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

Yeah right.....


Yeah finally fixed pay. Actually they technically fixed it to the normal (non per diem) rate months ago. It was just 2 months they were charging me .02cpm and I wanted that reimbursed. It totalled I think 285 dollars and they paid me a bonus of $300 a couple weeks ago. I actually talked face to face with the lady I was emailing ummm some 20 times. I asked her if she was "her name" she said yes and I said I believe we've shared an email or 2. She laughed a bit. I also asked her again for her favorite charity to which she offered that I donate it myself. I'm actually thinking of starting a foundation. I read an article recently that when a child is taken into custody by the state that they are given a garbage bag to pack their things into. I lost it. I just thought about what kind of message that sends to a child. "You're garbage so put your stuff in here". Not much I can do but if I can attempt to change something that small as in making sure any of these kids gets a duffle bag or even a suit case it should make a small difference. But I'm not sure how to go about it or anything. Kind of recent thing that popped up to me.

 

Fellows, I have an opportunity to join Schneider very soon. Recent CDL grad...blah, blah, blah. I have contacted many companies conducting "research". I thought I was being thorough by examining available options. I don't think it helped me at all, at least mentally. The results are in...

Zero experience equals few to no other options besides joining a "mega" or some other worst training company! There are several companies in the Atlanta area with great pay, benefits, and home time. However, they are usually strict on the experience. I'm not in any way saying I'm above any carrier offering a driver job to a newbie. I just wanted to make an informed decision about my future endeavors.

I've been on TTR for two months and don't think my decision is any easier. The information is great but specific to the individual. Oh well, time to swallow the pride and kick it into gear!

 

SNI is decent enough to get some miles behind you. it was a good place to start for me.

 

Schneider was a great place to start. You will do fine many drivers have started their career there. Many retire there as well.

 

For all my complaining you may have read on here in still glad this is the choice I made. Just from what I hear beginner training is one of the best. This is all I know. I will say that I was impressed and still am. Some stuff is goofy. But, you can get miles, experience and decent starting pay. The faster you learn the better the pay will be. Just be willing to learn and you will do fine here!!! To me, safety is key. The longer you are alive the more big screen TVs you can buy!!!

 

Don't hit anything, collect your sign-on bonus and move on to greener pastures. You could do worse at CRST or Swift.

If you don't mind doing physical labor, food service outfits (Sysco, Sygma), beer distributors/Coca Cola/Pepsi, etc will train you out of CDL school. But you have to unload the truck.

Also consult Chinatown on these forums if you have not already

 

I made 6 months with Schneider Bulk & im loving it!

 

I guess that safety training works. I had to head up to be near Toledo OH for delivery on Mon 0700. I was planning on leaving late Sat afternoon as I had 700 miles left. A storm was rolling through and it looked to me that I would for sure hit it if I left early and had a chance to miss it is I waited to leave on Sunday. Plus I'd get a couple more hours with the family. I left 0500 Sunday morning and didn't hit much of anything till Sunday evening. I was trying to make 600 miles to my fuel stop but the roads felt they were getting bad so I stopped. Leaving 150 miles for the next day. Woke up at 0230 for the first time realizing that my ETA was EST. I was so concerned with the weather I completely forgot the time change. So I had 150 miles to go on possibly slick roads with no room to spare. Roads were treated so they were pretty good. My only 2 slow downs were getting behind one salt truck that was going 30mph and another that broke down in the middle of the road. With both obstacles I still made it at 0710. Not late. Unloaded by 0830 and a preassignment I've never been so happy to see. TX. This will only be my 2nd time to TX driving. I go to the local ice skating rink to pick up my load. Another heavy one with 43k loaded. The landing gear is cranked too low to pull underneath with me being on top of 4 inches of ice. Couldn't crank up because of the heavy load and it was too close to the trailer next to it to pull the handle to put it in a lower gear. Messed around with it for a couple min and decided to hunt down the yard dog. He gets me situated and I'm off. One of the remarks in the workflow was not to fill up past half a tank of fuel. Which my fuel stop was 70 miles before and I didn't get this assignment till after. Great planning Schneider!!! Good thing I blew by it to make it on time. I had 2 routes I could take and the weather looked good. So I chose to take 75 to 70 to go through Indy to Effingham IL. Rather than go through Louisville KY which is usually traffic any time of day for me. I got stopped just west of Terra Haute in IL only to wake up to ice and rain. I got done with my pretrip and a guy pulls in next to me. He said he just came from that way and it was black ice and an accident involving a tractor. I looked again at the radar and decided that this was just the best chance I had to get through it. I'll just take it slow. I went through and just after hitting 57 the roads and skies were clear. I still took it cautious another hour drive or so till it lit up pretty good and the sun came out then I hit the hammer down and got back home. Why am I back home? This was my scheduled TAH. Last week they routed me in for training. And I had a Dr appt. My Dr wasn't in office last Friday to see me so I had to keep my appt. I could have just bumped it but I've developed what my wife thinks is Psoriasis. It's been there for 6 months but just recently hit my man parts. Then I had an ingrown toenail which I did surgery on myself in my truck and have been treating but it's still sore on my toe not where the nail was. It's bruised and stuff too. I feel like I'm falling apart.

 

Stuck in the Costco parking lot in El Paso TX. I had planned on driving 430 miles here then drop and hook to an empty go a couple miles to my next assignment drop and hook to my load headed to Denver ready to roll in the morning. I waited 30 minutes for someone to finally come to the door here. They didn't have an empty and said they would get back to me about when they would have one. I looked to see if my next assignment required an empty and saw that they changed the order to not be ready till tomorrow at 1300 MST. WTF? 23 hours of down time? Then they have a 24hr appt window for it to be there 644 miles away. Not that it's impossible but it leaves no room for traffic, weather or Christmas shopping. I text my DBL. No answer. So I call in. They can't get an answer about any of it tonight they say. But hey, there's an IMAX theater 500 ft from me lol. I walk around to see I'm in the parking lot of a mall. I'll be here till at the very earliest 7am. I'm going to unwind. Dave and Busters for dinner. I go in and see that there are storm troopers and Sith lords all over the place. I forgot it's the opening of the newest Star Wars movie. In walks Vader...... Excuse me Mr Vader, can I get a pic?



I'm taller than Darth Vader. I sent the pics to my wife and kids. They're jealous. I've joined the dark side. Schneider beware!!! No movie that would have been great to see on IMAX that I wasn't willing to watch without the family so I'm in the bunk. $300 later. And a selfie with Vader later. And I get to sleep in another day in a row. I could get used to this!

 

That's great. When Schneider gives you lemons, make friends with Star Wars fans. ...or something like that. Glad you made the best of another screw up though and opened that door to have some fun.