HI Guys, Im just wondering if any other of the trucking companies do this, I went to Schneider Friday the 28th and started Saturday morning, They split our class in 2 so there was about 40 people in each class, went through paper work and etc. the we had lunch which was cool, good food, then we had to do this Physical Work Test, PWT, you go in and lift wieghts and crawl under a simulated trailer, then crawl on top of it, 3 point, lift more wieghts, all this, while they check you heart rate per minute after each exercise, the lady giving the test, there were 4 of them, told me my heart rate couldn't get over 158 beats per minute, at 45 years of age, now I looked at thier chart and the older you are the less per minute your heart rate should be doing each exercise, I guess the outside company that was providing the test came up with these numbers, well mine got to 160 and they stopped the test, was on my 2nd to last one, and was told that i needed to go to the cafeteria and wait, meanwhile other guys start showing up, roughly about my age alittle older, some little younger. we were all sititng there and a woman from Schneider came in to get each one of us and tell us we were being sent home, I have passed a DOT physical and drug screen, got my Hazmat endorsement, Is this crazy or is it me, I mean why waste our time to bring us all the way to Greenbay WI. 13 hour trip for me from St. Louis, when they could of done that test here with some company or the Dot doctor they use, Why waste all these guy's time doing this, I have worked in warehousing for 25 years, Unloaded millions of trailers by hand and have never felt winded or light headed or anything, They told me it was mostly No-Touch frieght so why the big deal on this test, People waited about 3-4 weeks to go up there and they just wasted all of our time. I accually think it is descrimination, I mean it seems so obvious. Does other companies do this crap too? I Guess I have to look elseware to try to drive for someone. depressing!,,,,,,,,,,By the way, Happy New year and Be safe to Everyone on this Board,,,,

Biker

Yea, I think that's bulls hit. They could give you a physical in your area. Roehl gives you a physical in your area, so you might try them. Some do some don't. Just ask the recruiter where they do the physical. It's crazy you go through the whole process and wait without working and all this and get nothing. Plan for the possibility that they might send you home. I think that stuff is more for insurance than anything. They don't want to pay for people who may be unhealthy.

I hear it happens a lot. It's not right or fair but they still do it.

This is done at all Schnedier schools and they send anyone home who doesn't complete it without going over the threshold. The formula they use to determine your max heartrate is a common one that is used by alot of employers that use these tests (220-age X .9).
The test determines if you are a potential cardiac crisis waiting to happen. I think it's BS for this industry imho. I mean, the majority of the time you are sitting behind the wheel and with Schneider you'll actuall hand unload very little.

Watkins Shepard does a similar test but doesn't require that your heart rate be taken after every exercise, which is more realistic imo. They just want to make sure you can do all the stuff and see that you don't have any pre-existing back issues or whatever.

When I was at Schneider the class after mine lost several people due to this test and some already had driving experience...doesn't make sense but you're better off not being at Schneider anyway.

Sounds like crowd control to me.

They do give the physical where you live, its this Physical Work Test and your heart rate can't get over 90% of your age, so older guys wont pass much. 90% of 45 is 158, 90% of 46 is 157, 90% of 47 is 156 and so on. I am not out of shape by far, 6'1 and 225, when i took thier test I wasnt out of wind or gasping for air, Its like going into a gym and do abunch of reps real fast with some wieghts, I don't know. seems alittle to much. I have hear from Older Schneider drivers and they have told me that they dont get as much miles as they use to, maybe this is why, they younger ones are getting them and the older ones are quiting, maybe thats what Schneider wants. All I know is they are losing abunch of good, hard working people cause of this, oh well thier loss, I was thinking of going to Prime, I live in St. Louis so they are only 4 hours away in Springfield. Anybody know anything about Prime?

Biker

Well I dunno, lol. Im on both sides of the fence here. I can see why some people get mad when they get let go, but I also see Schneiders reasoning for doing it.

