Got Approved For Central Refrigerated & Have A Few Questions To Ask

didnt go to it i got my cdl by my self. but its probably fast paced

 

Can't answer any of your questions becuse I never drove for them.I'm sure you'll get alot of answers to this thread.I just wnted to congratulate you on your start to your new and challenging carreer.Unless you're moving to where Central is located I don't know why you can't use your permit.Somebody care to shed some lite on this?Anyway the test I imagine will be pretty much the same questions.

 

LINK ... Check out this thread ... Lots of info there and current drivers.

 

hope this helps

 

It sounds like you're making the typical mistakes by someone that doesn't know the industry and is learning by sitting behind your computer. I don't mean to sound so negative but there's lots to learn and now is the time to do it. First I believe by reading your post you have a PREHIRE letter from Central. These letters do not really mean a thing. All it means is they will take your record and screen it for future hiring IF you pass all their requirements. It's by far no guarantee you have a job. It's not even a guarantee that you can go to their school. By this you should know by now it's better to have more options on where you want to go.

Your first concern should be your training. Just about all of the CDL schools teach you enough to get your CDL. They are not there to teach you how to drive for an employer. It's best to seek out the best training you can get not to work at a specific company but to enhance your career. It's easier to sign on to a company that teaches you to get your CDL because then they have you for so much time to their benefit. You have to know that in this industry the more you put into anything related to this work the better off you'll be. I myself would look for financing to get into the best school around not affiliated with a company. I started way before any schools were out there but by doing a little research I think would look more into a community college near me first.

Of course after school you have to get a job. Do not listen to the recruiters telling you have no chance at gaining any employment outside of the mega carriers. Their job is to recruit for those companies so of course they are not going to tell you the facts. Sit down and make some real goals on what and where you want to go. Those questions you asked before are not the right question in my opinion. Some are good but there are some you shouldn't even worry about until you can be picky in your work.

You shouldn't care about how strict a company is. You do your job to the best ability you can so you don't have to worry about that.

Fuel bonus is something you look at down the road. You want to build your reputation as well as you skill to drive that truck professionally first.

Types of truck should only matter if they are taken care of. You want the type that is going to give you the best return on your time.

If you're worried about Canada then it shows you can not get into that country. You open yourself up to investigation and wonder by the company.

Hazmat is good to know. I believe you should know all the other rules and laws before you take on Hazmat. There's just too many regs. with Hazmat that can hang a new driver.

Of course you should ask about pay. But what about all the other benefits that can effect your life on a bigger scale? You want the best medical and dental you can find to meet your goals. After that you want to start looking into retirement because if you start now by investing all you can to get the max out of the company the richer you'll be when you retire. After awhile you start looking at other benefits that help you such as schooling if they have a plan. You'll also want to know about vacation time and sick days. Also look at long term disability. So it's much more than just pay.

If you're a company driver the company pays for all the expenses the truck occurs like tolls. If not look elsewhere.

The last is APU's. That shouldn't be a deal breaker but if you came down to two companies that were the same in all areas except one has a APU, I take the APU company.

Good luck and I hope you put a lot into your future.

 

All the questions you have asked should have been told to you by the recruiter over the phone and if you missed any part or they failed to mention it simply call them up and ask them. I would question any recruiter who didn't have the answers to those questions. Chances are they have the answer and are not allowed to tell you or are afraid to tell you for fair of scaring you off.

Also there are many threads on this web site that warn against attending school at or sponsored by a carrier so I won't talk to that issue, you can read them for yourself. Instead I will tell you the benefits of attending school else where, all of which you will lose by attend school at or sponsored by a carrier.

1. Most accredited schools have FASFA and/or other types of financing. Some state labor agencies also have money for training, I was unemployed when I went to school and the state paid half the tuition.
2. Most schools will have you pre-hired before you even are scheduled for your road test. Everyone in my class was pre-hired. Coke & Pepsi both interviewed people in my class and 4 drivers were hired two of which I know still work there.
3. Most schools have lifetime job placement and often have the inside track on who is hiring locally too. 17 years later and my school still calls me when they hear about a good local job. Some employers call the school before the even post the job in the paper.
4. Most accredited school will show you how to drive all kinds of trucks vs. training at a carrier tends to focuses on the kind of trucks they use.
5. When you are done with your training you can work where ever you want and switch carriers when ever you want too.
6. Normally you are paid a higher starting CPM than drivers who went to that companies school cause you are not under contract.
7. Most companies offer tuition reimbursement up to $10,000 which is normally paid weekly or monthly to the driver in their pay check.
8. By attending an outside school YOU receive ALL the tax credits and deductions for tuition, permitting fees, meals, housing, notebooks, pens & pencils, paper, cost of purchasing a laptop/computer, cost of purchasing a printer, ink, boots, work clothes, travel expenses, cost of the medical exam, books, maps, etc..

You never know, once you are in school you may find you like hauling something different, and a least you are not locked into some contract, you can do what you want.