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I decided to pursue a career change by going into the commercial trucking industry. I saw an ad in the local newspaper for Central Refrigerated Service which offer me an opportunity to train for my CDL and would give me a job as a truck driver. It sounded like a great opportunity a one stop chance to get my CDL and get a job.
The Company sent me a ticket to go to Texas (this is where their training facility was located) Upon arriving I realized that there were many trainees and not enough trainers. There were approximately 25 students between two trainers. There was 3 different levels of training amongst the 25 students some were studying for the written test, some were studying for the road test and some students were there to retest for the road test.
Trainers were stretch to the limit of teaching all the students on all these different levels you need to get your CDL class A license. The problem with this is that over 70% of the students were failing and retaking the Motor Vehicle exams over and over which entailed rolling over into the training of the new arrivals. Luckily I did a lot of studying and practicing on my own and with other students and I was able to past my written and road test the first time. All students practiced their road test on a 9 speed tractor pattern as well as take their road test exam.
After passing my exams and receiving my Class A license I was sent back to Conley, Georgia (my home base) for my 3 day orientation. After passing my orientation, I was assigned to a trainer for over the road tractor trailer training for 28 days. My trainer's tractor was W9 Kenworth with a 9 speed pattern. He was a very nice and patient man and taught me everything he knew about over the road trucking. For the entire 28 days I was trained on the 9 speed pattern.
On my 25th day we were in Iowa, I was suppose to head back towards Conley, GA for a my driver's upgrade (which mean I would receive my own tractor) and go solo over the road. But instead of heading back the Company sent me and my trainer back to the west coast region and on my 26th day my trainer was instructed to drop me off in Salt Lake City, Utah for my upgrade. On the 27th day my trainer dropped me off in Utah for the upgrade that would take place the next morning. My trainer gave me an excellent evaluation for my performance in his tractor.
On the 28th day, I started the upgrade by taking test on the computer after passing all my computer test I was ready for the road test on the tractor. My upgrade examiner took me to a tractor for my test to my surprise it was a 10 speed pattern tractor. Out of my 49 days with Central Refrigerated I have never trained nor driven a 10 speed. So I asked my upgrade examiner did they have any 9 speeds that I could take the test on and he said 'No, you should know the 10 speed pattern' and also told me that 'The Company is getting rid of all their 9 speeds and that they were obsolete.' Again, I stressed to him that I have never driven or been in a 10 speed and that I would need a few hours to familiarize myself with this pattern. He told me 'No, take the test' Well it would be no surprise to let you know that I failed this test. By not knowing the new pattern, I grinded the gears.
I went back to the office and they informed me that I had failed my upgrade. When I pleaded with them to give me a chance to practice on the 10 speed pattern. They said 'We don't do that.' This was Friday afternoon and they said I will be retested Monday morning on the same truck. I asked them to let me practice over the weekend on the truck by myself. But they refused and told me that I would have to find a owner operator, if I can and maybe they would show me the 10 speed pattern. I was not allowed to ask a trainer, a student or any employee of Central Refrigerated to help me. Unless it was an owner operator.
By Monday morning I was unable to get anyone to help me with this new pattern. On October 20, 2008 after 49 days with Central Refrigerated, I felt it was a 'No Win' situation and I had no choice but to leave the training facility.
To say the least, I was disappointed with the Company. I believed that with all I had went through with the training in Texas and being able to pass all my test the first time I took them and to get such and excellent review from my over the road trainer that after the 49th day Central was unable to give me 3 hours to practice on the 10 speed pattern.
Being persistent and determine to become truck driver, I decided to go to an independent trucking school to get my Diploma and most of all learn the 10 speed pattern. I paid $2, 560 for this training. Most of the time I sat around because I had already received my Class A license. When it was time for the Driving training I spent 3 hours in a 10 speed and maxed it. My trainer asked me what I was doing here he said you are an excellent driver. I graduated on December 18, 2008 with a 97% average.
Now this is the kicker, I applied for a trucking job and the Company pre-approved me to work for them and then I found out that Central put on my DAC report that I was terminated from training and the Company told me that they couldn't hire me, because I was terminated from training. Which was not true I left them. I never worked for them . I was never upgraded as a company driver.
