IC is what Schneider calls O/O, Independent Contractors. It is probably a safe bet that every driver considers the possibility of owning their own truck and earning their own money. Now that I'm getting fairly comfortable with my driving I have to say that it is now rolling around in my head.

I questioned my father-in-law about using his truck when he's not using it, kinda like leasing it from him, that way it can be earning him money when he's not using it and I can work my own pace and bring it back to him when he needs it. That way I have no payments; just cut him a percentage of the loads.
He said his truck is fine for what he does, but for what I do we'd need to look at getting me a newer truck that gets better mileage. I told him that's too much to ask, to expect him to help with that kind of money.

So I've been reading about ICs on here. It seems there are two classifications of IC, Choice and Company Dispatch. Today, since I'm stuck in Dallas for ..... all friggin day, I spoke with my DBL and the lady over the IC dispatch. She said the Choice drivers are operated out of Charlotte, NC; so she can't offer much help on that.

She, K. C., was on her lunch break, so not very talkative. What she did offer was these few tid-bits:

• Before you transfer over to IC; Schneider prefers you to have at least a year of driving experience; and preferably with Schneider.

• You will be a business owner; so start thinking in that manner. As you operate your company truck, think of it as your own: associated costs, out-of-route mileage, fuel consumption/idling, etc.

• Start saving money.

• You will run under Schneider's authority; so don't worry about those numbers. However; Schneider will charge you a fee.

• Under the Choice program you would pick & choose the loads you want. FCFS. You work when you want; go home when you want. (I understand some family's will partner on this; the wife will be the DBL, selecting the loads for the husband, routing him to make money and back home for a sugar tank refill.)

• Under the Company IC "we don't like to say forced dispatch." Your loads are assigned to you just like a company driver, however; there is a lil more discretion in being able to refuse a load. You can't just say, "I don't like this one. I don't want that one." But if there's a legitimate reason you need to refuse a load, such as it being too heavy, you are down for repairs or you have a home time request in and the load takes you away from home time, then that's ok. (so basically that's a company driver; just the driver absorbs the cost of maintaining the truck. Not going that route; my truck? I'LL decide what it'll carry and where it'll go.)

Then the question of do I plan on getting my own truck or going thru Schneider's LPP (lease-purchase program.) When my DBL asked that question I told him I'm a bit apprehensive about a LPP because I've never heard anything good about company LPPs. I'll withhold my DBL's reaction to that.

K. C. said there's no particular age limit to what trucks can be used; but they do need to be new enough to be compatible with QualComm because my truck will still be used for electronic logging and load dispatch. If I prefer to go thru Schneider for a truck I will go thru Schneider Finance, a separate company under the Schneider umbrella (to which I guess the truck would come from Schneider Leasing; who Schneider National Carriers leases their trucks from.) She gave me the website so I can look into it: Schneider Finance.

To my understanding, the payments are kept low with a "gotcha" balloon payment. Suspicion is the balloon payment is so massive it, in itself, requires refinancing..... unless you are good with money and can actually save it up and got a decent truck that was minimal on breakdowns.

Personally, I think I would not want a truck that was a company truck; but one that belonged to a private owner. I suspect it would have been better taken care of.

On the upnote: My DBL said, "I think you'd be a good IC. One of the main things is you have to be well organized; and that's you."
To which I questioned that observation. He responded, "No, you are. Especially about your paperwork; which is where it really counts. I hardly ever get a call on your paperwork."
That's appreciated. I couple that with what the guy a while back told me about my violations on updating ETA and NAT, he said out of the ones that made his list, I was near the top of the list of proficiency. I just need to improve. The worst offenders have a 0% accuracy or they don't even bother.

Guess I'll get ready to mosey on. They set my next p/u by 1600 appointment which burnt up all my hours today. I come up from New Braunfels for a 0900 unload appointment. I'm going back to Houston. Then home from there. Saturday. Psshhh.... My DBL asked if I wanted to leave back out Saturday or Sunday. I said, "Monday."

Wrong answer. So I said "Sunday since I won't even get home until Saturday."
"Why?"
"Dude! Do you not even look at our friggin assignments? Have you no clue what your drivers are doing?" It's no wonder we get asked stupid questions like, "How much time do you have left to run?" They don't look at the shat we submit. Meh!