The no BS story on SNI from the Drivers Seat of Truck # 40767

A Mac 18 is the number 18 Macro on our Qualcomm. In case oyu completely new to the industry, the Qualcomm is the satellite system they use to track and dispatch us. Trucks equipped with the Qualcomm system are easily identified by a appx. 8" around by 7" high white rounded dome somewhere on the cab of the truck, normally near the rear. All SNI Trucks have one. The cost of using a qualcomm just to send a message is appx $.03 per character, so in order to cut on that cost there are preform messages called macros.

Macro #18 on a SNI Qualcomm (or MAC18 for Short) is what is referred to as the trip planning Macro. It looks something like below.

Final Asgnd Load#:_______ No Load:_
Local Est Time of Delivery:__/__ __:__
**If Late Send In MAC29**
Local Est Time Available:__/__ __:__
Hrs U Will Use Midnit To Avail: __:__
Hrs Left On 14 Hr Workday: __:__
Of The Hrs Left On Your 14 HR Workday,
How Many Can You Drive When Available __:__
Hrs: Today:__:__ (00:00 If Avail Today)
Yest__:__ 2Days Ago__:__ 3DAY AGO__:__
If U Came Off Your 34 Hour Break In The
Lst 24HRS, Ending Dt&Tm: __/__ __:__

If you already drive most of that macro is somewhat self explanatory, If not they will beat it into your head During School / OTR Training. If you still can't get it then, let me know I'll be glad to help. They use that information to determine when you will deliver freight, when you will be ready for more freight, and What Loads you can legally Deliver. The MAC 29 mentioned in the MAC 18 is a Macro that you send if you will be later or earlier than SNI or the Customer Expects to tell what time, and why.

As Far as questions to ask I assume a recruiter. I really can't think of any because recruiters have a really bad habit of telling only the good side of the answer and leaving out the bad. In my essay that started this tread I gave you the answers to Most question a driver should ask about our company. Here is another answer that If I remember right I left out.

SNI Pays HHG Book Miles. Translation - You will drive appx 7-10% more miles than you are paid for. Many Large Companies screw the drivers this way and unfortunatly just starting out it is hard to find a company that pays practical miles (another book, but much closer to the actual miles you will use) or hub miles (they use the odometer reading to pay.) But hey It really doesn't affect you that badly, and SNI is a good a place to get started as any I know of.

After 10 months here I just landed a dedicated account last week. So far the only slow BS is what you expect when moving around in any company. It takes a while for you and the new bosses to get your game on. Even though I had a slow start (as in sitting 2 days waiting to get a load because I was transferring from one system to another) and a live unload that ate another useful day, I will end up getting 2700 miles this pay week. (SNI pays for loads pulled Monday @5pm CST- Monday @ 5pm CST unless a holiday moves that a day or 2 for a week) You get your paycheck on Friday. System wasn't really bad, but currently they are getting lots of shorter loads with live loads and unloads instead of drop and hook. Even though my pay was about the same as it was before due to the layover and accessory pays involved with short haul live load and unld runs, I am one of those guys that likes to drive hard and if I'm stopped its because I am A> Using the restroom, B> Eating, C> Showering, or D> Sleeping, So I am glad to be out of the general Freight system and on a dedicated account. For people that like more time at home a dedicated account also allows such.

You could ask the recruiter tomorrow if they know of any dedicated accounts that are taking new hires, even though those aren't that common. You normally have to prove that you can refrain from wrecking or otherwise fouling up loads before they give you a shot at Dedicated. Reason being is dedicated accounts are basically fleet trucks for whatever company you are dedicated too. There is a specific pool of trucks and drivers that SNI has for that company's freight. Should a driver not be good about making appointments or should they wreck it shorts that account a driver and a truck thus throwing them behind.

As far as after you are already driving and have done well for 6 months, Dedicated accounts are not hard to find. They send the job postings to you Qualcomm. If you meet the criteria (Level of Experience, Live within the Hiring Radius, Have the necessary Endorsements on your license), and are interested, you call your DBL and they will give you the number for the dedicated DBL. You call the Dedicated DBL and if they decide to hire you and you decide to accept the job offer. then its a done deal. I took a $.02 per mile pay cut to get dedicated, but so far it looks like it is paying off. 70 bucks a week or so isn't worth not being happy with your job to me.

Anyways enough of SNI rambling. If you have any questions as always lemme know. It may take me a day or 2 to get back to ya but I will eventually.

 

Nope, no IdleAire, and even though my biggest complaint about SNI is their apparent disregard for driver comfort, I support them in thier decision to not support IdleAire. For what IdleAire Cost. (2.15 standard, 1.85 gold membership per hour +taxes) a typical stay cost around 20 bucks. For 20 bucks you can get a crappy hotel room and even though its a dive it will at least have a shower and a toilet readily available for you. IdleAire also requires head in parking which I can't stand. For a longer layover you could get a nice hotel room in most cases for the cost of IdleAire.

SNI may have large resources and be on the cutting edge of a lot of things, but so far non moving driver comfort isn't one of them, However it is not because they are not looking into it. SNI has a habit of testing many things out and taking the best out there for both the company profit margin and the drivers. It is taking them a while to find something, but once they do I am certain it will be a great system. Hopefully they don;t take too much longer (once it gets hot next yer)or I won't be around to enjoy it

 

I still work for Schneider National. I am on the Spartech Dedicated account out of Arlington, TX