Central Refrigerated Truck Stop II

The 30th should be my last day of orientation and I think Ice Train will be here to pick up one of us newbs then too.

 

I have been lurking around this forum for awhile. I just want to thank all of you for having a POSITIVE thread going. I see so many complaints about trucking companies, especially the big Puppy Driver Mills. I start to think WOW are there any decent companies out there? Then I read this.
My other thought is, if these companies are so bad, why do they have so many trucks on the road. Somebody must have made it through the training and the probation? there must be good trainers out there...somewhere? What are the chances I could make it through?

 

The number of trucks on the road only attests to the number of people looking to driving as a solution to the current economy. That and how profitable it is to take almost all applicants and send them off into the unknown long enough to find a replacement for them. (takes about a week I think)
Some make it, most do not. I think the ones who make it are "special". We definitely earn our keep... Oh, and I retract my earlier boast of $500-1500 per week. It turns out the bottom end is much much lower. But next week should be my best so far. Feelin the stress lately and my settlements are laughable. Starting to miss my car/dog/bed/family/Harley/self respect... But I LOVE drivin!

 

Probably about as a good as chance I have. I believe I am level headed, a hard worker and ready to learn. I head out for training with Central at the end of February. I have no doubt this will be hard. But all things worth going for are generally NOT easy. I wouldn't say I am desperate, but at 26 years old I am #### tired of looking at my tax return an seeing $19k as my annual gross for the last five years.

When I first began my research on CDL training companies two months ago, I first found Swift. I think we all do, they advertise online as if they don't have a budget for it. Then I found Central, then this forum. I applied, waited out the silence from the recruiter and now I'm set to travel to Salt Lake in February. Am I nervous? A bit. Do I understand what it takes to be an OTR trucker? Most likely not. It seems a sure-thing that many people knock these "starting companies" for their various practices. I understand that I am going to Central to earn a CDL and experience and build a better future for myself.

I am ready to learn, better myself and earn more than I've ever made in my life. Sure it may seem low to some, but I don't care. I'm not doing this for them. I'm doing it for me with the goal to move and get those high paying jobs everyone seems to talk about on the forum. Gotta start somewhere. So my advice is to simply apply, go through the hoops and get a training date. You (as I) won't know till we try.

 

Shoulda got him some depends as a parting gift.

 

I should be there by wed or thurs. maybe I'll get the privilege of working with one of you guys.

 

I am sick as a dog today. Fortunately I have a day off from training and just have some homework to finish, but my heart's not in it. I really hope I'm better in the morning because I have to be there come **** or high water. Now if I can only find the ability to get my laundry done.

 

HI all, I've been quiet lately...working. Phx to Green Bay to Bethlehem to New Berlin (NY) and then out to Twin Falls, ID. Then had a run up to Great Falls, MT - by the way, found out that at least up in that area (and maybe all of MT??) that they don't do Trippak any more so was unable to get my NY-ID trip turned in on time - oh well. Anyway, back to Twin Falls and now headed to IL...though giving me 7 days to do it. So, since I'm still 'new', will have a 'late' 69-day review w/driver services on Monday - so will be WVC Monday. Don't mind the layover though since I live 40 miles South of SLC, so I'm home for a rare weekend. Will then head back out Monday to hit the 99 in IL by Thur. early early am (0300).

 

Oops...that should read "60" day review, not 69...my bad for not proofreading it. For those just completing training, Driver Services would 'like' to do a 'new driver review' every '30' days once you get into your own truck. I missed my first 30-day, would miss my 60-day too other than the fact that I took the opportunity on a load with tons of time to sneak in some home time - my wife appreciates that...as do I.

 

Funny story. Last night newbie 8 picked up some roadside debris and punctured the sidewall of a supersingle tandem. Luckily we were stopping at a rest area anyway so it was not run on long. We walk back from the pot and hear hissing (air coming out of the tire) and find a 2" gash in the side wall. We check the air pressure and it's at 30psi. Otrm asks us if we can reinlate it and run 100mi to a petro. I say I don't think it will hold air, but will inflate it and see how much leaks out. We get my airhose out and newbie 8 (who is a certified mechanic) says we need to patch the hole and says we should shove bubble gum in the whole. I figured the tire was a loss anyway and wanted to see if it would work, so we both chewed up a couple sticks of gum and crammed them in the hole. Air still leaked out, but seemed a little less. So we start to inflate the tire and the tire blows a huge gum bubble. Needless to say we got to hang out at the rest area for 6 hrs waiting on a new tire, but at least we got a funny story out of it.