Schnieder National ..... What BS!

And when I left in August of 2006 Schneider had 15,000 trucks and 50,000 trailers.

Looking at operating costs...thats a lot of tires and fuel.

 

I'm trying to do the math here. 4800 posts by you, mostly trying to discourage others away from your profession, might equal......what? .001% more loads per year for you? I've spoken to many out there whom are making a good living driving a truck right now, in this bad economy. It's always those who whine and complain and hide the fact they take a week off out of the month and turn down shorts loads and piss off their dipatchers who loose. Those who play by the rules, drive when offered to drive are making money.

 

Wait until they show you the actual play book. Then get back with us, about those rules.

 

As I said, I talk to people every day making money in this biz. The problem on this site, is the economoy is bad, forcing many to turn to trucking. You all don't care for the added competition and I don't blame ya. But fact is, when the economy goes south people do anything they have to do to eat. Trucking is a viable option for many!

So the average full time lease driver who made $4k per month 2 years aho is making $2800 now? Do you think he cares when his only alternative option is holding up a sign, "will work for food?" Or if he is lucky, flippin burgers for $7 an hour at age 42? What do ya think?!?

 

If you can spare a couple of minutes. I will try to help you understand things better. We're not all here to run off the new guys. As much as it seems that we are. And I freely admit, I am one of the biggest ###holes in this forum. If my attitude discourages someone from taking this career up, then they didn't really want to do it to begin with.

I'm a driver who is happy with 1500-2000 miles a week. So the competition thing doesn't hold water with me. Agreeably, freight is tight for most. But it isn't because of the new guys coming into the industry.

Very true, and it was the same for me years ago when I started. However, what is not being realized here. You can't make "big' bucks legally unless you're union and home every night.

For a OTR company driver, anything less than $1000 a week bring home and after expenses...is chicken feed.

And try as you may, these bottom feeder companies will take advantage of a driver that is willing to push the envelope, while neglecting you. And there are 1000's of them (drivers) out here. With 100's more coming in everyday.

That is the competition, you have to be concerned with. An inexperienced driving pushing his untested skills to the max to make a dollar.

I'm sure the bank has told him it would be okay to make part of his house and car payment, until the economy picks back up. What's your take on that ??

BTW, the bull#### meter should be ringing off the wall, when a lease driver tells you he makes $2800 a month. Compared to a company driver making the same, the company driver makes MORE.

Maybe some day, someone will give you an honest assessment of what they really make. But that day isn't today.

I know I don't.

Myself, like others on this forum have degrees that allow us to do something else. We just choose not to.

I can start a job tomorrow, that allows me to be home every night. Starting pay is equal to what I make now. But I don't like working in an office environment, or other closed environments.

The bottom line for many "new" drivers. They aren't willing to move, to obtain better work. So they take a job driving, and then look for anything that will get them home every night.

The highest competition for jobs is at the local level, not the OTR/regional level. We're just a stepping stone.

 

It's not just Schneider National that does this crap. JB Hunt wrote the book on screwing a driver roayally!! Big pay, but EXTREMELY low miles. They sit you all day and at the last hour they will offer a load you cannot possibly run. When you refuse, you have forfieted your layover. Then, they ask why you can't run it since you just sit 10 hours and now have hours. They don't care that you stared at the QualComm for those 10 hours, waiting for the load that never came!! It is why they have the largest turnover rate in the biz! They are absolutely horrible. But, do you want worse???? It is called "Super Service" out of Somerset, KY. Low pay, low miles, forced to run illegal, and absolutely NEVER home on time and always want you back out a day early. God help you if you have a flat or breakdown, because you are going to sit forever, IF you can get breakdown to respond. Usually they reply with "Callo the Shop". Yet, they won't answer the phone. Then they will tell you that you are on your own to serch for a USED tire. Screwed without grease!! Not even a kiss. Then, when you quit, they find a reason to keep your last paycheck.
I have been with US Xpress for a few years now. While I have had some bad weeks, as any driver will, I have yet to make under $45K annually, and I have been home late only once, which was the shippers fault. But, USX gave me my full home time AND an extra day. My equipment is in great shape and breakdown is above and beyond good. The mileage pay is above average and you do not jump through hoops to get your bonus when they are promised. There are no fuel bonuses, safety bonuses, etc that entice you to sweat in a steamy truck or freeze in the snow. You get a $2000 sign on bonus that GETS PAID AS PROMISED, and a retention bonus every year.
I have made my way onto a dedicated account and I am home every night, work 5 days a week, and earn an average of $1100 weekly. You just gotts work hard, stay with them, don't refuse loads and don't spit out vulgar crap to offend folks because you want to be a single man team. It takes an average of 40 people to move a truck from one point to the next. Not just a driver.
Call US Xpress. Tell them Mark Sovine (yes, related to the singer) sent you. You WON't be disappointed.

