Schneider National Carriers - Green Bay, Wi.

Lol nah, my opinion is closer to "Im right" than..."I heard it from a truck driver so it must be true". Also...had you kept on typing, Id point you out as a union rep.

 

Think about this opinion. If companies paid their drivers a decent wage, provided low or no cost health benefits, provided paid time off (vacation, sick, holiday, jury service etc), good hometime and a good retirement package, maybe just maybe you would see a lot less turnover.

I highly doubt they will do it. The reason is, for every driver that quits, there are many more waiting to take their place at these sub-standard companies. Schneider just being one of many.

Drive safe

 

While I agree, partially, with some your statements, I can also tell you there IS in fact a driver shortage in this country.

First: If there were not a driver shortage in the country, H1 Work Visas allowing persons of foreign origin would not be issued for them to come here and drive a truck for a living. AND, don't get me wrong, I'm not making prejudicial statement, merely stating a legal fact.

Second: IF you go to the Bureau of Labor Statistics website operated by the US Gooberment, you will find all the data and statistics more than supporting the claim there is in fact a large, and growing, driver shortage. Currently, the BLS statistics indicate we are about 20,000 drivers short to meet current demand. In fifteen years, this number is expected to almost double, and BLS provide can provide you the logic and aging statistics to support that claim as well.

Third: Don't get me wrong. I have no real issue with the driver shortage. The fact is, IF supply of drivers met demand for drivers, we'd all make less money than we currently do. Also, a major part of the problem is this gig isn't for everyone. A whole lot of people go to schools such as the one SNI has, gets assigned a truck, and then some time into the first little bit of driving then figures out that life on the road ain't the easiest gig in the world on the driver or the driver's family. A lot of the time, it doesn't work out for the "trainee" simply because the career isn't a good fit for them. In essence, a lot of the time it has much less to do with the company than it does with the driver.

Fourth, and last: I'm not saying all companies are good. Certainly this is not the case, but I will say this: Most, not all, but most of the time, IF a person makes a good, informed decision about a company from the jump and lives up to the expectations he/she knew they would be asked to live up to, they will get back what they expected to get back in the first place. It really comes down to a simple matter of is someone doing the complaining about a company really putting in their part of the deal. A person, any person, any situation, will only get back what their willing to put in to begin with. Now, I also don't believe the "trainee" environment to be a good long term deal. I do think, however, it is a good beginning point where one can pay their dues. Sorry if you disagree, but every single person jumping fresh into any situation will have to pay their dues at some point, in some way. It's just the way it is. I paid mine, and the most successful drivers/business owners I know out there today, paid theirs also. It would probably go a long way toward a reduction in complaining if everyone would just realize that you can't just go eat the cake, you have to make, or at the very least, buy it first.

 

Driver turnover can be attributed to a number of factors, not just related to the company. Many drivers think they can get better miles at Company B, and then they think the same about company C, and D, and E...etc. There are TONS of reasons why a driver leaves a company. a 100+ company to me means "small company". Its not a 10,000+ company.

This is a pathetic argument. Drivers who go over the road, most DO SO because they WANT TO. Eating out on the road is not expensive when you put it into perspective. Either way, they will need to live at home if they were home...still have to eat, wash clothes...etc. It might be a tad more, but seriously, if you spend hundreds of dollars a week on the road in order to survive, something is royally wrong.

As far as gross pay, nothing eats into it as you claim. The gross is what you make BEFORE taxes and such are taken out, then its your Net. Your paycheck, what you actually get paid is the net of your gross.

For the plan i was thinking of getting, it would be 77 bucks a week for an HSA.

I was going to comment, but you typed like six things here which were taken out of context. So its rather pointless. He was mentioning how some companies are starting to invade the privacy of its drivers more and more with various types of monitoring. He also started giving reasons on why drivers might leave, quite a few of which were points on how companies try to bend to save money, but it affects the drivers quite a bit.

Define a good wage. Seriously tell me how you determine a good wage. I have yet to see anyone who makes a crap load of money driving a truck which requires the skills of a young teenager...actually be able to tell me how the 'decent wages' are calculated.
You also expect the companies to pay for your health care...why can't you provide for your own families medical needs? What is low cost?

