Trimac vs Schneider Bulk

They are going to reevaluate after the first of the year and it takes about a month to get all the interviews done so don't worry about it.

 

Exactly, I don't mean to be the guy with inside knowledge that nobody else has but ask your sales team. I have legit friends from Schneider that are in sales, I mean we hang out, talk, text all that friends stuff and I don't think they are lying. Everyone has one major headache and that's capacity. As far as price increases that is happening on a small level.

I was talking to one of them the other day and she had to turn down a lane because it went to Iowa and dispatch didn't want to lose a steady stream of trucks because they had no back haul back to a good freight area. If it had been a couple of loads then no problem but 3 or 4 trucks a week is 3 or 4 trucks deadheading back a day while other, bigger shippers, freight sits.

Of course no matter how well planned trucking companies can't force shippers to ship and that's where the minimum comes in. Capacity still cost whether you use it or not and companies need to change their idea of what a driver working means. It should change from hauling freight to being available to haul freight. There is an unwritten contract, drivers drive miles and companies get us the miles. If they violate that, then we should be fairly compensated and honestly 65 or even 150 a day isn't fair. If a price increase is needed then so be it. What are the shippers going to do? They have to have trucks to move their freight. I don't understand why the trucking industry bows down to shippers, we have the power. Especially us that move bulk freight.

It seems as though the laws of supply and demand don't apply to trucking.

To your point though. I was the 9th driver hired on the Elite team, now we have I believe 40 drivers. I have seen no decrease in miles whatsoever. Another thing my dispatcher tells me the full plan, she talks out loud a lot, and there are never enough drivers where she needs them. It's kinda fascinating to see the big picture and I love being so close to management and the fact that they are an open book.

 

Back on topic, Schneider and Trimac.

The money continues to amaze me. The utilization is very good too. I never sit and wait for a load. Usually I know a day or two before. I've been running tons of West coast which I told them I liked so maybe that's why I'm staying out here so much. Most of my loads are latex and go to paint places, the unloads are cake. I'd say maybe 30% of my loads have either been pre-loaded at the plant or dropped on the yard. Never thought getting away from Nalco loads would be such a benefit.


Now on to hiring. I just talked to the Tulsa branch today about their hiring practices, they too are frozen right now, and the manager said the interview is the most important part of the decision. Experience helps but not as much as you would think. They hire you to keep you around a long time. They are lining up candidates for January. He said he had a few positions opening up then. So if your interested drop the apps now, of you get hired on you won't regret it I promise. By the way we have no referral bonus right now so I get nothing for this, just letting everyone know.

Oh and if you don't have tank experience and you want to come over you better get yourself some as that type of experience is extremely helpful in getting hired. I should have said that from the beginning but I forget drivers that pull that......other type of freight occasionally read here, lol.

 

No telling, like I said they are picky. Remember you are competing with guys that have a hazmat already and I'm sure that played a part but don't know for sure.

 

I highly doubt I could have been hired by Trimac without being an experienced tanker driver. If I had it to do again I would have applied to Trimac and Schneider just to see.