Knight Refridgerated: Good Place to work?

Discussion in 'Knight' started by Surfer Joe, Oct 11, 2011.

  1. Surfer Joe

    Surfer Joe Heavy Load Member

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    Feb 27, 2011
    Cape Ann, Massachusetts
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    Hi everybody. I was just wondering what its like to work reefer. Do you make alot of midnight/ early morning deliveries? How are the miles? Do you like the conditions? Is it better than dry van? Thanks!
     
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  3. Erick chapel

    Erick chapel Medium Load Member

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    Jan 30, 2011
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    When I was at knight (dry van) I ran a few reefer loads that needed to get done over the weekend. Most of the produce I ran was nite driving, but they will expect you to get it there on time...(or else). The window they give you is very narrow and expect you to take measure of the type of load youre running and not to mess it up. All in all, the reefer side had some great miles, but the drivers always looked tired and mal-nourished do to not having time to stop and eat forcing them to use their 10hr break to eat....then sleep, then drive tired.
     
    Surfer Joe Thanks this.
  4. TrucKer 999 TriLLion

    TrucKer 999 TriLLion Light Load Member

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    Mar 7, 2010
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    everyonce in awhile at a knight yard, i'd see a knight refridgerated driver transflowin like 8 or 9 trips.....
     
  5. JAX853

    JAX853 Bobtail Member

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    Apr 21, 2010
    Phoenix, Az
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    Reefer is more responsibility due to monitoring the temp on the cargo. You definitely do a lot of night driving being most of their freight is next day delivery. The miles are good depending on the area you are running in. There are pros/cons to both dry/reefer and it all depends on the person.
     
    Surfer Joe Thanks this.
  6. bigjuice61

    bigjuice61 Bobtail Member

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    Aug 25, 2011
    phoenix, az
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    Don't do it if you have a family to support. If you are young and single, just want a truck driving job in order to pass time, go for it. I worked for knight since 2005 they have been going down hill since the day I started. Their biggest problem is the kids they call dispatchers, & the payroll dept. I don't hate knight, just telling you the real deal, they will set you up in a brand new truck, then they will act like you owe them your life. No apu/ but don't run the truck PHOENIX 115 DEGREES/ THAT'S A JOKE// Dispatchers are just kids doing an entry level job. They know nothing about trucking. They aren't going to care about your needs as a family man, because they don't have a family. They just left mommy & daddys house to go take over the world! Every chance they get, they looking for a reason to fire you, then 3mos later call you back for rehier. I've seen it happen way too many times.
    Don't work for Knight, if you do, trust me, you'll be sorry you did.:biggrin_2552:
     
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  7. bigjuice61

    bigjuice61 Bobtail Member

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    Aug 25, 2011
    phoenix, az
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    Knight refrigerated having great miles is also a joke, at knight, all the money is in the short runs. Dry side always think reefer is doing so much better than them because some of the runs are longer, is not true. 2300mi 5days/ all day loading then all day unloading. Now you get no more runs for the week. Because you are out of your region and they want to load their trucks first, then worry about you two days later. The way they do things is a JOKE!
     
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  8. Surfer Joe

    Surfer Joe Heavy Load Member

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    Feb 27, 2011
    Cape Ann, Massachusetts
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    So in the summer, in the heat, you cant idle? No AC? That will kill a human! Seriously, is there no way to cool the truck? And is that acceptable? If this is the case, then its just a matter of time that Knight gets a lawsuit against them for a wrongful death due to hyperthermia; possibly even manslaughter.
     
  9. tracyq144

    tracyq144 Heavy Load Member

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    Yes, you can idle in the summer when the temp is at, or above, 70. Very rare that it is too hot inside the truck at that temp. And if it is, you can usually just manually idle for 10-20 minutes to raise the sensor temp above 70 and then it will idle by itself.

    So much disinformation and ######## about Knight on this board.

    Yes, they do have some problems, but they are hardly as evil as some would have you believe.

    In the end, it's WORK, that's why they pay you to do it. If it was as easy as some seem to want it to be, people would do it for free.

    Then again, I am an old fart that started out driving team in a spring suspension Freightliner cabover with a 36" bunk and a 300 HP Cummins. Home every 6 weeks or so, if we were lucky. No Q-comm, no cell phones, you got MT, you called from the receiver or you went to a truckstop and waited in line to use the phone. Only to be told "call back in an hour, nothing yet", and to do that over and over.

    edit: But, in those days, most drivers WANTED to be truck drivers, it wasn't just a job to get after you had been laid off from something else.

    A lot of modern day "truck drivers" have no idea how nice they have it.
     
    Southpaw7391 Thanks this.
  10. Professional-Trucker

    Professional-Trucker Heavy Load Member

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    Oct 31, 2011
    California
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    :biggrin_25513:Knight does not have that solid customer base to keep the drivers rolling. They do lots of left over type loads that are short in miles and lots of time waiting. It's a good company for the ones who like "short haul". Tracyq144, if you have years and years of experiance, why do stay at knight? My question is an honest one and don't mean it in a negative way btw.
     
  11. OverDrive

    OverDrive "A Watchman on the Walls"

    That is not the case for many of Knight's trucks. I was an express driver and had some that wouldnt idle til above 85 degs, and that was at the sensor located in the lower front of the hood. When it's 85 with the engine off, it's much hotter in the inside. Roll down the windows and either the flies or the mosquitoes come in to bother you. I spent many a days sweating my guts out in Coachella, CA!

    In the winter it world have to be below 35 degs to stay idling--often I would pour some ice over the sensor to get it to idle at 35-40 degs. But when they put in the bunk heaters of which many initially did not work, they kept the cab cozy. But often the bunk heaters did fail, and so 'let the idle games begin.'

    In either case, trying to get some good sleep while playing games with the idle limits, is time consuming and steals your rest....sure the log book looks good, but the driver isnt rested!
     
    shadowdaddy Thanks this.
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