Most companies do provide paid time off, as well as vacation days, sick days as well. etc. Of course then again, you seem to feel you have a constitutional right created by our forefathers that allows you to get paid for not working. Hometime...that is up to the couple. Many couples have a strong relationship while a spouse is away. If the family struggles when one is away, that a huge problem right there.
Retirement? So not only should the company pay you for working, and not working, but they should pay for your life when you quit working for them? Why cant you provide for your family and yourself? or is that too much to ask?

 

Milkman,

I don't know about your figures but I will take them at face value. My comment was only my opinion due to the posts I have read on here. I understand, to some degree, why the turnover rate is so high. While there are many factors, pay, benefits and hometime play a huge part. Some get into this industry to make big money. The fact is, most will not. I am happy, in a way, being a middle class person. Would I like to make more money and work less? Of course I would. So would every other driver on here.

Most drivers think that they are going to get paid big money and see the countryside. While they will they will see the country, from the cab, the money is usually not there. Yes, there is some but not what they have invisioned. They also don't realize how expensive it is to live on the road. Not only does the company take out money for benefits and advances, they make their drivers work for free at times. Whether it be waiting to load/unload or any other number of items. Since they are paid mileage, the miles they actually drive is not what they are paid for. Most are paid pratical miles. What does that mean? Pay them for the miles they actually drive! Living on the road gets expensive. Food, laundry and toiletries add up. Lets not forget home time. I would guess that a lot of those drivers have families. Longing for home, seeing their children and remembering what life "used" to be like, take there toll.

I agree that we all had to start somewhere. Pay our dues. It only makes sense. I know I started hauling for a rendering company. Thats right. I picked up animal fat, grease and bones. Not the most glamorous job but it was local and paid by the hour. I now work for what I consider to be a good company. Will I get rich? I don't think so. Can I live comfortably and provide for my family? Yes. We all need to start somewhere. It just bother me that so many start at bad companies, complain about them, move to another bad company and complain as well. So on and so forth. The vicious cycle will repeat itself over and over again. By the way, I have never had the displeasure of working for an OTR company.

The bad companies are listed on this site, listed on other sites and advertise in truckstop magazines. It's all there for for all of you to read in black and white. Take advantage of them by weeding them out. Pay your dues but respect yourself.

Drive safe

 

Wow! You did a good job of cherry picking my post. Answer all of my statements not just the ones that suit your fancy. I will check back Sunday night. If you can't respond to all of them, I will respond to the ones you chose here.

Drive safe

 

There ya go again!!!! You sure do like to exaggerate in an effort to be sarcastic... paid time off, vacations... are all a part of benefits offered by companies... that's it... this is all pointless I'm sure because you love to get on here and rip people...lol yer a funny guy.

You know... your arguments are funny... you must be one really, really pissed off dude at our government officials... and if not..why the hell not??!! Why argue in this forum with guys struggling to make a living? You need to vent on your Congressman... you know... the guy who works about 16 weeks a year for a 6 figure income, with full bennies and retirement pay for life, gets 2 weeks paid vacations for every Federal holiday and automatic pay raises annually. lol. You need to start ######## at those clowns and not some driver who makes $600/wk and wants more money, more or better benefits and some time home.

You just like to throw #### at the wall for the sake of arguing and being sarcastic with people on a personal level. Lighten up pal. Just because you might enjoy working 7 days a week for $500 ot $50 or whatever depending upon how the wind blows that week... don't ##### at others who don't. Who the hell are you to judge others? Otherwise... drive say and have a nice day.

 

I just stumbled across this thread, now I must throw this out - Drivers are happy if they have a coast to coast run with NO problems with fueling or flat tires! Anything less would be a stress attack where its the companies fault and ALL OTR trucking companies SUCK. WOW, I'm glad I said that, I feel better and I am enjoying my hometime. Have a good weekend. Meet you all at the depression merge lane on Monday. LOL

 

Just turn off the CB and you won't even know their even there.

 

"Quote:

Schneider is half of the industry average. Just what exactly is Schneiders turnover rate? Why do you think it is OK for a company to have any "measerable" turnover rate? To me, driver turnover is a sign of a "bad company". If these companies were as good as they advertise, there should be little turnover rate. The fact is, they are not. Just a little backgroud for you. We are a 100+ employee worker company at our branch. The last driver we hired was in November of 2006. We bought out another nationwide chemical distributor and absorbed all of their drivers from there one local facility. The fact of the matter is, no one leaves unless they retire. That speaks volumes for a company. I can guarantee that Schnieder doesn't even come close to this.

