From the web page http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/schneider-national-inc-history/
"Until 1980, thinking like a lawyer might have been the most valuable skill at a trucking company. [Trucking] was regulated by a web of state and federal statutes that determined minutiae of the industry's routes, rates, and loads. Thus Schneider was licensed to carry cellulose products, for example, but not paper products, and its lawyers had to negotiate for years in order to reclassify disposable diapers as a cellulose product so it could legally ship them. Both government rules and union contracts dictated much of the business. Schneider itself seemed versed in legal finagling. From 1978 to 1981 the company claimed its headquarters were in a facility it used in Illinois, thus getting the company out of a higher licensing fee it would have owed to the state of Wisconsin. The state of Wisconsin sued Schneider for $3.8 million in licensing fees in 1982, and the case was eventually settled on appeal in Schneider's favor. But when the trucking industry underwent deregulation in 1980, such bureaucratic wrangling became much less of a part of the way Schneider and other trucking companies did business. Truckers were freed to compete directly for customers. Around the same time, many large manufacturers and retailers were changing their business pattern, switching to so-called just-in-time delivery. Just-in-time meant that instead of warehousing huge [COLOR=#0066FF !important]stocks[/COLOR] of common items, factories ordered raw materials as needed, and shipped finished goods directly to retailers. This cut costs associated with large inventories, but it put intense pressure on truckers. A truckers' delay of as little as 20 minutes could cause retailers annoying back-ups as they tried to get their goods out to waiting customers."
I just began my worklife in 1980, and besides working in the military (U.S. Navy) for 13 1/2 years, I can identify with the change in supply chain management from working with WalMart over 4 years in the last eight, and also with beginnings in the fast food industry.
I am set to go to Roadmaster Driving School in West Memphis, AR on the 28th of May. Schneider National has become one definitive company of interest to me. Any thoughts on my preliminary research and starting out? I started with advice from my son, who drove for C.R. England for a couple of years, my sig other's ex-F-I-L's instruction's as a decades-long commercial driver, and opinions of a few drivers I ran into for their opinions on companies, SNI in particular.
I came across this gem of an excerpt while I was putting into practice advice I got from one of the truck driving schools recruiters about finding a few companies I may want to apply for. I was at this same site looking at Landstar Systems when I read that SNI acquired Landstar-Poole about 1998.
Also, from http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/landstar-system-inc-history/:
"According to Industry Week, Crowe placed a heavy emphasis on safety, and the company tried a number of innovative approaches. For example, in 1990, Landstar began adding reflective tape to the sides of trucks to increase their night-time visibility. This reduced the number of cars driving into the sides of the trucks by 75 percent. Safety was stressed in the [COLOR=#0066FF !important]corporate[/COLOR] culture through regular weekly and monthly meetings, mandatory safety programs for new drivers, and recognition programs. In the mid-1990s, the company became an early user of onboard collision avoidance radar."
Will this trend continue?
Is this the way driving commercially should be accepted?
Other companies that have come to mind are Roehl, Marten, Swift, and U.S. Xpress
Let 'er rip with the comments, opinionating, visualizing, and actualizations!
Industry Climate for a Career-minded Noob
Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by jparm, May 18, 2013.
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interesting
We are about to start with Landstar and I could see going with the % pay load choice at the pumpkin.
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OP here, and with the experience of school behind me, and prolific advice from Jakaby
(for reals, though), I have a better perspective on what I want to do in the industry. For example, I was set (or so I thought) to go to orientation with Schneider, but trying to get back in touch with my recruiter has been futile. So I resigned on trying to gain their acceptance, and made up my mind to go to Roehl. Roehl's recruiter also contacted me during school, to which I said I would be happy to work for Roehl; it is one of the top companies I consider a privilege to work for.
The question left in my mind is, should an unresponsive recruiter be an indication of work environment for future employment? -
A recruiter, Responsive or no, is no indication of the prospective employer. On one hand, with Swift I had an unresponsive recruiter. I could rarely get in touch with him. But he did give me all of the relevant information I needed, like what to bring with me to the academy and what to bring with me when I got a trainer. Which was better than the recruiter for some of the other students. I thought it was bad having to rush to get him notorized copies of letters last minute. That was actually alot better than showing up and not having a check to pay them and not having money for food expecting they would feed me as some students were informed.
On the other hand, I had a great recruiter with US Xpress, informative, responsive, Nice lady. However never told me I wasnt actually hired till I got to orientation, thats when they do the background work. And if at that time they decide not to hire me, I get to find my own way 700 miles home. I was hired, no problem, but if I would have known that I never would have quit my other job, packed up and got on the bus.
Orientation is a better place to learn about the work environment (sucks you have to go that far to figure it out I know). With Swift, they were very thorough, went through things until they were understood, and interacted to make sure they were understood. They online talked about being Best In Class, not how much better they were than other companies.
On the other hand you have US Xpress. At orientation, the instructor repeatedly talked about being sooooo much better than swift and swift is just the drivers who couldn't hack it and USX. Seems to me the professionalism is lacking when you feel the need to put down the competition in order to lift yourself up. That put a very bad taste in my mouth. The truck they put me in was fresh out of the shop clean and ready to go...but wait..why's the traction control light on? Great, brand new, want money, first get to spend 2 days in the shop.
Unfortunately, the only way you'll find out if a company is good or bad is to hop in bed with them. Reviews and talks with drivers only go so far. You will hear good and bad about every single company out there, with few exceptions (werner, stevens, C.R. England, and CRST come to mind as being ones I have never heard any good things about). And every single company out there has its good and its bad, it all boils down to your tolerance for the bad. If the good makes up for the bad in your opinion. Also what measures you take to make things better has an impact on your perception of the company. Sometimes you have to take charge to fix the problem (I.E. you have a bad manager, aren't getting miles, can't reach anyone, You can fire your manager and get a new one, you can change terminals, or get on a dedicated account to get away from the bad manager or bad terminal).
On you're first post, I'm not sure what you're asking. What trend are you talking about?
In terms of safety, reflectors, on board radar, backup cams, equipment to sense radical driving maneuvers. Yes that trend will always be on the up. Unfortunately the government can't leave well enough alone, as of..crap tomorrow.. we get new H.O.S. AGAIN, because the last changes weren't good enough to make sure drivers aren't becoming drowsy and causing accidents. The companies are always adding new gadgets, gizmos, and hooptymajiggers to prevent accidents, punish drivers for bad driving habits, and record all movement. And all of it is to cover their tailfeathers. Safety will always be big in this industry and will continue to get bigger and more oppressive.
In terms of economics, Jakaby is right. with one exception . .
Step 3.5 Piss what little money you made away in the truck stops.
......well that was way more than i intended to write.......
jparm Thanks this. -
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