I begin training with Schneider in ten days. I'm pretty excited and apprehensive at the same time. I've been reading a lot of positive and negative posts regarding Schneider and my feelings are a good representation of those posts. I'll keep you all posted through out the next three weeks so you can develop your own opinions about Schneider through another training tread.

I received the "final instructions" call from recruiter Abbey of Schneider today. She regarded me somewhat condescendingly. I didn't let it bother me, however. She probably talks to a hundred potential drivers each day and has a cue card that she follows or is required to follow.

From what I understand the classes will be full days. Beginning very early and ending late. I've spent the summer waking up high school students at 5:30am so that I could teach them how to survive in the wilderness, so waking up early and working late indoors and in a truck will be welcomed.

I only live 60 miles from the hotel, so I be driving there Friday night and I look forward to meet people in the same situation I'm in--beginning a new career in trucking with very little experience.

I keep you all posted as everything unfolds.

I hope to see you "out there" someday.

respects,
Dennis in SE PA

Well, I'm gonna start a week early due to some scheduling changes. I'll drive to the Hotel tomorrow. Baymont Inn--not the most luxurious of places; but then again, I'll be too busy to do anything but study and sleep.

Hopefully they'll have wifi there so I'll be able to post.

im starting nov 3 as well, good luck since your going up a week early

I just finished in Fontana with them last week. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

*keep in mind that recruiters tell you only what they know. Mine didn't have the correct information and down the line, I ended up talking to my DBL (fancy word for dispatcher) before I started and got the full version.

*keep in mind that DBLs sometimes are.....not good, lol. I was told I would be going home for my training since it is a special dedicated account, turns out that the guy he had in mind to train me refused to do it because he would have to learn a new route and wanted to focus on my driving, not the route. I ended up going to another state where we ran during the night which was something I wasn't used to.

*Training in Fontana was like this...14 days straight, no days off. We got on the bus at 5:15 am and then drove to another motel to pick up the other students. We got to the OC (operating center) around 5:45 or so, then started class at 6. If you start on Sat, you will get in the truck on Tuesday I believe. Class finishes around 4:30 - 5:30ish every night. However, there are nights you might sleep in and then drive until 7:30 at night or so. We had three students to a truck, one would dirve and the others would be in the sleeper birth on the first day. Then after that, you would rotate out....one would drive in the morning, the others later on that day...etc.

*You will get a couple of books. One is a smaller one that focuses on trip planning, Might want to get a head start on that and read into it.

*of our class of 24, 10 completed the training. If you make it to day 13 and fail the tests or whatever, you owe them $$ for training.

*the tests are almost all open book. The final is not. There is a test on trip planning as well towards the end.

is there a driving test you can fail or is it just the book tests? how much time did they spend with you learning to double clutch? do you feel you could do all the paper work your self (with a cheat sheet if absolutely needed)? how much time do they spend on the pre-trip?

All of the tests in the classroom are open book, except for the final. If you fail a test, you take it again.
*you can only take a test three times, after you fail the third test, you're out
*you can only fail five tests total

As far as the drive test, if you fail it, I think you get a chance to do it again.

The drive test consists of:
*four point check
*couple and uncouple
*drive test
*pre trip inspection
*air brake pump down test

The four point is easy, Pop the hood and think of the term "Free Case Of Beer" meaning, check the Fuel levels in each tank, check the oil level, Coolant, and Belts

The Couple and Uncouple isn't bad as long as you memorize the steps, HFAT, PAL and LAP
HFAT:
Height of the trailer - should touch the plate and be within 11 inches of the hole.
Fifth wheel - release arm is pulled, plate is greased and free of obstructions, 7 bolts on top, ten on the bottom, one inverted, stop blocks in place and welded, locking arm in position...all welds in place....etc.
Alignment - get under the trailer check the alignment, should be within 2 inches of the crotch, pin should be not bent or broken, locking arms in plate are open, pull arm is out, no gap between trailer and plate, trailer area is greased...etc.
Tandems - check the brakes and tandem locking pins

PAL and LAP
PAL when coupling
couple (because you already completed the HFAT)
Then do PAL
Check the pin, making sure the mushroom bolt is out, the arm is in, the locking bar is across, there is no gap...etc.
Airlines and electrical - connect em
Landing gear - raise them.