I agree that $70,000 is a respectable amount of pay for a driver. However, I have not seen too many Schneider drivers posting that kind of pay on this site. I don't even see that kind of money advertised on their website. Strange. Do you think it is the norm or just for some?

Also, do you know how long a driver has to stay out there, away from his/her family to gross that kind of money? You know, being on the road is not cheap. You need to figure in the cost of living on the road. That can be expensive. You also need to figure out how much the benefits cost the driver. All this eats into the gross pay. By the way, just to put pay into perspective, as of my last paycheck (10-16-2008, my gross is $66,641.48. So you can see why there is such a lack of turnover at my company. All this plus benefits and home every night/weekends off.

Other than the benefits, the others are subject to change. Just what type and kind of benefits does Schneider provide? How much do they cost a driver?
I still disagree.
Who wants to be on the road with someone under the influence. Not me.
What is the harm in that? Be where you say you are at the time you are there. It's their equipment, not yours.
Again, it is their equipment, not yours. They choose to run their fleet as they see fit. Just like mine.
Stricter log book enforcement? What is wrong with that? Why would they have to be stricter to their drivers. The DOT an FMCSR spell out the laws regarding log books. Are you saying that Schneider drivers cheat on their logs? Could you even be saying that, in order to make money, drivers need to cheat? Any driver that feels they need to cheat to make money, in my opinion, is definitely working at the wrong company. That is about the worse thing that adriver can say about a company. Imagine that, needing to cheat to make money. What a sad comment to make for this industry. Think about this opinion. If companies paid their drivers a decent wage, provided low or no cost health benefits, provided paid time off (vacation, sick, holiday, jury service etc), good hometime and a good retirement package, maybe just maybe you would see a lot less turnover.
I highly doubt they will do it. The reason is, for every driver that quits, there are many more waiting to take their place at these sub-standard companies. Schneider just being one of many."



Man, can't you find a simpler way to communicate?
Where do I start?

no, I tried cut and paste and my response to you was as disjointed as your comments to me.

To put it simply :
A) part of my reply was from a business journal article, it was not opinion. If you can't figure the math on your own, I won't do it for you.
B) I'm sorry you don't get that EVERY company in EVERY field has turnover that is unrelated to retirement.
C) I don't know why you think this is a competition between your firm and Schneider, my comments are related to the industry in general and that Schneider has been evaluated independently as being in the upper percentile when it comes to profitability, low turnover and growth within the industry.
D) I'm really glad you like your company, it is rare. But it has nothing to offer me nor most of the other 2,999,900 OTR drivers out here. Thus I could care less that you get free health care - your company can't get ME home every night, end of story. BTW, in my last full year with Crete I grossed $56,000 and I am a lazy driver who sleeps past morning rushhour and does not drive overnight or bump my 70 every 6 days.
E) I'm not a Schneider recruiter, I'm a new hire - if you are interest in their benies, call them yourself
F) I was using reasons why OTHER people might not like the job of trucking, not making a comment pro or con about the restrictions themselves, why do you need to argue that you don't want to drive with drunks? There are guys out there applying for trucking jobs who think they CAN drink and drive.
G) your final implication about Schneider and logs is outright insulting. You DO post your opinion as if it is fact when in fact many of your opinions are based on lack of knowlege.

and you close with this :
"Think about this opinion. If companies paid their drivers a decent wage, provided low or no cost health benefits, provided paid time off (vacation, sick, holiday, jury service etc), good hometime and a good retirement package, maybe just maybe you would see a lot less turnover."

To which I say : DUH! and again, if you can tell me where there is a company that can hire the rest of us 2,999,900 drivers, pass the word would you?

and you say :

"I highly doubt they will do it. The reason is, for every driver that quits, there are many more waiting to take their place at these sub-standard companies. Schneider just being one of many."

To which I say : those "many more" are likely not qualified to do the job to begin with, are unwilling to put up with the restrictions put upon OTR drivers and will not accept the rigors of the OTR lifestyle. Finally, your portrayal of Schneider as "sub-standard" is not backed by any fact and is in fact disproven by professional examinations such as the one I already quoted.

Try to discuss this in a more realistic way than cut and paste replies - if you can't formulate an essay that makes sense, I'll simply ignore any followup comments.