6/21/16 Is the beginning of my Schneider career!!!

I'm guessing your asking the training? It was great. I learned more there than in the previous 5 months in school. There are some things that are easier that they teach you. Like, skip shifting up and down gears. Basically skipping a gear. Turning was really emphasized. First 2 weeks are easy compared to the third. The last week will really test you. It's a mental cram. All about elog and then all the Qualcomm system for ETA NAT GPS and so on. Route planning too. Be a sponge is all I can suggest. Then your first month out continue to be a sponge. Ask questions if you don't understand. I'm still asking and I think I've been out now going on 8 weeks by myself? Close to that. I'm still learning. This whole thread is dedicated to what to expect when you're here. It's harsh. Maybe mean sometimes. But overall in happy here. I get good miles. I just can't wait to get my pay up to cap by the end of the year. They are certainly making money on me. I just calculated the last 7 days was 2777 miles. It's possible to do well here. Just learn and be good at what you do. And be ready to fight for yourself. Feel free to ask more questions. Would love to help.

 

Day from hell..... I'm seriously beginning to wonder where they get these fools that work here. It's there no qualifications necessary to be a DBL? It is really, seriously, wholeheartedly beginning to wear on me. The absolute ignorant stupidity is just crazy. In all seriousness. It has to be wonderful to be this stupid. Because they are completely oblivious to it. I have pictures to show. I really need some advice to know if it's just me. Maybe I'm the oblivious stupid one? I don't know. Here's my day. Technically started last night. I got to Murphysboro just about 4pm. I hit 2 pilots and a small truck stop they're all full. I go 10 miles out of route further south to get a spot at loves. No problem. I know Nashville area is horrible for parking. Completely expected. Do my live unload first thing this morning then head to Lebanon to pick up relay going 70 miles North in a small town in KY. I run my pretrip and hear an air leak. Bad chamber on the trailer. Wait a couple hours to get it fixed with local mechanic. And off I go. My appt for live unload was for noon. I called as soon as I noticed to let DBL know. They got it rescheduled for 1300. Now this relay was LTL and I'm relaying it after unload in Clarksville TN. I start running the numbers on my next assignment. It's a live load in Nashville at 1630. My 14 ends at 1930. I still have to go the opposite way to relay and pick up an empty. I'd be real close to make it. But my main issue was parking. I call up and let them know that I don't think it can be done. They tell me there is a loves 5 miles down the road. I explain the above and tell them that the app I use said they don't have many spots available. I ask them to reschedule but they tell me to try my best to make it and call with any issues. 20 min later I get a message my assignment had changed not to get an empty there to bobtail and pick one up at another location near the live load. Finally they are done unloading and I'm off. I get to my drop and check on times. Knowing what I already told them it's not going to work. I call. Wait. Forget it. Send message and I'm off.

I get here for my empty pick up and look at my message I got on the way.


Huh? I said after 0600 for my pick up. I call in. Explain the situation. Guy says we need to know your safe pick up time. I said 0600. He said no, not the drop, your pick up. I asked if maybe I'm not understanding you mean live load at blah blah place. He said yes. I said 0600. What are yall not getting? I just can't figure it out. I'm here waiting in line 47 min now to get an empty. Crazy. 1:12 left on clock. 15 miles to go to a parking spot I paid for and reserved. Just killing me man.

 

I didn't think I could make it. And I really wouldn't have been able to. I pulled in here with 20 min left. Every trip through Nashville I sit in crazy traffic. No matter the time. I was being a little girl and scared. My only good excuse. Not that it's really good though lol.

 

Maybe I worded that incorrectly. I called in. No immediate answer. So I sent the text.

Earlier with the trailer, same thing. I was at Lebanon. There's a mechanic there. When I realized it wasn't something I could fix. I went to him. I went through it all before I went to him. I did my brake test. Still leaking. I placed parking brake and released trailer brake. Found the leak was at the chamber. I couldn't tell if it was hose or chamber itself. I went to the mechanic. He was working on something. Had another driver come with me. He was explaining that I should have thrown the trailer brake switch to check first. I told him I did, just I released the trailer knob instead. He said ok you can do it that way too. Went back to find mechanic he was gone. I called DBL. He answered first ring. That never happens. I told him what was up. He said he'd take care of the delivery time. I waited another 20 min couldn't find mechanic. I called SEM. By the time they answered he was back. He finished what he was doing them replaced the chamber. I was ready to go. I called in to let them know I was done and on the road. My DBL didn't answer. Another did. I told her I was up and running and to pass the message. 30 min later I get a message from my DBL asking what was the update. I get to my 2nd live unload and message him back asking basically why no one relays messages. Longer story but my delivery no one was there. I called 3 numbers finally reaching someone. She said when I didn't show they left to go deliver something. So I had to wait. Again.

I go days without calling in there. Then I get days like today where I call in 3 times. Actually, barely any hold times today. Which was nice.

After I sent that last message the empty I went to pick up had a seal on it. I checked a couple other trailers but that was the only listed empty. All had seals. I waited in that line to get in there for nothing. To go to my $13 spot as a bobtail. When I could have parked pretty much anywhere like this. Crazy.