stop.

So mu question is, why are you breaking poor Fataboy's heart by making hime stay home?
Went and saw Iron Man 2 last night. Great show!!!

 

Well I really wanted Fataboy to stay home with me for a while lol, and he needs to lose some weight!!

JJ fed him to much junk food and he needs to lose about 5lbs or so lol.

 

Just came back from checking on my trk. Not sure it will be ready tomorrow or not. KW has sent all the info to Eaton, who is NOT open on weekends, and was still waiting on a reply when I was there.
So Jess, did you slap JJ around for feeding Fataboy to much junk food?

 

Hello all,

I've been following this thread as well as the one from Central, thank you for taking the time to post the info, it really helps. I have some questions if you have a moment to answer.

I was wondering about figuring your time to get from point A to point B. Do you just use a map and best guess the miles there divided by the speed you hope to average? I've read a lot of people telling dispatch that they don't have the hours to make the run, so was wondering how you figure the hours it takes to make it.

What are some key questions you would ask a prospective employer? And/or, some key statements the employer may say that should set off an alarm?

Do a lot of companies pressure the driver to run illegally? Out of hours, equipment that should be in the shop, etc.

Would a newbie be better off staying unemployed and hoping to one day get a job in their career field as opposed to getting a CDL from a driver mill? I know choices are different for everyone, just wondering what your opinion is. Paying for my own CDL at this time is not an option. Having to owe a company a lot of $$ when they can fire you on a whim really makes me nervous.

Thanks again for your time. Stay safe out there.

 

Wellllllll is your truck fixed?????????

Nahhhhhhh I dun slap JJ around the look works better lol

Hi Chevy Dude

JJ when he worked with Central worked out all trips at 50mph, Now he is with Cargo he works all trips out at a lil faster mph.

A lot of Newbies forget to figure in dead head miles(empty miles) when they plan a trip......JJ learnt the hard way when he first started driving didn't figure in the empty miles and ran short on hrs.

The QC will tell you the trip estimated mileage its usually around the mark, but won't give you dead head miles, so that's when the you map quest it or look in your Rand McNally for mileage.

So Say you have load from Denver CO to Boise ID 831 Miles, but your last stop 99 was at Cheyenne WY (100 miles from Cheyenne to Denver), You would have to figure that mileage into your drive time, So now the trip is 931 miles.

Not many companies are going to want you to run illegally because of the csa2010, most starter company have E-Logs so its pretty impossible to run over your 11 or 14hr clock.

Central ref is a CDL mill but one of the quickest ways to get into trucking, do your year and move on don't fall into the Fleece lease deal it is set up to make them money not you!!!!

 

Jess is correct. 50 is a good starting point, and is faster to figure in your head quick. Even if your truck will go 70 though I would not figure that speed, stay around 50-55 and you are safe.
Also, the miles they tell you will be short miles and zip code to zip code. So using the lower speed number will even that out some. Also if you will be passing a city that you know will slow you down, Atlanta, DC, Chicago, Dallas, LA, etc. You will need to add a few more hours on to be safe.
Getting to a receiver early is much better than late. A few late loads and you will be looking for a new job, and many company's will not hire you if you are fired for service failures.

As for the forced running illegal. You will still find that at some of the smaller company's and even on occasion with the larger ones. Central and some other company's are on electronic logs now, so they cannot cheat as easy as with a paper log. And the e-log covers your rear end. Since when you tell them you do not have the hours and the hours you think it will take to run the load, they can check your hours against that.

 

Thanks for the responses Jess and CD, especially the heads up on dead head miles.

I have been looking at Central, they have higher pay during training than a lot of the other mills, so that's a plus. If you get on with a trainer that you have a legitimate complaint against, is it easy to get assigned to another?

No lease for me, too many horror stories about leases out there. I have no illusions that I would be the exception to the rule.

Have any of you been through the Conley GA terminal? Based on my location, that's probably where I would go I guess.

Don't want to spam up your thread with Central ?'s, so I'll stop after these.

 

I did not do training there (was not offered) but I did upgrade at Conley and I was dispatched from Conley till I went on kraft.
I had a great dispatcher. Many people did not like her. But as long as you communicate well, and I mean very very well, then you have no problems.
They are a forced dispatch company, but some loads you just cannot do. If this happens you need to explain fully and clearly on the qualcom why you cannot do it.
Never do this on a cell phone. Always on the qualcom so that you have a record.
On the trainer thing. I know several people that did this. But you better make sure you have a really good reason that you can back up.
Central goes thru hundreds of drivers each month. If they think they will have a problem with you they will just can you before upgrade. They will still get all the money from you for the training eventually so they really do not care.

 

Chevy dude, I'm not a Cargo Express nor a Central drvr but still these people put up with me!!!! CD seems to be the most consistanly grounded dude I've met on this forum and ALWAYS gives good advice. Jess is no slouch either tho she is not a crazy drvr like most of us. Either are willing to answer questions and, well heck, so am I if I can.
Jess, have no idea if the trk is ready or not. Gonna let it be a complete surprise to me when I show up in the morning. Is Fataboy all depressed about not going out with JJ?

 

Thanks Chrome Dome. I'm usually able to get along with just about anyone. Was in the Air Force for 9 years, shared a tent with 12 other guys in places none of us wanted to be. So living in a truck cab for a few weeks, while difficult, won't be something entirely new.

Thanks Panhandle. Hope you're able to get back on the road soon. You drive for Trans Am right?

I'm still looking to find a way to get my CDL on my own. If I can avoid indentured servitude, that's the way I wanna go. But, we all have to do what we have to do to survive.

Is 1BadZ still around? Wondered what year Camaro he has...