Central Refrigerated Service

I did not go to that school. I do know that you will probibly not be able to have guests in your room, and that you will have a roommate.

100 is not enough for a licence, unless utah is cheaper than any state I have had my licence in, these include LA, MD, FL, NY. I have moved several times since I got my licence, heck I cannot even remember if I got it in 1990 or 1991. I just knew never to let it go, even when I was away from trucking for years.

You have to take all the written tests and the road test. All these have costs. Normally you are looking at around 180 bucks. More if you want more endorsements.

Food will be expencive as well. There is a guy with a roach coach that comes with his wife in the evenings. He makes GREAT Tacos and Burritos.
It will also be about 2 weeks after you finish school and orentation before you have any income. Be prepaired. You are looking at a full month with no income before checks start to come. It will also be a pain to get money to your other half. It is deposited on your comdata card.

It was a really hard couple of months, sucking up my savings to get going. The bills are finally getting cought up slowly.

Last week was about my worst week yet. I DONT LIKE MEAT PROCESSING PLANTS. I sat at the Virginia Poultry Growers plant ALL DAY. I had an 0800 appt. I was there by 0730. I was getting a load of Chicken Tenders. Do you have any idea how many chickens they have to kill to get 38,000 lbs of chicken tenders? 40 Trucks of Chickens were slaughtered while I waited there. 10 hours later I was released to go.

That was Friday. Saturday I was due to be home. Actually I should have been there Friday night. I dropped my Trailer in a drop yard about 150 miles from my house and there were no empty trailers. So I was given a load that was too deliver after my 3 days at home (2 days since Sat was to be the first). I have now gotten my home time extended an extra day, but I have to deliver a load Tuesday.

Anyway. That is just how it is. I waited 8+ hours at that drop yard on Saturday for a load to come in near home, that I could deliver Tuesday and have an empty. I will be recieving Detention time for all hours, because I complained, but it was still a pain.

Enough ranting for me.
I think you have most of the bases covered. Money for food and to make sure that enough is set aside at home for the bills is the biggest part.

As for lumping. It is company policy that you drive and a lumper unloads. There are a few contracts where none are available but not many.
They want you to drive the truck. Not to waste your available work hours unloading a truck.

 

So they went with Petes? Cool. I'm still out, and I think they fired me, I tried to log on with my name and login and it doesn't work. Still collecting workman's comp, as the doctor hasn't cleared me yet.

Just remember that the underground in MO sucks!

 

Took a min to figure out detention time. lol
New phrase to me. I used to work for United Vanlines for 2 years, as a lumper, so alot of things are diffrent. That was back in 2003, and in KS. I wouldn't mind driving for United in the long run, but bed bugging is not my first choice. Ultimatley, I am just going to have to get my feet wet somewhere. Good place as any.
I just don't like surprises, so just trying to keep my bases covered.
So the office, and recruiter told me it's about $65 for licensing fees, and $30 to take it a second time if you don't pass the first. So to take $100 bucks just in case. Extra money from home is no prob, and getting money home shouldn't be too much of a hassel, they're offering direct deposit right from the get go.
Told me they offer "some" meals, I am thinking yeah right. lol. Packing a few MRE's just in case too lol. That with $50 bucks extra for food, and stuff I "need" for the first week, beleive me when I say I can stretch a dollar, the following Friday Wife gets paid so cha ching money there again. God I love debit. As long as nothing gets topsey turvey on the home front, and they have not recended the offer; still waiting for the final call, hope they call tomorrow, I should be all set.
Worst case senario, I could do what I did back in Basic training lol.

Dear Dad,
I am broke. Please send Money.
Love Son.
lol.

 

Direct deposit takes about 2 weeks. I had the papers filled in advance and it still took 2 weeks.

 

That's normal, it's three weeks before you receive your paycheck.
That's nearly every companies policy. :smt079
Some times you have to wait a month, if they screw up or lose your paper work, before you get your first paycheck.
Happened to me at Directv, and Apple, man those were both hard months lol.

Anyway's got my phone call today, now I have to wait on my travel info, via email.

Tell me this isn't a government operation lol.
Ahhh good ol' hurry up and wait, how I have missed thee. :smt071

 

Ever heard that statement " You aint seen nothing yet"

Welcome to the world of "Hurry up and get in line to wait".......LOL

The millitary has nothing on the world of the over the road trucker....

 

One thing you will see at the school is how many people start there on Sunday, and how many of them are gone by Wednesday.

Normally 25 to 50% of the students that start in one of there schools do not make it to Thursday afternoon. They weed out many with the physical and drug test. They will take no excuses and nobody that is questionable.

I saw a 25 year old that answered the question about chest pain incorrectly and was gone. He was healthy, and it was just occasional gas. But it did not matter. He was gone. Vision is a big one as well. It does not matter if you can pass the eye exam at the dot when you get your licence. You must be able to pass with each eye individually for the physical test. So many with a stigmatism are screwed.

Another thing, I mentioned this in another thread. Centrals schools are odd on one point. The contract is for 1 year $3000 normally. Unless you are there for a refresher, then it is 2000 for 8 months.

IF YOU TAKE YOUR WRITTEN TESTS AND HAVE YOUR PERMIT BEFORE GOING TO SCHOOL YOU GET TO PAY THE REFRESHER PRICE!!!

This will save you 1000 dollars right from the get go. And if you study the book they are not hard. Every student going to a Central school that reads these forums needs to get that done in advance. It is stupid not too.

 

Can't be worse than the military indoctrine... I hated MEPS.
Got my travel arangements sent to me today, leave here on sunday.
Keep you guys up to date.

 

Go with an open mind, especialy if your new to trucking... Central , Swift , etc... it doesnt matter, go in with the right attitude and give trucking a chance. Its not for everyone!

 

I have had a pretty good week. I got close to 3500++ miles since I left home last week. I am on a bad load now that has 3 stops in 3 days, all short miles between them. But I am low on hours after the running last week. This load is routed thru home though so I will get a reset Sunday into monday and deliver at the first stop monday. Then my dispatcher is looking for a lazy driver to deliver to the other 2 stops and sending me on the road again.

If I cannot get rid of the load then I will keep going and have a full set of hours for the next week, and I will have had a day and a half home without asking for it. This load is still 2450 miles, so it is better than nothing. Utah to Maine. First stop in Syricuse NY. I just hope I can get on a new one after that stop. Then I can get another 1000 mile load in for the Wednesday cut off.