Central Refrigerated Truck Stop II

When did this thread become a pissing contest? People come on here and ask questions. Central drivers give their openion, and if it's not anti central they get blasted by ex-central drivers. Badz I did not say you were a criminal. What I said was that Central would look at tampering with the qualcomm so it did not look like you were ideling as if you were stealing. I did not say I thought that way, I understand the need/desire to be comfitorable. What I do believe is that anyone wanting to drive for central or any other company has plenty of opprotunity to find out about how much they pay, their policies, and any fees associated with breaking those policies. Then it is there decision to decide if they can live with those rules. If not they would be better off working for another company. I have been a manager in a past life and there have always been stupid stuff that corporate wanted to do and our job as employees was to do it or find another job.
Jj I stand corrected, I was assuming that a single person had little chance against a big companies law team. You have proved me wrong you did it so that means anyone can right?
Badz that is awsome that you got a great job! I hope to have one like it someday. But I'm happy where I am now, and as jj stated this is a great place to get started then move on and that is my plan. Maybe I'll be here 3 years, how long were you here?
Maybe bigrigg and I are just a couple kool aid drinkers, but thats ok with me for now. I try to look at the positives, while planning for my future, and to me central is a good fit.
That is all

 

If you are running containers then yes you are making money good for you. If you want to be home all the time then fine you found the job that fits you. I have the job that fits me. I love the solitude, I love the travel and I love the lifestyle of OTR. I don't need nor want to be home all the time so for me running 7 days a week is fine. I don't train because I don't want anyone else in my truck, I like being alone. Could I make more money training, yes, but the few extra $ for me is not worth it.

Your original post just gets my blood boiling because somebody wants to know if they can life with Central's policy or not. You're response is to show them how to break the rules. Rules and regs are a part of trucking now and will not be going away and that sucks. The more drivers out there that have your mind set the more regs that come down on us drivers that try to play by the rules. That is what makes me mad. Either find a way to make it work for you (which you did with containers) or get the hell out trucking.

One last thing, Central has done nothing but bend over backwards to help me so yeah I drink there KOOL AIDE. Are there other companies out there where I can make more money sure but not at this time for me. Will I be with Central for the rest of my life, probably not. However, for the position that I'm in right now Central is a good company for me and works to help me get farther on in my career. So if anybody ask I will tell them yes Central works for me, but it may not work for you. Here is there policy and here is how you make it work for you. If that dosen't suit you then go somewhere else and work. Do some of the policies suck yes but they are there and you just have to learn how to deal with them.

 

What make and model trucks does central run?

 

heck, i don't have to do that trick. my truck goes all teh way till it hits bottom and starts climbing again.

just remember though. that cops LOVE to patrol the downhill side.

 

Hello CHOMPI, CELtic, LADYK and 1BADZ28...if I forgot someone, sorry! lol...
Ill being reading many of the posts on to this blog and I can recognize CHOMPI from other thread guess is related to JTC and found it very usefull. I am new on the truck industry but guess with a good bite of common sense to save me of some issues on the road.
I drove a 05 10speed craplighner with a refer hanging on the back but hoping to find a better place to stay.
It got my attention the central refrigerated thread because it happens that a neighbor started to work for the company and now trying to get in to the lease business with them.
I am also looking for a good company to work with (here is where the naive guys start his wish list...)....with....good time at home....good paying....good relationship owner employee do not to be just a number....good trucks...good lease to own program......something else? nope I guess some of you guys reading so far are already laughing.
Any ways I am waiting delighted on to the possible answers.
Wish you the best to all.

 

Central will give you home time if you want it. I forget what there exact policy is but it's pretty much the norm for big companies. Central's pay is about average but they do have the freight to keep you moving and get more miles. They have some good equipment. However they don't come with all the bells and whistles. You will not have an APU unless you get an old O/O tractor and one was left on it. If you lease you can put your own APU on it if you want. The equipment is kept in good working order and the trucks are safe to drive. If you want to lease to own Central is not the place for that. You can make money with there lease program however there is no discount at the end of the lease for buying the tractor. You will pay retail price for the tractor and that is why I say it's not a good lease to own program. However it's a good place to start and to learn how to run your own truck. They don't just give you a truck and say here you go your on your own. They also give you tools to help you run your business successfully.

