Husband and wife wanting to drive

schneider does not pay the first 2 weeks of there training and dont get a paycheck till the third week (including training) they pay 350 while your with your trainer then a garenteed 500 or your milage pay if its above $500 once you get into your truck.

 

My wife and I just completed academy training with Schneider and they have kept us together the whole time. We had a room at the hotel together and training was top notch. You will have to go three weeks without a paycheck. We started Feb 3rd and our first training check of $350 will be paid on Feb 22nd. As far as expences go we had to buy dinner every night for the 14 straight days of training and also there were other expences such as flashlights and other tools of the trade. A lot of info and testing at the academy but the instruction we felt was top shelf.

After training is completed we will be on a home run account where we are out 2 weeks and home a week. This comes at the expense of not having your own truck assigned (there are three married couples and two trucks so that the trucks wheels almost never stop.) The recruiter told us to expect 42-47k each the first year. I hope this is accurate. Our recruiter was right on with everything that she said and did (no suprises so far)

Every where we went to check we found out that teams are a very sought after commodity in the trucking world.

 

If you don't need/want to be home that much, you can make a lot more money in a year. A lot of team drivers like yourself are barely home at all but it's all a matter of want/need and choice. Driving two weeks out of every three isn't really a lot of driving. Most single drivers get one day off for every week out but they drive half the miles you two will.

Sounds like you got good training, though, and are pleased so far. As you've noticed, team drivers are very sought after so you should be able to go anywhere you want after a year or two. Good luck!!

 

My wife and I are considering this to thanks for the info.......

 

Not being able to go a week with out pay is going to be a problem for you guys. No company is going to pay you while your doing CDL training at least no company I know of. And that alone can be 2 to 6 weeks right there. Most companies also do not pay all or most of orientation time. And you have to take into account that most also hold a weeks pay. So you can figure that it will be about your third week with a company before you see a physical pay check.

The best advice I can give you is for your wife has shes not working atm to start the process. She gets her CDL, and or hires on with a company you may be able to combined those two steps. Dose her first 6 weeks with a trainer. Then goes solo and starts to draw a pay check. Once she has stable income then you start the process. Once you have your 6 weeks of training done then you two can start running teams. Or if needed quit and go to a company where you can.

 

Hani, I would be curious to know how your decision went as My wife are in MI, newly married and have been trying to find a company that "preferably" does not separate us during OTR training . We can relocate and have a months wages saved for the time out of work. Did you apply anywhere? We have been looking for MONTHS, Schneider team not hiring in MI, P.A.M separates 4-6 weeks of OTR, Watkins Shepard great school, does not separate either. Applied there and waiting on financing option. We can't wait to get it done, but it's a lot to think about as I've been in a career for 15 straight years!
Hope it all worked out for you.

 

Think about that for a second the point to OTR training is for you to learn and develop the skills and tools that you will need to do the job. With both of you being new and having no exp just what would you teach each other about driving? Are you just going to try and figuer it out has you go? If so that sounds like a sure fire way to fall flate on your face to me. And most likely get a few tickets along the way "Im new and didnt know" or "Nobody told me" means squat to the DOT in any state.

The one company that I know of that "might" let you train that way is C.R.S.T. But please rethink it and get some training other wise youll both be in for a real tuff year.

 

You're right of course. We are considering me going first for 6 months OTR and then spouse training. Just don't like the idea of her being off for 6 weeks, but she's a big girl lol and if we want it bad enough it will all work out. But I have heard from couples that don't get separated, I'd be interested to see how they are doing in their careers with that type of training.

 

Interstate Distributors out of Tacoma lets you train together. They send you out with a trainer for about 5 weeks, so it's the 3 of you in the truck.