Central Refrigerated Truck Stop

We got stuck in oregon 2 nights ago thanks to an accident just a few miles before that. People were shutting down all over. We made it to the poe and parked it, and then got boxed in and had to wait til mid morning to get out. I'd heard they were waking the driver who's parked on the ramps and were making them go down the road, but I didn't meet a driver it had happened to. And by they, I mean OHP.

 

How long has it been since you drove for central? You've mentioned a planner in the past, and I know they took most of us away from the planners about a year and a half ago.

 

First off, if you're semi-retired, do you have additional income to live off of and help pay the bills? If you're going in to driving, be aware that this is a slower time to do it. Freight slows down from after christmas til around tax day. And, being students, and then newer drivers, you won't be getting huge amounts of milage. Make sure you're prepared until summer comes.

I've teamed for central for 3.5 years. In that time we've seen everywhere but the north east, although iknow drivers go up there. Our milage has been good to downright crap. We've fought. We've nearly killed each other. We've seen some really amazing things. We've been able to take time off wherever we choose. And we've been robbed at gunpoint.

Can you handle being with your spouse 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Do you know what either one of you will do when you panic, get angry, or get frustrated? Do you mind how then other person drives? If you the your spouse's driving, don't team. Those bad habhts will not go away just because you're in a big truck.

Be prepared to run like hell, and to sit. You'll have 1300 mile weeks, and 5300 mile weeks, but usually between 3000-4500. Don't tell them you want to be a super solo, even if you 're company. When we got off Coors in May, the head of the fleet managers in Salt Lake told us they couldn't afford for teams to be run like solos, and we had to have 16,000 miles, minimum, per month. We still haven't seen it, but they've also not made good on their threat to break us up.
Also don't tell them you want to be a super solo because you get it, and decide you want to run hardeer, they will be loathe to get you more miles. Once a planner knows truck xxxxx doesn't want to run hard, the planner won't assign you decent milage. There's about 1800 trucks in the fleet, but planners and fleet managers alike know the trucks that are problems, that are always late, whiny, or unreliable. If you're pegged as one of those, only a change of truck will help, and sometimes not even then.
If you plan on being super solo, don't lease. You'll get enough milage to pay for the truck, but you won't be making much on top of it for 2 people.

 

Pda.net isn't free, it's a 1 time $30 fee after 30 days. As to the speed, you'll get whatever speed you can based on the signal you have, so it's what you get from an air card. It is enough to play games on though, provided you're not stuck somewhere with a 1x signal.

I recommend keeping your usage under 5 gigs a month. When I called Verizon, they said they didn't disallow or discourage the program, but I shouldn't use excessive bandwidth. I asked about 5 gigs because that's what their air cards are limited to, and the rep said that was a good amount. I don't use even 5 gigs, so I haven't had to worry.

 

I am not sure what size Volvo sleeper is, as they are also working Volvo's out of the fleet. Pro Stars they have the full size approx 60" and then they have a stripped down version that is about 48" "Lightweight" they got those originally for the Coors dedicated fleet.

 

AH... but I guess the 'real' question would be - which way would we make more take home $$?

 

Was that you I passed near troutdale? I passed 2 female drivers in a red prostar. I shut down at mm 345 with 3 other trucks.

 

Thank you so much for this answer/reply... I'm the 'other half' of Klingon (hence the Lady K). That helps answer my question about 'super solo' vs: 'team'. The 'semi-retired' is almost an insider joke with us. Klingon drove and was an O/O >20 yrs ago (another story for another time) and we always told each other 'when we retire - we will get a truck and see the USA'... Well life has a funny way of biting you in the ##### and then laughing at you. We are going into this to WORK, but seeing the USA and being able to be together are added bonuses. Thankfully we are each others BFF's and have a realistic idea of what is involved with the 'trucking' business. We are both going through training 1) he hasn't been on the road for >20 years and 2) I was only a ride along - never drove one. He will be leading the way - and I will follow. So I appreciate all information you have to toss our way!!

 

LOL Freymiller is trying to recruit me on Facebook! Now im in Laramie wy, hoping that the roads arent shut down tomorrow. Seems this snow just follows me around. Stuck in OR. possibly stuck in WY.

 

Actually the only 10spd truck on the fleet at this point is the LW prostar. Wish I had a 13 running these California/Oregon mountains all the time that half a gear step would be nice.