My life at SNI ... grc

One question for the drivers and it is due to my lack of experience in the industry. If a truck does not have an APU, realistically, how long can you run a fridge, tv, and laptop on 12 volt before discharging the batteries to a point of not starting the engine?

 

Not trying to be a smartarse, but it depends greatly on how good your batteries are. The truck I just got out of would have the low voltage alarm come on everytime I used my 12 volt coffee maker, others I've had would go
thru my 10hr brk with no problem.

BTW, any truck I've had, had a low voltage cutout on it. It cuts out your interior lights cig/cigar lighter outlets, etc, before you drain the batts to the point where you can't start the engine.

Oh yeah, congrats on your license, no doubt a source of stress is gone for ya'.

 

Thanks for the quick reply. Maybe Schnieder will reconsider the APU's at some point. Not having an APU is not a deal breaker for me at this point in the game as long as I can have access to a little cheap entertainment in my off time. ( I said "cheap," no lizard jokes)

 

Ya, those lizards could be very expensive in many ways.

While it would be great if SNI would install APU's in all the trucks, that would be very expensive. Now, if they would phase them in on the new trucks they get, you know, the ones we eventually get from the teams, it may be a bit more viable.

 

JD,Did you start out with SNI?

 

No, I got my CDL on my own. Then went with CFI/Conway for a bit over a year. Then a small company in NE Michigan, since it was close to home. That didn't work out at all. Then off to Werner. Lasted 11 weeks with them, I just couldn't see 28 cents per mile. At both the above, I was on the Canada fleets. I really liked the driving there.
Then, likely my biggest disappointment, was U.S. Xpress. 8 months with them was enough. Recruiter told me I'd be doing Canada for them. Was there only 6 times. Seemed I either got lied to alot, or their version of English was not understood by me, or vice/versa. They religously had problems getting me home. They wouldn't even let me park the trailer at U.S. Global Xpress, a subsidararey [sp?] of theirs.
And there's more, but that's not what you asked.
If it hadn't been for SNI, and the homerun program, I'd been out of driving all together. My wife has Alzheimers, and I really need to be home as often as possible. Right now I'm on FMLA. It was completely painless thru the request to me being off with these guys till now.
I've been with them since 1/1/2009. I hate to sound like I drink Orange KoolAid, but these guys have really been good to me. Right now, I may have to start thinking about leaving altogether, and I really don't want to. I was told by a driver that did this, that if you quit under good terms, and decide to come back within 6 months, you can be reinstated with no lose of anything. I could be wrong, but I don't see another company doing that.
CFI certainly didn't, and I had a good record with them.
Sorry about the history lesson, guess I got off track a bit, eh?

 

Well I just got off the phone with the Roehl recruiter and she offered me a position. I would go to Ellenwood, GA on May 24th. So I at least have prospective employment. After what I have read in these forums and on PumpkinDriver website. I believe SNI is where I want to go and will if they offer me a position before heading to Roehl. As I stated in earlier posts, I have had many pre-hires, but my gut tells me to accept Roehl or SNI. Hopefully, SNI will proceed at a fast pace and will have a similar time frame appointment for orientation. I know neither of these two companies are the best companies to work for but a driver has to jump in at some point and I could do a lot worse than either company.

 

If you've sent in an online app to SNI, follow it up with a phone call ASAP. You could do a lot worse. I don't think Roehl is that bad of a place either, but I've no experience with them at all. I have talked to a few of their drivers, and they seemed to be good with them.

 

JD,you have my deepest sympathies with your situation with your wife. I could not imagine experiencing the love of my life having such a condition. You must be a man with a strong character to go through that and maintain such a positive attitude. I hope if I do ever have to experience that I can pull it off as gracefully as you.Werner is one of my pre-hires, but when the recruiter came here to the school, he gave me many things to think about when accepting a position, but also destroyed any desire on my part to go there when he thought he was making the company look attractive to prospective drivers. I am not too good to work anywhere and would go there if they were the only prospect. But as a first choice, he shed a light I was not attracted to and shot his company in the foot. He needs t o work on his presentation skills in a bad way.SNI only wants to start me out at .26/mile and that sounds low compared to the .305/mile at Roehl, but from what I am seeing in my research, I will have more miles with SNI which equates to possibly a better pay check.Don't worry about the koolaid. I have drank my share of it in my life and will probably see that big, 'ol fat pitcher in my future as well. I just hope there is sugar in it to help it go down easier.Sincerely, I hope your situation at home improves to a point you can enjoy trucking again without a personal cost at home. Just keep in mind what is most important as I am sure you already do according to your post.

 

I have done that and have been talking with SNI's recruiter Sandy. I have returned the form to release information for my background check and I am waiting to hear back on Monday or Tuesday of next week (that is what I was told yesterday). My only concern is that it looked like they pull your credit report as well. Mine is not terrible now, but I had a few hiccups around 2005 that are still on there. I hope that doesn't knock me out.