Married couple, how to start? (she only wants to drive with me)

Seth0194 · Apr 20, 2023

Just checking in to see how things are going with you two? Hope all is great!!

Nahbrown · Apr 20, 2023

Seth0194 said: ↑

Just checking in to see how things are going with you two? Hope all is great!!
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Good! Here is a post I made yesterday about our training New Driver training for wife and I.

insipidtoast · May 4, 2023

Nahbrown said: ↑

First of all, nothing against Schneider at all. Based on our requirements our choices had been narrowed down to Schneider and a local company, Amhof. Amhof was a little standoffish until we interviewed and took a road test so we were beginning to think Schneider was it. Once we graduated and actually sat down with Amhof we decided that Amhof is a better choice for us. Its not about money but how Amhof point blank told us that we are new drivers and that they have a plan to train us and then what lanes we would and wouldn’t run until we gained more experience.

The bottom line is we like this family owned company and the people we have met there. I have a relative that has spent the last 13 years of his 30 year trucking career at Amhof who swears by them.
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That's really nice. Them tailoring a new driver experience for you. Helping you avoid what they consider difficult lanes. Really nice personal touch on their part.

insipidtoast · May 4, 2023

lual said: ↑

Based on my experience there....Schneider can be a good first choice for a beginning driver, if:

You're a fast learner (and thus, don't need much time out with a trainer);

You're ex-military, and/or maybe already drawing a pension....and thus, you don't mind as much having some of the lowest paying gigs in the industry;

You want to learn/sample different types of freight, without the hassles of changing employers. For the first time--the other day, I saw a Schneider reefer job, out in the Dallas/Ft Worth area (very likely someone else's trailers, though). Schneider now does flatbed (but I gather it's mainly conestogas--at least as of the time of this writing). While I was there--I did dry van, and (mostly) intermodal.

You like having access to more terminals and dropyards, especially in and/or around major metro areas...for overnight parking options;

You like/want to be "captain of the ship"--if the weather and/or the roads are bad, you can park it until things improve--and (of course) call dispatch, then update the ETAs as appropriate;

You are interested in driving jobs that are part-time. Availability of such of course varies...based on (fill in that blank here).

It's virtually impossible to comprehend the incredible amounts of freight that a carrier like Schneider has...even in a time of depressed freight volumes. If you want to be with a carrier that will keep you running when it's slow elsewhere--Schneider can be a good bet (been there--seen that). Also--if it's slow in their tanker group--put in for a transfer over to intermodal.....work things to your favor!

Regardless of where/when your rig breaks down--help is just a phone call or qualcomm message (or two) away. Schneider has agreements with shops/chains pretty much everywhere, to come and help you out as appropriate.

No carrier is perfect; each of course will have its own strengths and weaknesses. But....despite all of its obtuseness in places--a lot of what's listed above is (part of) why I first started there.

-- Lual
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If it weren't for the second bullet point, I'd be all for them.

insipidtoast · May 4, 2023

Opus said: ↑

Probably a good move. 'Dedicated' ain't all its cracked up to be and running teams, they'd probably run you in the ground.
Home nightly for 30 days sounds pretty sweet.
Good luck.
And remember, wife happy, you might be too. Wife unhappy, you will be too.
Have fun
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What's the problem with 'dedicated'?

HogazWild · May 4, 2023

OP becoming a trainer first is the only path if she won't go separate...

Inspiration: Once you are both ready you can go anywhere.. Teams are high value to any company and they don't get layover, so big checks non stop

Nahbrown · May 4, 2023

insipidtoast said: ↑

That's really nice. Them tailoring a new driver experience for you. Helping you avoid what they consider difficult lanes. Really nice personal touch on their part.
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We are almost done with week 3 now and we are pretty pleased with the training.

We have been with separate trainers every day with some deliveries but mostly getting loads back to our company yard for the regional drivers to drop and hook to, but we ride home together at the end of the day. The training plan changed when we agreed to team dry van AND team flat beds (no tarp) including Conestoga. I have done 3 weeks of local runs of mostly flat bed and my wife has done 3 weeks of mostly dry van. I have been doing 3 flat beds a day and she has been doing 6-7 dry vans per day. Next week we switch trainers for 2or 3 weeks so that she can learn load securement and I can run more loads per day to get more experience.

We will worry about what comes after that then.

Nahbrown · May 4, 2023

HogazWild said: ↑

OP becoming a trainer first is the only path if she won't go separate...

Inspiration: Once you are both ready you can go anywhere.. Teams are high value to any company and they don't get layover, so big checks non stop
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We found a way

HogazWild · May 5, 2023

Nahbrown said: ↑

We found a way
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Was it training separate? Some companies use to have two trainees one truck with trainer(I believe CR England), but that was rough...

Nahbrown · May 5, 2023

HogazWild said: ↑

Was it training separate? Some companies use to have two trainees one truck with trainer(I believe CR England), but that was rough...
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Cliff notes version- we drive to work together, train locally with separate trainers and then drive home together everyday. She was more concerned about being apart for days. This is working great

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