Central Refrigeration Service, Inc. - West Valley, Ut.

Wolfden, I know that it is hard, but I am proud of you for keeping up your positive attitude.

For those who are frustrated right now, let's be fair and look at this from the other side:

Central doesn't want a truck to break down any more than you do. It costs them money in repairs and it costs them money in downtime.

It is a BAD DEAL for us to be sitting on the docks when things go bad, but remember that your DM is thousands of miles away and he can't just reach through the phone and force the shipper to get your truck loaded.

Yes, it is miserable to be sitting waiting for a load over the weekend. Again, it is not like you DM wants you sitting. He wants you moving. He is measured on it. He has a vested interest in keeping you moving.

Just to turn this thread in a more positive direction for a moment, I would like to relay my experience:

I was out of a job and my credit cards were maxed out. I called the recruiter at Central (Simon back then) and she had me in Salt Lake City the next week.

I ran as efficiently and safely as I could, and they paid me exactly what they said they would pay me. Pretty square deal on both sides.

 

Thanks Lastkid....All you can do is look for the good side. Things are gonna happen. Just take it in stride and move on. Wayne has had some pretty bad luck since getting his first load but he is still hanging in there. He is STILL sitting in Phoenix. He was loaded at 10am this morning but is still at the shipper. Their computers are down and they can't get him going until they get it fixed. ACK!!! Not the trucking companies fault. It's the shipper this time. He can't believe the luck he is having but he was laughing about it. What else can you do? Hopefully sometime soon he gets going again. I wonder if they have to pay him for sitting there?....lmao

 

I think this company would work out great for me.

 

Well, i guess they do have to pay....$16 an hour....lol....He will also get paid for the day he lost when his truck broke down. He doesn't know what yet, but he'll get a little something.

 

Now your talk'n, or someone's talk'n, 16 is good. Can't wait to hear what they do for that breakdown. Good luck with that one.

 

A little advice from someone whose been slaving on these highways for close to 16 yrs and whose worked for Central/ Swift whoever they want to be called this week. Make sure you get a PO over the QC for your breakdown pay or you will never see it. They seem to have selected memory on paying drivers what they are do. Get everything over QC cause it if not it's your word against theirs. Happy trails.

 

HE has already talked to them over QC. Thats where they told him he would get paid. He just called....He just got to leave the shipper! All this time waiting, since 10am, the owner finally calls and tells them to use a different "tattletale" for the truck and let him leave.

 

I drove dumps locally many, many years ago, then trained/drove initially for Central Reefer in 2004 when I got divorced and lost everything, then had to stop driving entirely to care for my mom who died a year later and then cared for my daughter who was hooked on heroin and living with my ex... she's now clean and on her own pretty much, so I am going back to driving (and my business is dead in the water from this economy). Probably going with Crete as they are about the only ones hiring out of Phx., other than Swift, and they will then allow me to switch to the SE to live and drive. Other companies (Schneider. Roehl... want me to move first, change licenses first, and then they will accept an app.). With Crete, I can have a job before I move. Long answer to a short question...sorry... called Jawbones for a reason.

 

I never had an issue getting my breakdown pay, hotel room money, layover pay, or detention pay from Central.

Breakdown pay/ mechanical layover is 50.00 a day.

Hotel rooms are paid for by the company if you are out of your truck for the night. The head of the shop that is on duty when you are there is supposed to give you a paper to approve the PO. If on the road call your dispatcher (if qualcom is inside a shop) and they will approve a PO. All you need to know is how much the room is for the night and give them that info for the PO. I do not know if you can put in for it late or not.

Detention time. 16.00 an hour, after the first 2 hours. Max of 8 hours (or 10, cannot remember).

I never had an issue with getting any of this pay when I was full OTR. My dispatcher was great and would put in for it even if I forgot too. Once on Kraft I could not get detention anymore, but still got the others.

Also. Central wants there trucks and trailers in top shape. They will pay to have things fixed on the road that need to be, but things that do not affect the running of the truck they want to save money on the repairs. Expically if the truck is over miles.
I have never seen a Central truck with as many miles on it as the one he is in. They normally are gone before 500k.
They are just having a hard time getting the new ones they need right now, so they can trade in the old stuff. None are older than 2005's though.
There numbering system. first number 2 is a 2005.
First number 6 is a 2006, 7 = 2007, 8=2008, 9=2009

 

Thanks for this clarification. I was ready to write them off completely.

You say they pay $50.00 a day for break down and they pay for a room. When your driving making a $100 plus a day you can afford to pay for a meal. Do you have to pay for your meal out of your $50.00 or do they pay for the meal too? How does this play out when it happens? Lets say you pull in for a repair. Do you sit round waiting for hours to find out what the problem is and how long it will take for the repair? In the case discussed they came back time after time, hour after hour with different things they had to do and finally late a night they tell him they won't have it done until the morning. When do you get the room. I mean the guy had to sit around on pins and needles only to be told at 11 pm they would be done til the following day.

Are the mechanic's told to string drivers along until the very last minute, hoping to get the truck out?