Now Central wants to charge me $2, 900 for training. Training that never produce me the career that I wanted and wasted 49 days of my life and time with my wife and 5 year old son.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
well im in my last week of training with truck driving acadamy in modesto ca .. and i have leard so much from them im at the top of my class and when this week is up i head to riverside ca for central and its not there fault that u cant drive a 10 speed its one more gear are u for real god w.e u cant blame this on central its your fault u must not have asked the right questions during ur training
First off the school down at Irving, Texas was run by Paulett Gerhke . She started so much crap with the good instructor (s) that she got fired. That school should of been shut down, because Paulett and Wayman kissing ### to keep there jobs. Now the person who tested you should have let you learn that 10 speed, an also you have the right to ask anyone in the yard for advise as to that. I worked for them just under 2 years and also I was termed by them . I trained for them, was on the load planners fleet an also Kraft. Central is WRONG for what they put on your DAC. Go to DOTJOBHISTORY.COM an pay for the service request your dac report. When you receive it and then post with that of what happened. CRS is a BIG SCAM, also they violate all kinds of laws. I strongly urge that no one goes to that company for employment, I know from first hand they will make up anything to get rid of a driver and a good one to. Carl Desharo is the BIGGEST CROOK LOW LIFE ### OF ALL OF THEM. Most of your trucking companies DO NOT CARE ABOUT THERE DRIVERS. Also I'm adding that the fuel policy they make drivers sign before employment is ###. Like I said earlier, Paulett is a lesbian an she was sleeping with MANY female students from school an Wayman got a woman pregnant that worked down at the Irving yard an he got her fired to cover his ###. (SHE HAD TWINS) . Also I've seen him leaving the motel where the students stay 0400hrs on a sunday mourning.
Fight them back,
John a.k.a. CURLY
Yo central doug, give it time before you just get up an quit or they fire you to. You are still green horn.
I always say there are two sides to every story! Maybe you should have worked your differences out with Central instead of trying to bad mouth them here.
Truck drivers change jobs, A LOT! Central is a "Training Company" and that is what they are good for. After you get trained and have your experience, move on to another company for more money.
Hey whatever, yup 2 sides to every story. You said it "TRAINING COMPANY" it sounds like to me they didn't do a good job with centraldoug. An as far as me bad mouthing them NAH, its the freaking truth and I'm not finished yet of what I'll be posting about them. And I have all the proof. Sounds like to me you work for the low life company. Hey check the safe stat scores on them, an now they have electronic logs. Gee I wounder why? Because of all the log violations the been gigged on an it goes on and on. They could careless about there drivers, they fire ya an state next upgrade. Its a revolving door for them an about bucks.
I don't know about texas, but in West Valley Utah the truck you train on is sometimes and O/O or a L/O and the ones they have in the yard are different from the O/O and L/O depending on whether or not the O/O or L/O leased to own or leased to train recently or if the truck is an older model.
Just off training on an O/O truck and when I did my hire test on road, it (central training t/t) was a different truck in all ways. I just gritted my teeth, smiled and shifted gears. If you ask how many speeds it isn't hard to figure it out.
This is why you should research a TON before stepping into a truck. Trucks don't just come standard with one shift pattern, I'm sure you know that. All throughout your career as a trucker, you'll go in between all different kinds of shift patterns, because as a company driver they'll have you switch tractors all the time. You might stay in a single truck for a few months, or a few years. But once you switch, it could be something totally different than what you just got out of. You'll run into 9 speeds, 10 speeds, super 10's, 13 speeds, all the way up to 18 speeds. And right at 10 speeds is where you get into using the hi/lo splitters on the front and sides of the stick. You need to have the mentality of using those machines and get to where you can pick up that stuff on your own. If you're not strong-willed or strong minded, you wont make it, because you'll come to expect everything to be the same. In fact, you should learn to expect everything to be different all of the time. It's not right to blame Central for your short comings at learning to drive them. If you're really cut out for it, you would do tons of research about different tractors and how they're driven. Check out YouTube sometime. There's lots of tutorials there. I'm starting at Central on October 5th.
