Just got my cdl from the green bay schneider acadamy!

Dan- Thanks for the info.

Would you say they're paying you for what they said they'd pay you for? Were you forced into per diem pay as well? Do you have one of those in cab heaters? Do they seem overly strict about idling? Do you feel pressure to run over hours? Are you happy with your decision to go with Schneider over another carrier?

 

I think their policy is not to drink at all during training. They had a class about a year ago that all passed their QRT, or whatever it was on that second to last day...then went out and partied it up. Word spread to Schneider who had one of their medics come up with a breathalyzer....all of the remaining class was booted outside of an older married couple that didn't go (or drink).

 

Can somebody explain why the per diem is no good? Seems like alot of driver's don't want per diem.

 

There's other posts about it, and if you want the best info ask a tax professional. You can come out with more income at the end of the year if you take per diem, but only if you drive the full year and get most days per diem, sleeping in the truck away from home, and have the right deductions for whatever, could include clothes, atlas, food bills, XM radio, so on, but you have to save receipts.

Per diem lowers your net weekly take home. You get 2 cents per mile less. This means your income in a banker's eyes is lower, which effects what kind of financing you'll get. You also get a less for workmen's comp and unemployment if you end up taking it, but end up paying less for child support if you pay it.

Employers come out on top in tricking their employees to take it because they make less of a contribution to taxes and SS.

 

Well thank you for that explanation. Well done.

 

Yes, that's right. No drinking at Schneider Training. If you can't go 2 wks without a beer you shouldn't be driving a truck anyway.

 

well I drank while I was at the training, but it depends on your definition of drinking, I would drink like 2 bottles of beer with my food in my room then goto bed. Nothing much wrong with that, just don't get drunk. If you go out on the town and party it up, expect to be blowing into a machine in the morning.

I had to do an alcohol and blood test just after I passed my SQT. That sucked, but it was a random test, and as usual I had been drinking the night before with my meal, blew a 0.

This all was at the time I was in hotels etc so its kinda different.

As for out on the road, I never drink out there, in fact alcohol doesnt come anywhere near my truck unless I am hauling it.



~Dan~

 

Yes they tell you its household movers guide, this is good and bad, I think it all evens out, like sometimes they overpay and underpay other times as it goes zip code to zip code.

I would say that "forced" is a little strong as far as per diem goes, they automatically enroll everyone in per diem but you can opt out at any time within 30 days, then at any time later with a waiting period.

I do not have a cab heater, so I idle a little. I have lots of blankets and stay warm until I have to get up in the morning. you can idle at 20% of total time in order to qualify for your bonus (among other qualifying factors).

As far as pressure to run over hours, I have the opposite, they dont want you to go over hours at all for any reason any time, I have met other drivers out there who just dont get it and they go over by themselves. The reason they go over is because they dont communicate with their DBL team. If you tell them you are not going to make a load appointment then customer service will work something else out you can make in my experience. I have had to arrive late before, deliver late etc due to things like weather or interstate closedowns and traffic.

I can't stress this enough, no appointment is worth having a wreck for. If you can't make it, send a mac 29 telling them when you can make it, they will contact the customer and work it out. At the end of the day it is YOUR responsibility to deliver loads as soon as it is safe to do so, and it is THEIR responsibility to make arrangements for that to happen.
If anyone ever tells you on the phone to do something you dont think is right, Send a message through the qualcomm asking them to verify that. If it is stupid you will get a message not to do it. The Qualcomm is your friend, its a legal record of everything.

~dan~