Contract Freighters, Inc. (CFI) - Joplin, Mo.?

Yes, that site was made by one of our O/O's here at CFI for future and current drivers. CFI has been an excellent company so far. I have been with them since the 1st of Nov.

 

A friend of mine, who's graduating from trucking school next week called and gave me the 411 on C.F.I.'s sales pitch for students. This is some of what I can remember what he said the recruiter told his class:

1. CFI will pay students $100 just for coming to orientation.
2. CFI will pay for a 1st class ticket on Greyhound (first 4 rows?)
3. Students stay at the Holiday Inn near Crowder College
4. Only 3 weeks of training or 7500 miles @ 26 cpm.
5. $300 cash after completion of training
6. Full medical insurance @ $40 per family member (up to 4)
7. Full dental insurance after 1 year of employment
8. Riders over 12 ride for free
9. Pets allowed after paying $300 deposit for cleaning rig
10. All paid miles are the same, whether loaded or empty
11. A 1 cent safety incentive
12. All drivers get a $1000 driver referral bonus
13. Their top driver made over $82,000 last year
14. Their average driver made over $55,000 last year
15. Their team drivers averaged over $150,000 last year
16. Any northeast routes pay an additional 5 cpm
17. No hazmat if not wanted. Or earn an additional 3 cpm with an X end.
18. All drivers earn 4 days off per 28 days, which can carry over.
19. A bare minimum of 15 days OTR, before hometime.
20. No assigned rigs with over 350K miles
21. You pick your rig and color after 1 million accident free miles
22. CFI's FM's encourages all drivers to go regional for more hometime


Sorry, I have to stop typing these lies, cause it's making me sick. So whadda think?! Man, he's excited!!! Of course, I told him not to believe that $%#*!! I think my response shocked him. Although, he listened, but I don't think he's totally convinced that I'm giving him sound advice. So, I gave him this forum's web address, and told him to check it out for himself. Therefore, can someone please tell him what to really expect from the industry. I tried, but maybe someone else can do better. Believe me, my friend will be reading, and so will I. Thanks in advance for your .02. :smt076

 

If you would like to speak directly with CFI drivers and post these specifics on their BB you can google CFI Drivers . They will be more than happy to answer them. Also you can view all of the good and bad comments from CFI drivers about CFI.

 

if you go over to the blogs (click button at top of screen) you will find some blogs by our friend SHEDRIVER she is VERY happy so far with them. the miles are there too.

 

Actually a lot of that was true. My dad drives for CFI and I have spoken with several drivers that can verify that they practice what they preach. I know for a fact that they have one of the cheapest insurance plans in the industry. Your post bothers me, you bad mouth a company you don't or have never driven for nor do any research. If you had done one of them you should have stated so. After a million safe miles you pick the color of your rig, you will still get a t600, that is why you see different colored CFI rigs. Of course they have drawbacks but they are one of the better companies.

 

Easyrider, maybe you're right. I did kinda come off the hook. My goal was not to dog out CFI, but to impress upon my friend not to believe everything recruiters promise. We both know the horror stories. However, there are some sincere companies out there. CFI may be one. Never-the-less, it's already decided, and he's headed to Crowder College. Thanks for the input.

 

I would like to know if they will let you drive anyway you can? Dont want a twenty something to tell me I need to take this raod and that one. And too can you drive over 70 miles hour? Are they force dispatch? :smt030

 

Google CFI Drivers

 

I am not sure what the post was really trying to point out. really not nothing out of the ordinary. All training companies don't offer great pay for training students.
Things you can expect from training companies
1. Things are going to vary a little from recruiter to actually what is going to happen. Some do this on purpose, some do it by not understanding themselves (new recruiter), some may be just do to recent changes that not have made it down to recruiting office yet.
2. The truck you will get is defiantly not going to be a new one 99.9% of the time, They are not going to take a chance on damaging a new truck.
350,000 is nothing really for a truck. heck the first truck I started in had 700,000 and I drove it for 3 months before I got into a 350,000 mile truck.


CFI is not a bad company to run for. actually one of the better

 

Well, as a CFI driver, I can say that all your friend was told IS true, except for the Million Mile, choose your colour truck, as of now. Previously, it was true, but CFI bought up a few hundred T-600's and T-2000's late last year to avoid the newer C-15 Cat engines. They are all red. But the Million Mile trucks have chicken lights available/installed, to tell them apart.
I've been with them for 6 months, either I'm stupid and can't tell when someones lying, or they've never lied to me. I prefer to believe the latter.
A little more.
Forced Dispatch, yes. But, when at one of the terminals, you usually are offered three different runs.
You pick your route and company approved fueling locations. CFI does send you a suggested route, but, it's a suggested route. They rely on the driver to make the decision based on your own judgement.
Holiday Inn? The first night in Joplin, yes. If going to the "bootcamp", you stay at Booneslick Lodge in Neosho. If going to the CDL school at Crowder, you stay on campus in sort of a house with a couple other trainees.
I have zero complaints about CFI at this time, except for the MobileMax.
When I got my truck, it only had 25,050 miles on it. Everyone doesn't luck out like that, but the trucks are sold after 350K, so the more miles you have on your first truck, the sooner you'll get a new one.