central refrigerated

[ZiggynCali]

What exactly happend? I'm thinking of going there I live near the school in Fontana. Did you end up going through school an getting your license or did you leave before you got your license. If you did get your license how was the pay starting out, thanks....

[MtFoxx]

What exactly happend? I'm thinking of going there I live near the school in Fontana. Did you end up going through school an getting your license or did you leave before you got your license. If you did get your license how was the pay starting out, thanks....

:!: DO NOT GO TO WORK FOR Central Refrigeration Service, Inc. :!: . Yes, I received my license and spent the most dreadful 4 months at the hands of clearly the most extortive group I’ve ever encountered.

Out of 12 students in my class, only one is still with the company. From the previous class of 26, only 2 have remained; all are desperately seeking a new career or company to drive for. Each now owe approximately 1500.00 to 3000.00 for training that doesn’t amount to more than “team driving”. It is much cheaper to attend a State sponsored or low cost school to obtain your license then attend a companies training. This way, when you feel as though you have made a mistake – you have a way out!

You do not get paid by the mile you get paid from zip code to zip code; this often results in 40 to 60 miles less than what you’ve travel – this adds up. Big-time, nearly 10% of your miles traveled. That is, over the course of your required 10,500 mile month, 1050 unpaid miles or (.29 cents per mile = $304.50 per month) or ($3654.00 per year)

The companies latest routine is, “this is a fuel crisis we no longer get you home, you’ll need to park your truck at a truck-stop”(closest to your last delivery taking full responsibility for your tractor and trailer), then make your way home and return to your truck, at your own expense (300+ miles). Anything that happens to your truck, while gone, will come out of your check. (Truck-stops are notorious for damage while parked)

I am waiting on a large number of pictures along with the drivers statement (Police Report – finding no fault of the driver) to include with this post. The driver is being charged with the towing and damage to the truck (though the State Troopers side with the driver) Company policy is AT FAULT until proven otherwise. A law enforcement report is not satisfactory.


In summary, If you have no life, no home, no self-esteem, no bills and don’t mind taking it in the behind… Central is for you.

[MartenDrvrCA]

What exactly happend? I'm thinking of going there I live near the school in Fontana. Did you end up going through school an getting your license or did you leave before you got your license. If you did get your license how was the pay starting out, thanks....

:!: DO NOT GO TO WORK FOR Central Refrigeration Service, Inc. :!: . Yes, I received my license and spent the most dreadful 4 months at the hands of clearly the most extortive group I’ve ever encountered.

Out of 12 students in my class, only one is still with the company. From the previous class of 26, only 2 have remained; all are desperately seeking a new career or company to drive for. Each now owe approximately 1500.00 to 3000.00 for training that doesn’t amount to more than “team driving”. It is much cheaper to attend a State sponsored or low cost school to obtain your license then attend a companies training. This way, when you feel as though you have made a mistake – you have a way out!

You do not get paid by the mile you get paid from zip code to zip code; this often results in 40 to 60 miles less than what you’ve travel – this adds up. Big-time, nearly 10% of your miles traveled. That is, over the course of your required 10,500 mile month, 1050 unpaid miles or (.29 cents per mile = $304.50 per month) or ($3654.00 per year)

The companies latest routine is, “this is a fuel crisis we no longer get you home, you’ll need to park your truck at a truck-stop”(closest to your last delivery taking full responsibility for your tractor and trailer), then make your way home and return to your truck, at your own expense (300+ miles). Anything that happens to your truck, while gone, will come out of your check. (Truck-stops are notorious for damage while parked)

I am waiting on a large number of pictures along with the drivers statement (Police Report – finding no fault of the driver) to include with this post. The driver is being charged with the towing and damage to the truck (though the State Troopers side with the driver) Company policy is AT FAULT until proven otherwise. A law enforcement report is not satisfactory.


In summary, If you have no life, no home, no self-esteem, no bills and don’t mind taking it in the behind… Central is for you.

