Central Refrigerated Truck Stop

I love that place, the museum is really neat. I was there a couple weeks ago. If I have time to spare, I'll stop there instead of the welcome center, and wander the cars.

 

Actually, the dediciated fleets usually have their own load planners who deal with brokers. When we were on Coors, the would back haul us with CH Robinson. When we were on WalMart, we used CH Robinson and some other broker. On rare occaisions we'd end up with an OTR load, but it was usually because they didn't want us to deadhead 300 mils home after delivering, or they couldn't get a broker load back out.

Freight's been going regionalized for the last couple of years. It's easier for them to send a few shipments cross country, and fill in with the plants in the area, than it is to send lots of shipments of stuff that may already be manufactured within 1000 miles of the facility.

I don't think leaving Vicki's fleet is going to help you, unless you get on Dole, or you get a planner instead of a manager. We were on WalMart, and seeing 3500 miles a week tops, for weeks on end. They claim there's team freight, but we weren't getting it.

 

Pay is not that great. They're like most big companies, and pay about the same. It's on the website, I don't think I can post a link, so just google it. Look for the tab on the top right, it brings you ro the driver information, and then there's a pay and benefits in the sub menu.

Whether they keep you running depends on the time of the year and where you are. Also, it depends on how reliable you are. If it's slow freight time, you're not going to get lots of miles. If you service fail loads, you're not going to get miles. If you don't put in the necessary messages, you're not going to get miles. They plan solo drivers better than teams though.

They don't push teams, although they won't discourage you.

They do push the l/o program. In fact, if you express an interest and you qualify, you can be "fast tracked" to a lease truck in 30 days. I don't recommend it, especially if you qualify to go lease during the winter. Winters are rough, it's better to slide off the road into a snowbank in a company truck than to do it in one you're renting, and then be doubly in trouble.

 

He's does alright most of the time when he covers my dm, but when he screws up he makes for one large mess. And it has hurt when he screws up.

 

I will take it one day at a time and see what happens. Right now we r in ohio waiting for another truck to get our load to us abd the windsheild wipers are having a. Electrical problem so we r shutdown

 

That guy was my fleet manager for almost a year. It was not a good year.

 

I hope I'm asking this question in the right place (thread). I have read that Central is sending trainees from GA to SLC after a few days...are they still doing that?? Thanks

 

thanks man i appreciate it alot. any advice helps so much

 

hEY r uger i hate to tell you this but smadronia is not a man. shes a woman and listen to what she says she KNOWS what she's talking about.

 

Good info Smadronia! It is quite a shock out there and is a little different from the picture the recruiters paint for these guys. No matter what its going to take a good three to four months before one gets used to it out there. Not only is it a new career but its a new lifestyle too!