Headed for Indianapolis for Orientation August 7th...

Pc & Raider, was there anyone in your orientation that was hiring on in the Bulk div? I know SNI advertises they will consider a recent grad for bulk, just wondering if they will actually hire a recent grad for it ?
TIA

 

I've been with SNI a little over 2 years now. Most of what I've read here is pretty accurate.
My own personal preference is to avoid OC's as much as I can. For one thing, most of them are located in areas that, frankly, frighten and disgust me. I abhor ANY urban area and avoid them whenever I can. It sometimes takes seemingly forever to get in and out the gate. In my experience, the showers aren't as clean as they should be. And they are real proud of the food they sell in the cafeteria, based on the prices. When you can get it. If you're like me, and prefer to start your 14 hr clock around 0400, you aren't going to get anything to eat at any OC, they only serve bankers hours.
Another problem with stopping at OC's is, if you happen to be heading for TAH, if the info wasn't entered into "the system" just right, they won't let you out!
And yes, you get paid for all dispatched miles. Loaded, empty and bobtail. Now, a lot of times you will be dispatched to 4 or 5 places all in the same city, usually being sent different places looking for an empty. No matter how many miles you have to actually drive, the DISPATCHED miles will be 0. Same city, so no miles paid. Be ready for that. I spent 8 hours Friday being sent 4 different places in Chicago bobtailing all over the city running after trailers that weren't there.
It happens, there are a lot of trailers and a lot of customers, and most use trailers for storage until they actually need what's on the trailer. That's not SNI's fault per se. The planners have no way of knowing if a trailer has been unloaded yet.

 

PC, thanks. I am human, therefore I can "REALLY" screw up things.

 

I just read DannyB's post. He's correct as well. His preference is a T/S, mine was an OC. Either one is the correct answer.

 

so your saying you spent a regular 9 to 5 shift looking for an empty trailer for free. geeesh!

 

That's a good way to look at it. Way before I came to SNI, or even started driving full time, [I'm talking mid seventies/early eighties], I helped a friend driving skateboards. We helped move things out of Detroit and down to Laredo for the most part. It was a very steep learning curve, and since, I've forgotten 99% of skate boarding. But yeah, dry van is likely the easiest to learn on. You can always go to bulk later on with SNI, if you stay there, or hire on with someone that can train you on a different type of trailer.
There was an exWerner driver on here that went to quality carriers, phroziac, was his user name. He must be pretty busy, I haven't seen anything from him for a couple weeks. Maybe if you guys that are interested would check out his posts, you may gain something.

 

No one in the Charlotte class was going to Bulk. Everyone was there for Dry Van and the majority were going to be driving the SE Regional run. I may be going that route now too since I recently learned there are currently no non-smoking pods in the Home Run Program.

 

That's too bad, I'm one of those lowlifes, but I can see your pointe. Ya don't think you could give it a shot, just to see if it's workable?
For what it's worth, I smoke Backwoods cigars, I've had nonsmokers tell me they smell good. I have to admit, cigarettes smell bad to me as well!