Hard heads like you always have to learn the hard way dont you?

[TomB985]

I am waiting on a large number of pictures along with the drivers statement (Police Report – finding no fault of the driver) to include with this post. The driver is being charged with the towing and damage to the truck (though the State Troopers side with the driver) Company policy is AT FAULT until proven otherwise. A law enforcement report is not satisfactory.


In summary, If you have no life, no home, no self-esteem, no bills and don’t mind taking it in the behind… Central is for you.

Now wait a minute...you need to do some 'splaining here.... You were in an accident?

This industry does NOT heed at-fault vs. not at-fault in an accident. Here, it's preventable of non-preventable. As a commercial driver, you are REQUIRED to do "everything reasonable" to prevent an accident, not simply not cause one, as a 4-wheeler is responsible for. In short, if someone merges into you, and they are at fault, YOU can still be liable in the eyes of the company for NOT getting OUT OF THE WAY!

What happened? :shock:

[Jumbo]

What exactly happend? I'm thinking of going there I live near the school in Fontana. Did you end up going through school an getting your license or did you leave before you got your license. If you did get your license how was the pay starting out, thanks....

:!: DO NOT GO TO WORK FOR Central Refrigeration Service, Inc. :!: . Yes, I received my license and spent the most dreadful 4 months at the hands of clearly the most extortive group I’ve ever encountered.

Out of 12 students in my class, only one is still with the company. From the previous class of 26, only 2 have remained; all are desperately seeking a new career or company to drive for. Each now owe approximately 1500.00 to 3000.00 for training that doesn’t amount to more than “team driving”. It is much cheaper to attend a State sponsored or low cost school to obtain your license then attend a companies training. This way, when you feel as though you have made a mistake – you have a way out!

You do not get paid by the mile you get paid from zip code to zip code; this often results in 40 to 60 miles less than what you’ve travel – this adds up. Big-time, nearly 10% of your miles traveled. That is, over the course of your required 10,500 mile month, 1050 unpaid miles or (.29 cents per mile = $304.50 per month) or ($3654.00 per year)

The companies latest routine is, “this is a fuel crisis we no longer get you home, you’ll need to park your truck at a truck-stop”(closest to your last delivery taking full responsibility for your tractor and trailer), then make your way home and return to your truck, at your own expense (300+ miles). Anything that happens to your truck, while gone, will come out of your check. (Truck-stops are notorious for damage while parked)

I am waiting on a large number of pictures along with the drivers statement (Police Report – finding no fault of the driver) to include with this post. The driver is being charged with the towing and damage to the truck (though the State Troopers side with the driver) Company policy is AT FAULT until proven otherwise. A law enforcement report is not satisfactory.


In summary, If you have no life, no home, no self-esteem, no bills and don’t mind taking it in the behind… Central is for you.

Being paid HHG miles. Did you ask that question before you started? Team driving is considered training? I never heard that about them before Good luck bro.

[Bumper]

If he thinks this is bad, he should be glad he didnt go to England or Swift!!

[Chasing Daylight]

What exactly happend? I'm thinking of going there I live near the school in Fontana. Did you end up going through school an getting your license or did you leave before you got your license. If you did get your license how was the pay starting out, thanks....

:!: DO NOT GO TO WORK FOR Central Refrigeration Service, Inc. :!: . Yes, I received my license and spent the most dreadful 4 months at the hands of clearly the most extortive group I’ve ever encountered.

Proably no worse than most training companies to be honest. Or it might be. I see lots of stuff on Cnetral here, even some people claimingit is a good place to work. But, a trucking company run by Jerry Moyes (founder of Swift) that was spawned from the ashes of Dick Simon trucking cannot be a good thing. Then again, there's a sucker born every minute.
Out of 12 students in my class, only one is still with the company. From the previous class of 26, only 2 have remained; all are desperately seeking a new career or company to drive for. Each now owe approximately 1500.00 to 3000.00 for training that doesn’t amount to more than “team driving”. It is much cheaper to attend a State sponsored or low cost school to obtain your license then attend a companies training. This way, when you feel as though you have made a mistake – you have a way out!

