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Post by banjoguy1 on Jun 26, 2004 19:43:40 GMT -5
Well we just had the Central Refrigerated Service recruiter come into my school today and buy us pizza and sprinkle sugar all over his company.
See, I think I have fallen for the recruiter voodoo spell and really think they have a cool setup. The pay is pretty sweet, the trucks are all pretty new and nice, they allow any passengers as long as they are older than 12 and I have passenger insurance ($150 per yr.), and most of their business is in the 11 western states.
Now before I sign anything in blood, I always gota check with you guys and get your opinion. What have you all heard about Central? Good things? Bad things? Should I do it? Anyone on here drive for Central? Is the recruiter telling the truth or blowing smoke?
Oh yeah, on another note, my copy of "Driver's ABC's" just came and it's really awesome!!! If you're new like me and you dont already have it, you need to get it!!!
Peace
Sean Kelly
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Post by Fozzy on Jun 26, 2004 22:21:43 GMT -5
Hopefully they are better than the company that they were before they went out of business and became Central Refridgerated. They used to have a pretty bad reputation as "Sweet Simon".
Saying that they had a bad reputation is not neccessarily a bad thing. There are plenty of companies with bad raps that drivers love! Go into the situation with your eyes and ears wide open! If they can get you trained and get you some experience, then they are the company for you.
Fozzy
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Post by skullitor on Jun 29, 2004 16:25:28 GMT -5
Central used to have a SKUNK on it's trucks and trailers "SWEET SIMON" D ick Simon Trucking.But Central is a LOT better than Simon.And they use EZ-Pass for eastern toll roads.You can get fuel and service at any SWIFT Terminal. They run 48 states. I see them up in new england a lot.Just REMEMBER, THEY'RE A REFER OUTFIT! Go as a company driver. NOT A LEASE DRIVER!!! Skull
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Post by Driver8 on Jun 29, 2004 16:33:54 GMT -5
Is there an operational difference between refer and dry van trucking?
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Post by skullitor on Jun 29, 2004 16:48:12 GMT -5
Is there an operational difference between refer and dry van trucking? YES, A HUGE Difference With dry freight you get more full loads and DROP & HOOKS! Refers get more multi stops and food wherehouses and Lumper problems. Usually the pay is LESS. Skull
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Post by truckertom on Jun 29, 2004 20:01:47 GMT -5
I have heard recently that Centrail has a third party doing their payroll and does not know how to pay by the mile. A few of my ex-students are about to quit and get the labor board on their asses to get it fixed.
Sounds to me like Central is about to lose alot of good drivers soon so if anyone from Central reads this, you had better get your stuff together pretty quick. Not paying drivers for the miles they drove is how the skunk started it's downward spiral and you just don't see many Sweet Simons running around, do you?
Isn't it funny to watch all these carriers in the US make the same mistakes that put former carriers out of business? You would think they would learn from history.
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Post by slubros on Jun 29, 2004 22:29:13 GMT -5
I spent 3 weeks in training with Central last fall. Terrible experience with two trainers who were O/O (move, move, move; no hygeine, etc).
If you go with them, good luck.
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Post by banjoguy1 on Jun 30, 2004 21:03:44 GMT -5
Wow, lots of mixed reviews. :-) One thing I discovered is they are owned by Swift. According to the recruiter, Swift likes to stay out Central's work and let's Central run all their own business. But paycheckes and everything comes from Swift. After all the horror stories I've read here on newbiedriver about Swift makes me really scared to sign on with Central. Hmm........ Decisions. Sean
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Post by slubros on Jul 2, 2004 9:14:35 GMT -5
When I heard they were owned by Swift, it threw up a big red flag with me too.
Really, the only involvement you'll have as a Central driver with Swift is you will have to stop at Swift terminals on your routes for fuel - very strict about that.
As you're probably aware, take everything a recruiter says with a grain of salt. I worked though Roni at Central and I found out later that she "exaggerated" quite a few things.
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Post by banjoguy1 on Jul 3, 2004 10:48:39 GMT -5
I talked to the recruiter again and he said that you can fuel at swift terminals but you don't have to. It originally was that they had to but too many drivers complained about the long waits and so Central started using a different contract. I don't know man, so far I'm indifferent. I haven't heard anything really bad about them besides being owned by Swift, and even with that they still run business seperate from Swift. My delemma (spelling?) is that I really want to do over-the-road, but I don't want to be away from home. I've had some friends suggest that I find a place that just runs the I-5 corridor, just the North West, or even the 11 western states. I know that Central offers dedicated runs on the west coast but I would have to do the 11 west states first for like 6 months or something.
I think Gordon does the same but a bunch of you said to pretty much avoid Gordon.
What other companies stick around the North West besides just doing local stuff?
Thanks guys! This site is so valuable to me!!! Your input is great!
Sean
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Post by truckertom on Jul 3, 2004 19:21:18 GMT -5
I don't know, but Central drivers that I have trained say that the CAN'T fuel at Swift terminals anymore. And I think it is Jerry Moyer that owns a big part of Swift, all of Central freight lines and Central Refer.
But then who knows when you hear a different story from different recruiters? About the only way to find out obout a company is go to work for them......Sad but true!
As Ralph Story said about the Pat Paulsen presidential campain and politics in general.
"Before us lies the future, and behind us lies, lies, lies"
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Post by skullitor on Jul 3, 2004 23:14:10 GMT -5
SEAN; YOU have to decide.You should do atleast 1 year over the road for experence and to see the country.Then decide you want local, THEN TRY A UNION SHOP $$$ AND PENSION! Skull
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Post by truckertom on Jul 4, 2004 9:18:31 GMT -5
"THEN TRY A UNION SHOP $$$"
Alot of folks are dead set against unions, I have been in three of them and was pretty active in one. The point is what is wrong with employees having a say in how much they will work for? If truckers everywhere were to work together instead of compete against each other, the trucking world might be different.
IMO DAC needs to be out of business. But truckers keep putting up with it. Could you imagine if you tried the same tactic on Union coalminers?
Go out and get some experience, with a good driving record, and start looking at Yellow freight. They are a Teamster Union company and are not ashamed of it either. Thier retirement beats any 401-K plan of any carrier and the pay is good too. Just make sure you are willing to join a union first.
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Post by skullitor on Jul 12, 2004 0:57:54 GMT -5
AS A TEAMSTER DRIVER, YOU DRIVE! (O.T.R.) NOT LOAD OR Unload. Local, Yes you unload and peddle freight. Skull
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Post by truckertom on Jul 12, 2004 6:13:50 GMT -5
Chris, an old friend of mine is a Yellow driver that runs local, he seems to be pretty happy with it. Give me the OTR! I admit, my days of lumping freight are OVER!
Too old, to out of shape, too many miles on the body! I need a cup of coffie and Marshall Tucker playing on the sound system and lots of pavement stretching out ahead of me.
But I ain't everybody.
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