New driver: Schneider bulk or Watkins van?

Tanker job

 

Take the tank experience,it will be invaluable in the future.

 

The terminal for Watkins is in Sayreville nj and you will probably have to leave the truck there on hometime so how close you are to that terminal might also be a factor to look at. I have been very happy with Watkins, but just look at what you want from future jobs, if tanker is where your wanting to go then I would take the Schneider position.

 

Im going tanker just for the experience and income your able to generate. Ive done the van bit enough myself and look at it as more positives than the negatives. Just get some time under your belt and enjoy it. Just follow your gut but with tanker its looking like more hometime and you become a valuable asset and wanted commodity in diff parts of the USA

 

Way to go nawarra1 ! I hope to follow in your footsteps with Schneider if you end up going that way.

 

My man went to W&S training in Conover for 10 days. He had to go from Ga to Ohio riding with another driver to get his first truck. The first truck they gave him for his first load had someone elses stuff still in it and no paperwork on the truck. No a/c, was dirty, smelly, broken dashboard, and broken mirrors. It appeared the last driver abandoned it at the terminal. He made the best of it and sucked it up and made his first pick up and delivery later that night and then went to the Dalton terminal to get it fixed the next morning. They gave him another truck a Volvo which was better then the Freightliner. It was already loaded with carpet. It had no working Jake brake and upon driving it for an hour it all of a sudden cut out in the middle of driving it on the highway. He was able to pull it over safely and W&S had a mechanic out of Dalton fix the broken radiator hose on the side of the highway and it was taken back to the shop. He left it at the terminal and went home. After 4 days of hell with no sleep, no guidance and 2 bad trucks he left W&S. As luck would have it his buddy was called an hour later to the same terminal to take the same truck with the same load going to the same location and the brake was not fixed. The radiator hose was fixed on the side of the road.

 

If hometime is a concern then this is not a career for you! Over the road driving will consist of staying out for at least 6-8 weeks and this is the norm across the board despite what recruiters tell you!

Watkins is decent company but I would highly recommend if you aren't comfortable with driving or have never driven before to maybe find a different company. They do not send you with a trainer and this is very crucial to a new drivers success. You are going to end up wasting a lot of time and money out there until you figure it all out. If you don't have previous experience this is not a good choice.

I would personally recommend you stay away from the mega-carriers. Your chances of success will be substantially higher at a smaller company! Maybe find a company like Watkins that has a training program. There should be plenty of companies to choose from in your area you just have to take the time to do some research to find them.

Good luck man...