YO DUDE...AS A FORMER COMPANY DRIVER AND LEASE OPERATOR I CAN FILL YOUR PAIN...I STARTED AT ENGLAND BUT QUIT AFTER I GOT MY CDL AND CAME TO CENTRAL...WHAT WAS SO CRAZY IS THAT THE FIRST WEEK I HAD A TRAINER WHO SMOKED AND I REQUESTED A NON SMOKER, AFTER THAT I GOT A TRAINER WITH A AUTOMATIC TRUCK FOR A MONTH...WELL PROBLEM WAS I COULD BARELY DRIVE THE VOLVO GIVEN TO ME WHICH WAS A 10 SPEED...I TAUGHT MYSELF HOW TO DRIVE IT AND OF COURSE I FLOATED THE GEARS...YOU SHOULD HAVE FLOATED THE GEARS IF U COULDNT DRIVE A 10 SPEED, BESIDES, IF YOU CAN DRIVE A 9 SPEED, YOU CAN DRIVE A 10 SPEED...I DROVE A 10 SPEED FOR 6 MONTHS AND WHEN I BECAME A OWNER OPERATOR I GOT A 13 SPEED AND DIDNT TAKE NO TIME TO LEARN JUST THE SPLIT...EVERYTHING WAS SAME...
I CAN AGREE WITH YOU CENTRAL IS B.S. ON TRAINING, IVE BEEN TO THE DALLAS TERMINAL AND IT SUCKS...YOU DONT HAVE TO PAY FOR THE SCHOOL TRAINING UNLESS YOU GOT YOUR CDL WITH THEM...I HAVENT PAID A DIME TO ENGLAND AND THEY WANT TO SETTLE FOR LESS THAN HALF...THEY WONT GET A DIME BECAUSE I COULD BARELY DRIVE THE TRUCK AND SHIFT GEARS...LOL...
CENTRAL IS BAD DUDE...UNLESS U GET A GOOD DISPATCHER OUT OF SALT LAKE CITY UTAH...THEY WILL DO DUMB CRAP LIKE GIVE U A LOAD BUT NEVER GET A APPT TIME AND HAVE YOU SITTING OVER THE WEEKEND LOOKING STUPID...THEY ALWAYS EVENTUALLY LEAVE U HANGING, NO MATTER HOW GOOD A DRIVER YOU ARE...I GOT TIRED OF THEM MESSING UP MY PAYCHECKS AND THEN TRIED TO GIVE ME 11 HOUR DRIVES SPREAD OVER 3 DAYS...NOTTTT! SO I QUIT...SAD THING IS IF YOU QUIT AS A OWNER OPERATOR AND DONT HAVE SOMEONE TAKE OVER LEASE, THEY WONT REHIRE YOU...ITS COOL BECAUSE THE COMPANY I WORK FOR NOW HAS MORE FREIGHT, MORE TERMINALS, AND A BETTER LEASE PLAN...CENTRAL SUCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!
As a ex dispatcher for Central, this is the company that teaches dispatchers to LIE. This is by far the worst run trucking company I have ever seen. And if anybody hasn't noticed, everyone in management is related! I would never recommend any driver to start or work for this company.
i want get a trucking job but not now knowing that there doesnt seem to be a good way to learn, , , aaaaaaaaauuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh
well yesterday i was terminated out of conley, i've been on the road for two months
right out of training and after my upgrade, for 4 service failures that were all due
to either my truck needing servicing or poor scheduling by management, i mean i did the trip planning prior to my mac 11 and on those particular inccidents, i did warn my Driver Manager of the high probability that i would'nt be able to make the delivery on time and he would then response "o.k. get there a.s.a.p." not even once did he warn me that this is any kind of a problem or did he warn that this would reflect on my driving rcord, and could or would led to my termination, i mean come on 2 mths on the road, they should've placed me on probation first and sat me down and explained to me what i was doing wrong and told me the best way to fix the problem, come on all service failures
are not avoidable and when you tell them that you can't do it they want to try to convince you that you can do it rather than except that just maybe you do know what your talking about and when you do tell them that the load will be late they don't take into consideration that first you warned them prior to it actually happening or look at the fact that if the truck is not safe to drive then how are you responsble for equipment failure also they avoid all responsibility for the role that they play in faults and put complete fault on the drivers, my experience with central started off sweet and ended
bitter.
central is the worst company i ever worked for they cheated me out of hundreds of thousands of dollars and when i take them to court you all dont have to worry about this company anymore my plan is to get that ### hole place shut down a lot of people will be jobless but its worth it because crooks should not be in business so have no fear i am here
dam, i was thinking of joining this company because of a driver that me to join, hes been with the company for 8 months and just a couple of months ago, he lease a truck from them. he told me makes good money. but after hearing all these bad things about them, im having second thoughts. thanks guys
Who ever decides to join this company, stay out of there . You will lose tons of monies and they will lie on you DAC report .
