Starting a New Chapter in My life at Schneider

Believe it or not history kind of repeats it self in 1992 I was just released from a 4 year tour in the Navy and had some Orange Kool Aid, was a newlywed and wanted to see the good old US of A a big change from the Big Blue Ocean. Met up with a traveling Recruiter and it seemed that Schneider would be a good match. Life though a monkey wrench and new wiffey was expecting a little one. Now in my military carreir I was always gone and missed alot of family life so that little red devil and the good one on my shoulder were a fighting away at the decision should I stay or should I go (kind of like Jimmy Durante did you ever have the Feeling)

well I stayed home and put that job on the back burner, well almost a couple of decades later I am giving it another try. I am starting/re-starting my driving carrier at Schneider. I will be attending Orientation in Indianapolis Indiana on Nov 3, I will try my best to document the process that I will be experiencing.

 

Sorry for the gap in my report been a crazy week
So Sunday I drove myself from home which is in Dayton Ohio to the hotel a Stay America in Indianapolis IN to start Orientation on Monday morning. Stay America is not a bad place I was booked 2 to a room, which had a small kitchenette, a Fridge and a Microwave, Room was clean no bugs dead or alive thank goodness, Their was a nasty stain in the carpet hopefully wasn't a prior crime scene (LOL).
At 0600 Monday morning I am in the lobby, the hotel offered coffee & some fruit bars for breakfast, I then caught a shuttle van to the Indianapolis's Operations Center (OC).
So I now am one of 26 People awaiting in a cafeteria waiting for things to start. At 0700 we are informed to find class room One and find a seat, roll call is started and then people are called out to start taking the Schneider pre-work screen

now this was almost the end for me after each of these tests they take your heart rate and I just made it by 1 heart beat rate, but I made it. Then I found out that I need to take my DOT Physical over I was like what???? Its current heck its only a few months old why isn't it still ok? (To Be Continued)

 

(Monday Cont)
were was I, Oh yeah the DOT Physical I found out that I need to take my DOT Physical over I was like what???? Its current heck its only a few months old why isn't it still ok?
I was informed it has to be a Schneider DOT Physical, now earlier in the morning I was thinking I didn't need to give any urine because I already gave the week prior so of course I went already now I am like oh great I have to drink a couple of gallons of water, so now a I'm having to Pee every frigging 5 minutes. Finally back in the class room they go over the weeks Itinerary, and hand out our meal tickets, Yes we get a total of 8 free meals in the cafeteria BTW the food was excellent, back in the class room we watch several welcome aboard videos, listen to the safety guy, then the HR lady. 1800 (6pm) comes around time to go back to the hotel. (to be cont again)

 

(cont again)
Tues am
We came into the classroom received a bunch of new hire paperwork W4s, etc, Our driver trainers were introduced, received safety gear Boots, Safety vests, log books, then w went to lunch.
After lunch we meet up with the driver trainers and went over the trucks to learn the Schneider pre-trip, post trip etc. then went on a short 15 mile test drive around Indy, to get a base line on our driving skills, then back to the yard to begin backing skills, basically backing in the 45 degree between 2 other trailers.
There was only 3 of us sharing one training truck so we each received plenty of time practicing. around 1730 or so completed Post trips and met back in the OC to complete the daily logs etc.
Wed & Thurs was the same more backing and driving with the exception of the driving they added button hooks to our driving routine. On Thursday we received our company driver number, As others have mentioned Everyday is an Interview so act accordingly. By Friday the Trainers had a good Idea on who needed one on one skill polishing so some of us were either in the backing trucks or on the road with a different Instructor or working with someone else taking care of any other issues. Also on Friday we received our travel arrangements to meet our on road trainers which we will be meeting up with on Monday the 9th of Nov.
Sat we went over coupling/uncoupling and sliding tandems and fifth wheels, also got to drive in the simulator that was really fun. Met up with our drivers trainer and went over our graded driving skills then left for the hotel to get ready for the drive to my driving trainer for next week, Sorry I wont Tell were yet. I want to stay in the shadows a little bit more because I'm still in my Interview stage.