 

What works for you Mark, with USX may not be good for others. I started with them, but left after 3 weeks. Why? they couldn't seem to find me a trainer. Sitting that long in a hotel, on $50 a day and having to pay for my own food, wasn't worth it..

 

I posted to this thread earlier. As I said I was a trainee in the bulker fleet. Well as soon as I left the trainer things went down hill fast. I have the original quotes from the recruiter $58-$63,000.00 annually for my experience. In your dreams! I gave them two weeks I told Pete Maurik I needed to hit the ground running as I passed all the BS with flying colors. I didn't take the last SQT screening test because after $100.00 then $300.00 after $100.00 advances I couldn't afford it. They screwed with my miles when I objected to their policy of per diem accounts supposedly to offset the taxes of a single driver with no deductions. So I told the DBL to dead head me home where I quit for lack of realistic income even for flipping hamburgers much less handling dangerous chemicals (that DBL claimed recently drivers were getting five day lay over's routinely). I have since signed on with another tanker company that came recommended from this site. So far so good. I really don't expect to make the full potential salary because of the economy but I not starving either. Schneider lied to get seasoned drivers to see if any would stick. The only person and I interviewed dozens of company drivers, who was making any money was staying out 24/7/365 to do $700.00 a week after taxes and expenses. It's hard right now it took me about a month just to get two offers one half assed company and the one I am at. In the end I took the offer that seemed able to provide the most work. Unfortunately in this business trucking companies won't trust each other enough to unite for the obvious advantages because they can't trust each other but will take a drivers work history from the same sources as the gospel. Your first tip off that a company is a joke? They will run you through an unusually extensive application procedure where you never really know until the end if you have been accepted. Usually by companies with so much equipment at hand that their is really no difference to them parked MT or with a captive employee inside. They are only interested in the transient business they can catch by being available to the occasional shipper or steady customer. But what they really count on is you, that idiot that remains despite any and all. It is the way they do business by throwing enough s__t against the wall...and so forth. Enough brain power to work the controls of the truck but not enough to object to authority. At one time company tanker drivers were making serious money ($68,000.00+) at SNBC but when? I was just talking to one who quit for low pay a couple of years ago who now works where I am (don't ask I won't say till I am past the probationary period...then I will tell all good and bad) Cya!

 

Maybe we can get a BS-O-Meter in here that goes from 'puddle o BS' to "get out yer waders BS"

Each person has their own likes and dislikes...what works for one, won't work for others.

I applied with SNI and was accepted within two days. My employment wasn't official until I passed all my testing. But I got from here to CA on SNI's dime.
Put up in a suite style hotel for two weeks on their dime where the only meal I had to pay for was dinner. Sent from CA to CO on their dime. Given a very nice rental car for a week on their dime as well. Got reimbursed for fuel.
Took a tractor / trailer unit over 200 miles total to get my license.

Im making exactly what I was told I would be making and Im home daily, with two days off.

There are no tests that Schneider makes you take, that cost you money. Plus, you get reimbursed for any additional fun stuff on your licenese such as haz mat, doubles...etc.

As far as per diem, they give you a sheet, yes or no. fill that out, give it back in. No BS is involved. They might spin it to fit their needs, but if you know anything about how per diem works, you choose the right option. interesting how saying no, which most people do, screws your miles up though.

 

I am a newbie in the bulk division and am about to go out with a trainer. Hopefully i will have a better experience than you but I am not going to hold my breath. This is the kind of industry that pimps the driver from what I have read on this board. Stay tuned.........