Coming from a ex driver manager from this company, this is the worst place to find a job driving a truck. Even though some of the management team means well, they get bucked from up above and are told to lie to the drivers to get the loads there. This company has no morals and cares nothing about the employee. As I said before, this a family run foundation and that is who they look after. Stay away from Central and eventually it will go under or taken over by a more proven trucking company.
Yo peterbuilt you must of worked for that guy they fired "Barry", he was the worst .
If every one here just put the word out, to come to this site an start posting the bad experience's they encounter with CENTRAL . They have to be stopped now .
they already going under because of ### they pull just wait all of them need to be ### canned like Ray nelson, Cole tompson, Carl Desharo, and that peice of ### security guard they are all pieces of ### the only thing good about central is theyr selling out to swift good riddons to all them at the terminal in utah everyone there thinks they are god
DO NOT WORK FOR CENTRAL OR GO TO THEIR SCHOOL THEY WILL RIP YOU OFF THEN LIE TO YOU ABOUT DOING SO!
all this is true central is the worst company i ever worked for they should not even be in buisness if fact they are selling out everyone in utah needs to be tied to a tree and beeten badly we should all call bbb and complain on what this company is up to then let the cards fall in place give it time and they will make them fall on themselves they are all lying ### worthless good fo nothing low down dirty piles of ### and need to be put out o their miserie ### all them ###
I was a trainer for a similar company for a long time and it sounds like part of the story is being left out. Normally a trucking company won't fail a student driver on a road test for grinding some gears -- especially a new driver. So I would assume they failed you for some other reason. Or maybe they just have too many bodies. The trucking thing is tough right now. There isn't much freight and lots of newbies cramming in because they are desperate for a job. Usually it's the other way around. For whatever it's worth, I also wouldn't call trucking a "career". It's dangerous, unhealthy and doesn't pay very well for most people. My 2 cents..
should sue them, most definitely. you got all testimony from your trainers and it seems easy to win . . .
As far as frieght goes they will feed you or choke you on miles. i worked for those ### for almost 2 years. a year and a half was as a lease operator(anyone looking to lease DONT it will be the biggest mistake you ever made). when i started everything was great i had all the miles i could handle and then some. then in recent months starting about marcg my miles started to get thin. i talked to and still talk to several other drivers from there and most of the m kept running steady miles above 3000. then i called and asked what was going on and they said fright was slow which was complete BS. aster that they played games one good week three or four bad ones. the only reason i stuck with them was bc i wanted 2 yrs b4 i moved to another company. then i got into an accodent with a car it was very minor almost no damage to the car, i did all their tests and road tests and went on my way. 2 moths later a car went thru a stop sign and hit me in the drive tires. after i arrived at the terminal in conley i was told i wasnt going to be terminated just put on probation for 60 days. when i asked why bc that accident wast my fault they told me that they had already paid 11000 dollars to the driver of the car for his car and his injury. so they admitted fault for something that wasnt my fault. then the next morning i had a msg to come and speak to the terminal mgr. when i get there he told me he had to terminate me bc i had an accident with injury and they dont want anyone there with accidents with injuries. i argued with him bc this accident wasnt even my fault, but bc they paid out now it got turned into my fault. now the good part i according to central owe them over $5000 for tht lease bc i have to make payments until someone takes that truck, any damage to the truck. also the first three payments that they make for you you jave to pay for which is 2400 dollars in itself. i am having my lawyers look at everything but i advise b4 u sign a lease have a lawyer look at it they will tell u its CRAP! also my dac report has so much ### on it i cant even get another job driving. they put both accidents on there several service failures(which i was late with 1 load ever), truck abandonement, and Lease default. i didnt abandone the truck i left it at the terminal b4 i was even told i was terminated. as far as the lease default goes they sent me a letter talking like i had a choice in leaving. my advice DONT EVER WORK THERE and if your a company driver DONT BE STUPID AND SIGN THAT LEASE, YPU WILL REGRET IT EVERYDAY OF YOUR LIFE I KNOW I DO.
Im an o/o and trainer for crs, I cant say for certain that these things happen but believe that in
some cases they do. Im sorry to hear storys like this, because this is an ever changing industry
and its about to become very difficult to persue. I urge drivers to take this to BBB or get a lawyer
if they dont nothing will change. Also go to www.csa2010.com everyone needs to be aware of the
changes taking place this next year, I wish you all luck and be safe.