Central is a big company so in some ways you are just a number. That's how they keep track of all their drivers by number. However, Central will not treat you like just a number if you don't want to be treated like one. There will be other drivers and ex-drivers that will disagree with me and that's fine. That maybe was their experience. But I can tell you from my experience that if you are doing your job well and withing company policy then they will bend over backwards to help you out. I made a mistake that with any other company I would have been fired and should have been. Central called me in talked to me about looked at my record before that and how I was running my business and decided to give me second chance. My miles haven't been cut because of it nor have I had any other problems from the company or management. Central knows that if there drivers aren't making money then neither are they.
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ok lets start here you get 1 day off for every week worked up to a maximum of 4 days off. the pay is decent for a starter co. there is better but all starter cos. pay low. you are a number they have close to 1600 drivers now could be more not for sure. they actually maintain the trucks pretty well but with all big cos sometimes you have to stay on them to get stuff done remember you are a number not one of their buddies who they hang with on the weekends and pound back beers with. and the lease program i do not recommend for a man with responsablities such as a family mortgage car notes and bills at home. if you are single with NO BILLS or A TEAM (husband and wife) with a pretty good bit of money already set back and most of everything you have is PAID for then the lease might be for you. you gotta have some business sence about yourself or it will not work period. the bills on the truck come FIRST then whats left over AFTER you put away for taxes is yours. now if you are one who likes to go home every 4 weeks for your 4 days off then the lease aint gonna work either cause you spend to much time trying to catch the bills on the truck back up. once you do that then its hometime again and it starts all over again. if you lease you have got to stay out a minimum of 6 to 8 weeks at a time. thats a long time for a married man with a family to be gone. try to stay co. and get on with a dediccated fleet i recommend kraft.

 

What makes my blood boil is people like you who comes on here with their high and mighty attitude and spout half truths in stead of telling it like it is. Like i get paid more than you like you did with 1bad or your other comment about truck speeds. I might have left central but i still have a lot of friends who work for them and they tell me real time info. I will throw out the bravo sierra card just to keep people honest. If yo think regulations stem from just drives you are sorely mistaken and if you believe that just keep sticking your head in the sand. Some of the regs come from stupid drivers but most dont. Its a product of special interest groups. Most people are intelligent enough to make a decision weather to to good or bad. If you think central has never done anything shady then again sir you have your head in the sand. It's just a shame that companys make driver have to resort to tactics so they can get the proper rest they need to be safe and make a living and i dont blame them one bit. Their situations might not be suitable for leaving. Im not saying do it but im saying i wont condemn them for doing it either.

 

Anyone can fight them just takes the will to do so and the local legal office in your county can be of tremendous help. Glad your happy with central. Like i said its a good place to get your start but i wouldnt stay more than a couple of years. If you do the lease wish you the best but knowing what i know now i would have saved up as a company driver and bought my own. It took me 2 yrs after leaving central driving for another company but i made my dream come true. We own our own truck and operate un restricted. Its nice not having to chase miles. Heck in the past couple of weeks id be lucky if i drove more than 250a miles per day and cleared 3600.00 wish you the best in your endeavor. JJ.

 

That's what I'm planing on doing with Central. I'm thinking of staying with them for 3-4 years. I not only want to have money to buy a truck but want to have the money run my business. Maybe I will have it sooner who knows. Plus I understand how to make a trucking business work but I have always had problems with the accounting side of it. At Central I have ATBS and they have taught me a lot about the accounting part of it. I chose the lease after much thought when I first started with them I said I would never lease. With the new pay scale and being single the lease made more money for me. It's like 1badz said in his post if your single you can do it. I moved my Mom and Dad and my older sister who is disabled into my 3 bedroom mobile home. They pay the rent space and utilities and I know my home is watched over while The only bills I have is for my cell phone and the insurance on my 4 wheeler. The only other bill would be a major repair on the house.Like the new roof I just put on it. Like I said I love OTR because it fits me so I stay out for at least 8 weeks or more and then take a break. When I do go on hometime it is never more then 2 days. I tried once to do 4 days but by the 3rd day I was going nuts and wanted to get back in the truck. My dream is to get my own truck run unrestricted, I will still probably chase the miles because I love the driving. But I want the option to be able to stop and visit the Grand Canyon or Mount Rushmore or wherever I see that sound interesting to me. So after reading 1badz's post maybe I should clarify my statements more about the lease program.