I'm a potential new guy, interested in Schneider...

Hi All,

First post after some motivated lurking...I read several long threads in their entirety: much thanks to @freightwipper and @softail and @warhippy for their insights. Here's my situation/question(s):

I'm a career changer. 12 years in the hospitality industry (hotel operations - Front Desk, etc.) and I really think I'm done. I don't see a future in it that enables mine and my family's goals. I am initially attracted to Schneider because they are insanely close to my home: the Paulsboro, NJ facilities are about 4 miles from my front door. Tanker driving out of that location would be ideal, and SNI is looking for OTR and non-OTR to originate there. The worst advertised salary I've seen in searching SNI job listings is better than I ever did while running a hotel, and I'm thinking I can come out of school with tanker and HazMat.

I'm also prior USAF and have experience with small tractors, small trailers/doubles, and forklifts up to 10K. I was an AMMO troop and I loved hauling bombs and missiles to the flightline. Same theory but smaller scale and different skill set as CDL-A, but it's something.

All that being said:

1. I'm tall and heavy - 6'3"/350. Is there anything I should look out for on the medical side before I go any further in exploring this move?

2. Do taller people have a hard time in a sleeper?

3. Where is Schneider tanker training? I've done lots of reading and been unable to find a location.

4. Does anyone here run to/from Paulsboro at all? What kind of freight, what kind of work, etc.?

Thanks for the help, y'all. I've almost got my head around the idea of leaving a career field that I love, so I'm all ears to anything the community thinks would be helpful.

 

Been paying month to month on the exchange, and it expires 10/31, so the short answer is no. My wife got laid off in February and I followed her into unemployment about five weeks ago.

Thank you. Much appreciated.

I'm within the commuting distance for Keasbey as well (76 miles per Google Maps IIRC), but Paulsboro is just stupid easy. Three turns and a 3.5 mile straight and I'm at the port entrance. If I was in military shape, I could run there. I used to be a casino-hotel Front Office guy in Atlantic City, and I have friends in Coraopolis that own a casino player charter jet operation. No place in the world is the worst place in the world if you can call a friend and have a beer.

 

Understood and appreciated. But I've done enough reading from those who have shared take-home amounts (company, not IC) to know that for me, it's one year of sucking it up to do better than the best number I made in a hotel.

Also should add that I'm on unemployment now, so the possible notion of not paying for CDL is something that changes my personal economics.

 

Yes, sir. I'm 34 and for years people have told me that I need to get out of the customer service business and get out of the Northeast. For personal and professional reasons, I think it's time to take that advice.