Now that Arrow Trucking just "SLAMMED" the doors on there own drivers, keep a good eye out for CENTRAL . Just recently I have learned that they took a penny a mile away from most of there drivers up to including the local drivers . From the base salary a week to a low $15.00 bucks an hour, only to learn if you get to your truck and sign in that quallcomm right away . Just maybe you get 30 hours a week for pay . From hearing strong rumors is that central not doing so good in the Kraft fleet . Also the "TURNOVER" rate is high . Krysten Egan will stick it so far up your ### along with the other people she works for . So good advice for any driver out there, carry a digital camera with you at all times and keep photos of any and all quallcomm messages you get that . WHY cover your ### this is to protect you when the time comes to it . Also with the new CSA2010 "RULES" is it worth getting tickets for your company you work for, "NOPE" . In the past few years CENTRAL has chased off some of the best drivers I have seen, this includes other companies out there . They just do not care about there drivers . Dispatchers SUCK, MANAGEMENT will cover there own ### to keep a $65.000 dollar year job . They will make ### comments on your DAC . And it keeps going on and on, so you as truck drivers have to fight back, write your complaints here, with the goverment agency's and so forth . Or better yet start your own complaint board .
Right now it's not easy out there, sitting waiting for your load not getting paid to wait for 1-1/2 days . But they will tell ya you have a load, well the way I see it is I'm not under the load pay me ### .
SO SPREAD THE WORD OUT THERE AND START POSTING YOUR STORIES ABOUT CENTRAL .
One last thing here, does any one know if BYRON up at WEST VALLEY, UTAH safety department . Did he quit and where is he working now?
Here is Centrals 2008 gross revenues, from the internet . Look of how much monies they claimed to make and still screw the drivers out there.
http://biz.yahoo.com/ic/106/106123.html
BUNCH OF LOW LIFE ###!
HEY ### CENTRAL... I DRIVE FOR THEM THEY SUKKKKKK, ### THIS ###ING COMPANY.
### ###ing CENTRAL REFRIGERATED SERVICE... that company rip u off, ### the planers and dispatchs
My dad just sent me the phone number for this company because I am in need of a CDL job, and a recent graduate of Diesel Driving Academy, a very thorough 20 week driver training program. I can drive 9 speeds, 10 speeds, super 10's, and 13's, and I can drive them exceptionally well. This is the second company (the first being CR England) that has told me my training in an outside school is insufficient and that i'd need to go to THEIR school first. Ok, first of all, I just spent 10 grand (that's right $10, 000) for wonderful training from highly expirienced drivers and to be told that my training is insufficient (my state trooper even told me my road test was the smoothest he'd been on in years) is just completely and utterly ridiculous. Don't give in to these types of companies because they DO NOT CARE FOR YOU OR YOUR FAMILY. You are only dollar bill signs to them, and the first time you cost them any amount of money, you suddenly fail a drug test and find yourself without a job, and out whatever money you spent to train at their facility.
In short, do yourself a favor and get some quality training, or pursue a job with a company highly rated by the Better Business Bureau, and let ###s like CR England and Central Refrigeration go bankrupt.
you guys are a bunch of cry baby's if you spent the time that you do crying about thing maybe you would be doing a better job maybe there not the problem it's you damn cry baby's you guy's call your self truckers maybe you should find a new carer where you can sit on your ###.Damn hill billy's can't do anything right
### ###ING CENTRAL REFRIGERATED! THEY SHOULD KILL THEMSELVES THEY ARE ALL ###ING DIRT BAGS LOW LIFE PEICES OF ### KILL THEM ALL PLUS THEY ARE ALL RELATED IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER I HOPE THEY ###ING DIE A OF GONNEREAH OF THEIR ###IN MOUTH DIE MOTHER ###ERS DIE ### YOU ALLLLLL ###ING CENRAL ### ### YOU ! IM OUT
Wow. I have worked for them for nearly 5 years now...and I have zero complaints with them at all. Other than a few missed scale reimbursements, I get paid as agreed, get [protected] miles every week, and like I said, I have zero problem with them at all.