When uncoupling, same thing...park the truck straight, then PAL, just backwards...LAP
Landing gear lowered
Airlines and electrical - disconnect them
Pin - pull the release arm out and uncouple.

Double Clutching isn't too hard. Ive heard it many times before and a few times there...if you have driven a clutch before, its going to be harder for you to learn. if you havent , it will be easier.

As far as the pre-trip...to be honest, they don't spend much time on it at all. They have one class on it in the afternoon, where they just review the parts. Basically, its every part on the truck and under the hood, just memorizing the name, its securley mounted and that the lines or hoses connected to it are secure with no leaks cracks or frays. You do get a cheet sheet and other stuff to help you with it and you will have some free time to go to the trucks to review if you need it. You also will be able to use the cheat sheet during the pre-trip on the final.

However, you will not be able to use the cheat sheets for the air brake portion of the final.

thanks for the info, i currently drive semi's for the national guard, spent a year in iraq doing it. as far as the driving test goes whats involved? i already know the 4 point, pretrip i will just have to learn what they want, couple and uncouple the same thing (i prefer to back under the trailer then get out and hook every thing up, have to break my self of this for school). only concern is whats on the driving test now. also how hard was the pre school physical test for you?

Well the portion involving the truck involves:
1. four point check
2. couple
3. pre trip
4. air brake pump down (their way)
5. driving portion
6. uncouple
7. (i think post trip, not sure)

As far as the driving portion of the truck test...its basically just another day out on the road, cept this time you are being tested. Don't jump or rub any curbs with the tandems, don't leave an intersection while someone is in the crosswalk, stop 20ish feet from the vehicles in front of you; don't shift over rail road crossings, don't let the tandems slide over the lines...etc. Mine went well outside of a serpentine road he took me on that I never drove before...tandems went over the line.

I agree that this is easier. My OTR trainer actually had me doing this when I was done with school, because another Schneider truck just uncoupled and it should be at the same height...etc. However, a high hook will result in you getting fired, because if you follow Schneider policy and do what they want, you will never high hook.

There are a couple of physicals...one for the DOT physical you get before you go there, thats not hard at all...mine was simple...a RN did it. However, you will have a more intense one at Schneider during the first few days of training..can't remember if its on day one or day three. They have a ergonmics company come in and test their students for physical fitness, if you are in the guard, I think you should be fit enough for everything. Will list what I can remember below:

*take the number 200, and subtract your age from it. The answer will be your highest pulse rate you can have during testing. If you are say 30...then 200-30 = 170. you CAN NOT hit 170 or higher during the test or you will be released. if you are 40....200-40 = 160...etc. Basically if you hit that pulse rate, its a sign you will have a heart attack or something. Im on a BP med which slows my heart rate down, lol...highest I got was 112 I think...and Im 28, so my expulsion rate would have been 172. They check your pulse after each activity with a finger pulse reader.

exercises / tests
*one arm behind back, back straight up, crouch down with legs apart and touch floor, ten times.
*lift 30 lbs over head
*lift 30 lbs, walk 15ish feet, turn around and come back, setting lbs down.
*repeat with 60 lbs
*lifting 60lbs to chest, repeat
*lifting weights to your head, repeat
*crouch under a mock trailer (don't think you can get on your knees*, stay under for x number of seconds, get out....repeat.
*get ontop of the mock trailer (as if you were getting inside the trailer) without using side walls for support, then stand up. They might have you repeat.
*pull 100lbs
*push 80lbs

Some people on here said they monitor your BP, as far as I know they dont. They weren't checking BP at all during our testing.

ok nothing to realy worry about with the driving test (no 90 angle dock with only 5 times to practice during the 2 weeks)

__________________
Pumpkin Driver - we got problems but so does every one else
Army Driver
"Wars come and go, but my soldiers stay eternal." tupac