Doubts between Schneider and Stevens

Just FYI, Brakebush runs reefer out of DFW, Wisconsin, ETC, and they take on trainees. You're more likely to make a career with Brakebush than the carriers you're mentioning. And once your get experience in house it's six figures.. that's what it should be for reefer.

 

Does Brakebush have inhouse cdl school? The OP needs cdl school.
Here's what's on the website: If this has changed, please let us know.
To qualify with Brakebush Transportation, you must:

• Be 23 years or older
• Have 2 years of verifiable OTR experience
• Meet all DOT requirements and qualifications

 

Schneider imo doesn’t give enough training for new drivers. Unless you are a quick learner and can soak the information up like a sponge you better think twice.
Your screwup’s will be documented via DAC/Hirerite etc. Too many incidents and you’ll be kicked to the curb looking for a way home. On top of that you will have a difficult time finding another job.
Other than that, van is a great way to start. Lets you concentrate on your driving and not worry about learning reefer and all the BS that goes with it.

Stevens gives great training and has nice equipment. Unfortunately it’s reefer work which absolutely blows. You won’t get more miles than a van driver, maybe more miles standing in line in a food warehouse,lol.

Then having to listen to a reefer and apu (sounds like a lawnmower) which blows.
Reefer is a time wasting, clock burning gig for a company driver. Leave the reefer work to the owner operators.

Most places I pick and drop (Van Trailer) I’m pretty much the only truck or two, get loaded/unloaded very quickly.

Reefer expect 4-5 hours sitting to get unloaded then another maybe hour in line at BB waiting on a washout. While you’re fluffing around with all that the van driver already delivered and has 300 miles logged into the sunset.

Me personally knowing what I know now I’d pick Schneider over Stevens. Only because I can’t stand reefer work.. I have a few years experience in reefer as well as Van.

Good luck in your decision.

 

I briefly did van work as my first job out of cdl school. I found out quickly what it's like living in poverty. Switched to reefers and liked it and the pay was excellent, so I did reefers for 18 years. I was never an owner-operator, only a company driver, by choice.

 

Not inhouse , but they will sponsor the right student and provide OTR training.

 

If you ain't in the hole for "training" and don't have a CDL or a contract signed I'd skip OTR. 90% wash out and at .39 cpm in 2025 money, you'll be better off finding a manual labor job.

All around the US fiber optic is getting slammed into the ground left and right by directional drills. Locating the drill head pays 25-30 bucks an hour and can be learned on the job in a couple days. If you aren't on meth and can show up 4 days in a row you'll be hired.

Throw in some OT and you'll work way less and have a life outside of that rolling jail cell. The job market is absolute #### for well qualified guys. I have a spotless record, doubles, triples, end dump, lowboy, step deck, reefer, tanker, hazmat exp. I can't get any call backs or nothing to save my life unless it is a 1099 Dmitri Express type scam. Even Alaskan oilfield jobs aren't willing to talk to me.

I doubt things are going to get better in anytime in near future. Even if you are a solid driver, getting miles at OTR companies can be like pulling teeth. I left OTR after 2 solid months of begging for miles and getting 1000-1500 a week. You're looking possibly less than 600 dollar weekly paychecks before taxes to spend everyday of your week in that truck. And I stayed out 3 months at a go with 3 days hometime.

I threw away my 20s chasing money in trucking. I made some once I was near 30 but the bottom fell out and after almost a decade of trying to get past 60k/yr I got to ~100k/yr. And 6 months after raking in the dough, the hours vanished, the runs vanished, I had to dump trash cans and pressure wash pigeon #### out of the rafters on a scissor lift until I got laid off.

I moved away from family, sold off nearly all my possessions, left behind all my friends, and gave up all my hobbies to work more hours and please my managers. All I've got to show for it is a 200k mile 15 year old Honda that's paid for, about 200k in retirement saved up, and ~20k cash in the bank and rent a ####ty little apartment.

I'm doing better than most guys my age but it wasn't worth it. Also, I'm diabetic and have to be on blood pressure meds or else I'll have a heart attack. And I'm not even really starting my 30s yet.

I'd do it all differently if I could.

 

That's pretty good. During covid running reefer a Tyson chicken load that was a drop and hook turned into 3 days of sitting without detention pay for me. Also couldn't leave bobtail parking for "security purposes." Ran out of food and water. I made sure to #### in their parking lot for those three days. God reefer ####ing sucked so god #### bad during covid. 3 months out, 3 days home. I was around 40k/yr there. #### all of that. And I was at like .48cpm. Can't begin to imagine .39 cpm.

 

39 cents per mile is extremely low pay and the $10 an hour is what you’re going to get even after training. You’ll be taking home less than a grand a week. Amazon has DSP delivery van jobs that pay the same or more in every city across the country. Drive Uber for 70 hours a week and you’ll make the same or more.

Schneider is not a bad company but I would not be happy with that pay personally. It could work out for you if you make a plan.

Generally Schneider will send you out for 1 week with a trainer after your 3 weeks of onboarding. 1 week is definitely not enough to learn everything you need to know. So if you’re not a self motivated person who learns on their own it’s going to be rough.

Really Steven’s or Schneider depends on a lot of things you didn’t elaborate on. How much money do you need? How often do you want to go home? What’s your plan for the next 3-5 years?

If you own a home I’d definitely go with whoever has the terminal closest to your house.

 

Dam#