Yes, I am a real company driver...not an o/o
BigRigSteve
BigRigTravels.com
Wow, sad to see so many problems.I thought I had it bad when coming back to alabama in july of 2009 to get my d.l switched from temp to perm I was arrested on a warrent from 2006.Who knew!I sure didn't and to make matters worse the truck I picked up in beaumont, tx, and had already did 7 loads with was parked at the walmart in tuscaloosa, alabama where I was getting my licence issued at the trooper office up the road.Suddenly and without warning I was handcuffed and taken to county jail for three days before being taken cuffed and shakled in a tiny bus to Mobil, Alabama in the middle of the night.Stayed there in mobile county jail another three days before my 70 year old mother posted 2700 dollars bond.Court appointed attorney and 5 months later the judge ruled if I stayed out of trouble until december 2, 2010 the court would erase this from my record. This warrent was never found or noticed during my pre emploment at west valley, utah, and I did go on to get my perm cdl after being released from jail.Of course crs turned my training and towing cost (the truck was towed to birmingham)over to partners collections.That warrent was because I'm a STUPID ### who in 2006 signed a pawn shop receipt for my formen.We received 20.00 dollars to hold us over for food until payday.We pawned metal shears return cost was 24.00 I payed it, but it wasn't my formens as he said it was it was the companies we worked for.He was arrested the week of 6/6/6 for pawning or selling upwards of 10, 000-13, 000 dollars in company equipment.Warrents were issued for me and two others working for that company but we were told to go home the day our boss was arrested and I never heard from the company or law enforcement until that faitful day of 07/21/09.I lived at the same home all that time, and upto my arrest and never new nor was picked up on that warrent. All my adult life I had never broken any laws other than misders.This was of great help in court when dealing with the Judge who saw that there were no prior arrest on my sheet.I really wasn't with central long enough to get screwed, and was happy with the miles and truck I seated on right out of training.Cole thompson also made it possible for my wife to pick my things at the towing business where the truck was taken.Granted I haven't driven since this happened, but my limited experience was good with them.I hope to rehire or hopefully be retrained some where else trucking or another job type.This is our depression we're going through and many of us in this generation are going through tuff times.Keep looking up, and remember to be thankful for the good and oddly enough the bad.We're going to make it through this and be stronger on the other side.I need your prayers and will pray for all of you. GOD BLESS YOU ALL john.booker84@yahoo.com
Getman Sweeney is a law firm in New York, they are sueing Jerry Moyes for abuse on his drivers and I am convincing them to go after all of Moyes companies at once. Otherwise it will be futile, because he will change hats, he is a ###, all of the management in central have a real we are above the law attitude problem. They just push it to the limits, like the abuse on drivers till the DOT forces electronic logs on them. Check out Getman Sweeney if you have been screwed on a fleece. You did not get your lease reported on your credit if it gets paid off? If it goes wrong it does. Why? I did not lease I was company. Today marks the first day that Central Refrigerated ofically starts getting thier ### handed to them. Cody... I am your worst nightmare. Welcome to my playground, the legal arena.
Getman Sweeney [protected] You too can sue Central today!
When I worked for them back in 05-06 I could not have had a better experience. I did have an accident that really scared me into thinking of finding another career. I turned in my truck and took some time off to think about if I really wanted to continue trucking. after about a month I was called and told if I do not return within days I will be considered as I quit. I did not have a problem with that since I was thinking of doing something else anyways. I decided to return and I was told that I can not be rehired because of the accident. That was the only bad thing that I had ever had with them and that was completely my fault. I should have asked if there would be any problem with me returning.
I had a great driver trainer to this day I still keep in touch with him. My DM was also a great person and always did good by me. As the economy crashed from what I was told things went to hell. The good well paid DMs where dismissed and lesser people took there place.
I don't care what company you go work fore you will always find malcontents complaining about everything under the sun. Do your job as best as you can and don't create trouble and even in bad companies you should be able to make money.
The thing that is not good now is all of the trucking companies are trying to force everyone and there brother into leases or do team driving. If you don't want to be on the road at least 50 weeks of the year or just drive because you want to and don't need the money a lease is a bad idea.