Thats pretty much the way it works with company sponsered training, anywhere, any company. Paying your own way through training is always the best route. Reading this board should have clued you into that. As to running team with your trainer, that is the norm not the exception. A few companies shy away from it, most allow it. A good, ethical trainer won't do it IMO, at least not during a better part of the training. But in a world where you can often become a trainer after only 6 months on the road, good, ethical trainers are hard to find.
You do not get paid by the mile you get paid from zip code to zip code; this often results in 40 to 60 miles less than what you’ve travel – this adds up. Big-time, nearly 10% of your miles traveled. That is, over the course of your required 10,500 mile month, 1050 unpaid miles or (.29 cents per mile = $304.50 per month) or ($3654.00 per year)

Welcome to OTR trucking. HHG miles are pretty standard in the industry. Even "practical miles" which some companies use leave you a bit short of actual miles. There are but three ways to get paid in this business. Find an hourly job where you know what you will be making, drive for percentage where you can really rack up the cash, or get burned on cheap freight if you drive for the wrong company, or take it in the shorts on mileage pay. That's not Cnetral, it's the business.

The companies latest routine is, “this is a fuel crisis we no longer get you home, you’ll need to park your truck at a truck-stop”(closest to your last delivery taking full responsibility for your tractor and trailer), then make your way home and return to your truck, at your own expense (300+ miles). Anything that happens to your truck, while gone, will come out of your check. (Truck-stops are notorious for damage while parked)

Ok, you got me here, this is stupidity that is specific to Central. Makes me wonder how many of their rigs get towed. Most truck stops have policies that allow them to tow any truck left unattended more than 24 hours. Not all of them use that policy, but some certainly do. It's a truck stop, not a drop yard or long term parking facillity. This seems like a really bad idea. Go home for 3-4 days, come back to find some joker has stolen your tail lights, fuel caps and load locks, someone else has syphoned your fuel, a Swift driver has ripped your hood off backing in, and the truck stop has towed you to an impound yard. Seems like the fuel to get home would be cheaper.
I am waiting on a large number of pictures along with the drivers statement (Police Report – finding no fault of the driver) to include with this post. The driver is being charged with the towing and damage to the truck (though the State Troopers side with the driver) Company policy is AT FAULT until proven otherwise. A law enforcement report is not satisfactory.

Uh oh, sounds like a preventable on your DAC. As mentioned, it's not about fault, it's about whether or not you could have prevented an accident. In most companies I've seen, the only way they will call it unpreventible is if you were legally parked and not in the truck. If you were moving, you had options to avoid that wreck and should have exercised them. Remember, as a professional driver you are held to a higher standard, and should be. It is your job to drive your truck and all of the vehicles around it, so to speak.

In summary, If you have no life, no home, no self-esteem, no bills and don’t mind taking it in the behind… Central is for you.

I think you just described all of the training companies, and many of the non-training companies. You should have stuck it out for a year, then doors would have opened. There are some truly good companies out there, that will take good care of you and compensate you well. But they don't hire newbies. You've gotta go once through the grist mill to earn your chops.

[MtFoxx]

No I wasn't in the accident I just witnessed it. The driver avoided a head-on with a 4wlr in his lane. The Kentucky DOT officer found him NOT AT FAULT and further, He made every attempt to avoid a catastrophic head-on that would have; in the DOT officers own words, cause great bodily injury to the occupants of the 4wlr.

The company; Central Refrigeration Service, Inc., is holding the driver responsible.

Simply NOT Right!

I'll have pictures and the report that I'll post when I receive them.

As to sticking it out, not necessary… I found a much better company w/ better pay, benefits and weekends off.