As a trainer in class told us, the reason they have all these various policies and rules and crap is because of some moron who didn't do that thing, and got hurt or deadified because of it. Im sure there are plenty of reasons on their side as to why they do it. The company they hired to make the physical is a outside ergonomics company. Medical people who Im sure know what physical actitivies a driver might encounter and made up tests around that. I don't think there was one test on there that I haven't actually done in the real world.

The thing with the pulse rate is that...if your ticker is going too fast, thats a sign of a potential problem. I mean, 160 is almost 3 times a second and for your heart to be beating that fast, thats rather high. Im a big guy and without my meds, I can actually feel my heart beating in my head and just by feeling my chest. I can feel it working harder and pumping faster. Thats because Im morbidly obese. If your heart is working harder and faster, its going to thicken the walls of the heart quicker leading to a potential for a heart attack. For me when I took the test, I was nervous about it...but I took my meds and I dont think my pulse ever got over 110.

I think the reason they do it at the OC's is because the actual reps from the company do the test and its just easier because it would be fairly time consuming for a clinic to recreate all the tests they do.

the way I look at it, the DOT physical is more of a medical thing and the work physical at the OC's is more of a actual real world physical.

Should they take your pulse after each test? I dunno. I think that its kind of overkill, but then again, some tests put alot more strain on the body as well.

Another thing to keep in mind.....there is no time limit, lol. If you go realllllllly slloowwwwwllyyy your heart rate wont go up that high at all.

I look at it as if your unloading a truck you are going to work at your own pace or slow down and take a small break, My blood pressure is 120/80 when not working and that is perfect, So I think someone would take a break when working hard and slow down alittle, I just think it's a bit overkill, thats all, I can see having the test but I think it is set for older guys not to pass, and sure if we were all on meds we could all pass. If your heart rate falls to 120bpm and below in the first 3 minutes then that is normal, and 160 bpm is not high when working.


Biker

Im not sure where your getting your figures from but its not 90% of age...
## X Z% =Y
45 X 90% = 40.5
46 X 90% = 41.4
47 X 90% = 42.3

Now if I use the formula that truckin916 gave..
220 - 45 X.9 = 157.5
220 - 46 X.9 = 156.6
220 - 47 X.9 = 155.7
Now thats more on par for an acutal heart rate.

Theres a few things that people can do to really help themselves befor taking a test like this.
1. This is problly the biggest NO CAFFINE from the time you wake up until after the test. Caffine raises both your BP and HR.
2. Another big one NO NICOTINE smoking, dip, chew, whatever this also raises your BP and HR. Try for the whole morning but if you cant at least try to not use the hour befor the test. It would be better at two hours ect so its better to have one after you get up or after breakfast rather then trying to tuff it out and giving in 30 min befor the test.
3. Watch your sugar this a duel edge sword. If your in no danger of going over the limit then a candy bar or juice 15 min or so befor the test will help to give you a burst of energy for the test. But if your borderline AVOID sugur the hour befor the test has it will raise your HR.
4. Breathing! Controlled breathing can help to keep your heart rate down. A simple way of doing this is, breath in though your nose at a easy slow normal rate. Hold the breath for one second then release it from your mouth at the same speed. In short the faster you breath the faster your heart pumps in order to supply your bodies demand for oxygen. By controlling your breathing you can shave a few heartbeats off.

To take your heart rate at the wrist, place your index and middle fingers together on the opposite wrist, about 1/2 inch on the inside of the joint, in line with the index finger. You may also use the jugular vein on your neck. Feel for a pulse. When you find a pulse, count the number of beats you feel within a one minute period. You can estimate the per minute rate by counting over 10 seconds and multiplying this figure by 6, or over 15 seconds and multiplying by 4, or over 30 seconds and doubling the result. This isnt 100% accurate but it gives you a good ball park.

A good idea would be to find the target are for your age, 220-##X.9=z. Then get on a treadmill or bike to place your body under physical stress and figure out your heart rate. That way you will know what you need to do befor taking the test.

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