I went to West Valley City, Utah for orientation. The first thing they want is $100.00 up front. Then they make yoy pick up 75 lbs over your head. I am 4'10" and weigh 115 lbs. I couldn't pick it up so they sent me home. They kept the $100.00 for nothing. They are a ### company who should be put out of business. They are the biggest chicken ### company. Shorty
Wow, I've talk to many drivers at this company while in training and after. It pays to connect with positive people at this company. If you are an owner operator then you better be a trainer. Why because you will always have a load and you will have checks over 2, 000 dollars every week. Some one said above take pictures of the qualcomm and also the qualcomm it self has a request system where you can pull conversations from over 3 years ago up. My dad was a owner operator and has been driving for over 30 years. To say the least the Truck driving business has been very bad for many people. It is very unstable unless you treat it like a business. I've ran two operations from the ground up. Due to the recession I had to turn to truck driving. The classes where hard and the stress was high, yet our class tackled the thing together. Most of us past yet the true test was going to come from every day situations.
Logistics are very very hard because no one knows exactly who needs to ship what. I've ran over 3, 000 miles easy with this company yet they do have dead spots like in WY. Yet if you can get on a dedicated fleet and stay there you will be fine in most cases.
Central is not for every one. The thing about the DAC is dishearten and a attorney is maybe needed for that. Yet you have to treat it like a business. This is not a company for workers it's a company for business men. Also if you can lower your bills and save money you will always come out on top with these guys. The guys who fail at this company have high child support, high bills at home, or problems with the wife. The best way to maximize your experience at central is to find a good trainer, fire your dispatch if they are not working for you, change terminals.
Also any truck driver will tell you if you have kids or a wife this job may not be for you. If you want experience get your two years and find another job before you quit, they can not put too many bad things on your dac if you are working for some one else.
Unfortunately this is the state of America and you have to protect your self. You will not get that walmart fleet job or the postal fleet job if you let central get in the way. One mess up with those guys and you could get fired or go to jail. truck driving is serious business. It is very much like running your own business.
What is funny is the training experience I found at central was very close to what I went through in college. It was balls to the wall and you where mostly there to get a job not be taught. This is not a company that will hold your hand and if you think your some bad ### thing they will surly see how bad you really are.
I just did my taxes and I think I made over 10, 000 dollar with this company in 3 months. So i've been running great my dispatcher started getting slack and they where fired. Also if your have the balls get the driver code or the truck of these people who complain. Any one can look up their stats to see if they where telling the truth. I've done this many times. Central has over 1900 drivers I believe 1200 are o/o. I don't see many of them complaining and when they do it is usually a job duty problem meaning some one dropped the ball. Also Pro tip never mac 11 any thing you can not do. Also if you do please stress you can only take it so far until your 11 hour clock runs out then it is up to the dispatcher to do their job. People make mistakes it is up to you to make sure you are not on the receiving end of them.
If this message scared you off then good. I've witness and had to drive in the worst winter yet and still got 3, 000 miles a week from these guys and they train me so well I've survived 64 car pile ups and staying out of wrecks, staying away from tickets and dodge many drivers errors thanks to their training. If you can go to west vally terminal in UT. They will put you on the mountain and then you'll know if this really is for you. Also to shorty above DOT wants you to lift that weight and you will know why when you are in kansas and a 20mph wind hits your truck and you have to hold it steady while 4 wheelers pass you by.
Sorry for the rant but just know I don't worship these guys and I will be the first to sue if they do me wrong. When and if that does happen at least I know where to post my finding. Me and my friend at central range from 5year to 7 months at central. CSA2010 is your worst nightmare and unfortunately many companies are way worst than central the e log has been a blessing. Lieing on paper logs is a de-fecto standard in trucking. Out of almost 2, 000 drivers you would think their would be more complaints about central right?
I worked for central ref. for a year ya a year. This was the worst year of my [censor]ing life. even know i was a solo company driver they will run you 2000 to 24000 miles a week but [censor] people lets get real i'm at a new company now and running 3400 miles a week and making more money than i did at central
central screwed me five years ago. My trainer was a pillhead from Mich. my road test was given by a bull [censored] in Salt lake who didnt like slow talkin country boys. The fired me for taking my time on the backing test. said I wasted too much time backing so slow and getting out to check my trailer position. I live in TN. central refused to provide me a way home from Saltlake so I hitch hiked from Utah to TN. in November. When my wife called to see what had happend to me they told her I quit ! Everything eventually worked out for the best, I got a job with a good company proved my ability and have been here for almost five years. CDL training is the smartest thing Ive ever done! Going to work for Central was the dumbest. Now I know why the pulled all those trailers with a SKUNK on them. Self descrip tion!