Central Refrigerated Truck Stop II

Some good stuff on here and I feel stupid as hell asking some of my questions. But here is a couple more before I head out tomorrow.

1. CFS does give you a fuel card so you are not spending your $$$ right
2. Does CFS give you stuff like EZ Pass and can you bypass the weigh stations (or not)
3. Can you get WiFi in your truck once getting it
4. Is there a adapter where you can have a small tv,frigerator,heater, computer hookup
5. In trucks is the only time you can get wifi is at truck stops (if have passengar with you whom would want to get on)
6. When lucky enough to be sent out after training in your own truck do you get to choose between which model you would like
7. Is there a big difference between the different models
8. They said you would have a few days at home after training for several weeks. Do they count the days you are traveling back against your time (would take me 3 days to get back).

Thanks in advance. Getting a tad nervous but excited about heading out tomorrow! I am so freaking new to this and Im trying to learn much as I can.

 

For every state? Then do the math for every fuel stop? That's a lot of extra work their computers could do in milliseconds.

 

You get your home time after you upgrade to a solo driver. They will find a load for you that delivers somewhere near your home and you will deadhead from there. You can choose your truck but they probably won't have what you want and if they don't have it you'll have to wait for it and you won't get paid for that time. Plan on driving an overused prostar. Maybe even a lightweight. for Wi-Fi you can get a Wi-Fi hotspot or tether to your phone. You do get an ezpass/prepass and a fuel card. As long as your company driver you don't pay for fuel.

 

Passion4polishing, not sure what you mean by disagreeing but getting 50gal at one stop to make it to your next fuel stop is following there fuel route. You still can't stop wherever you want to get fuel. If you need extra fuel to make it to your designated fuel stop then you have to get it approved and can only get so many gallons to make it to your fuel stop to fill up.

 

L.E.hillbilly Central gives a fuel card and pays for ez pass and prepass. You have to use your own money for scales and such but get reimbursed. You never have to use your own money for fuel.

Yes you can get WIFI wherever available.

You can buy a small plug in inverter to run your electronics and such.

You will not be able to choose your own truck or model. When done training you will be issued whatever they have available at the time. How you act and dress though during orientation could play a big role in what you are issued though. With this being said Central runs very nice equipment and you will most likely be issued a pretty decent truck. The lease trucks are usually different from the company trucks but you should still get a pretty nice truck. Company trucks don't usually have the APU's either.

Your days off are counted once you get home. Travel time is not included in your days off. 3 days off is 3 days spent in your LazyBoy!

Hope this helps....

 

Thanks all for the info. Now just still waiting on my bus ticket number so I can pick it up. Was to got it last week, then told get it today (still nothing).
Like the old saying goes, Im all packed but no where to go. Might make it out there next week or maybe delayed for whatever reason.

The two weeks while in school with CFS, I see one week will be in their "jail cell" place then move to a hotel the 2nd week. Give me somewhat a description of both places if you could. Im taking a thick blanket and pillow with me (not bothering with a sleeping bag). Does the first place have a tv,frigerator or wifi in the room or anything like that.

Sorry to hijacked this thread.

 

I believe Mark Hadley is a big mucky muck... that's another name you can try...

 

Mmm... I've never seen a positive - only negative... I wonder why??

 

The accommodations really aren't that bad at Central. The rooms are basic. Pretty much a bed and an a/c unit. There are many amenities though at the terminal and for some reason if you can't find it there, you can try the Walmart just down the road. Central has its own general store in the drivers building, along with salon, laundry facilities, movie theater, two game rooms, basketball court, bbq/picnic area, etc... In the main office building there is a restaurant which is actually pretty good! At night there is a burrito mobile that opens up in the main parking lot and it also is pretty good.

If you stay at one of the hotels I believe your choices are the Ramada or EconoLodge. There is also many restaurants and stores nearby those too. The EconoLodge is in the rougher side of town but two blocks away over the bridge is the Tabernacle and also a huge pretty cool mall! The terminal is actually located in West Valley City so you will be just west of Salt Lake. Really isn't much of a difference though. If you have never been out there you will be quite impressed with the views! (check out my pics there are some taken from the terminal) Also those mountains you see in the distance are the ones you will be training on! Only way into the city is over those! Can be bear in the winter time! Don't worry though, you won't be breaking any land speed records going up them! In fact, you can probably get out of the truck and walk faster up the mountain! Its usually fairly warm at the terminal in the Summer and doesn't get quite as cold in the winter as the surrounding areas. This is because you are down in the valley. Rarely did we see a lot of snow down by the terminal.

If you can afford the money upfront to fly I would take that route. Central will reimburse up to the cost of a bus ticket and sometimes if they really like you and are in a good mood they will pay the whole thing! I just could never do the whole bus thing ever again! Even if it meant renting a car to get there!

I think overall you will be impressed with Central. One thing I always tell the newbies is to ask to see the "war room". This is where the majority of the dispatchers and planners work out of and it is like a scene out of a movie! Other than that, I recommend T-bone steak and eggs for breakfast at the restaurant! Sometimes Central will give you meal vouchers for the restaurant.

Make sure to dress nice! You don't have to wear a suit and tie but nice clean jeans, collared shirt (if possible) and a nice clean pair of boots or shoes. You will have a one on one interview during orientation at some point. Central is very big on appearance! They know that the way you dress when you come to the terminal is the way you will portray yourself and represent the company to its customers when on the road. I have been told by the equipment manager that the way you dress and act has a big influence on what truck you are issued when done with training! Like I said, Central has its own general store in the drivers building and they sell all kinds of T-shirts, collared shirts, hats, jackets etc.. in there. I would recommend you get a handful of nice collared shirts with the Central logo on them. They are fairly inexpensive and keep you looking nice. Plus its a lot easier to have 5 or so shirts hanging up in your truck closet to just grab and throw on when you are at customers instead of trying to find the least wrinkled, stained shirt you have brought from home. It really makes it easier to look nice. I myself am not a shlubby trucker and I have found that if you look nice and comb your hair and brush your teeth you get much more positive attention. Now when you walk into a customer and need to get unloaded or loaded early you are more apt to get a positive response! This is a proven fact! Oh yeah, flip-flops are great! They are one of the best footwear inventions ever! They are also perfect for wearing in a dirty truck stop shower! However, they do not look good on white, nasty, stinky trucker feet adorned with the finest of sweat pants! So don't wear them! I can't tell you how many truckers I see nowadays that wear flip flops! I understand they are easy to slip on and off and are comfy but so are pink fuzzy slippers! Leave them in the truck! Another big downfall is diesel will get all over your feet and can really cause a lot of damage to your feet. Slippery too!

Anyway sorry to get carried away! Just holler if you have any questions or you can "pm" me so that I don't take up the whole thread.

Good luck to ya'll....

 

Chompi your vast knowledge is always appreciated. Type as much as you like