All military service people avoid Schneider

It is actually starts well before then.. at the work force office or any unemployment office.. they have huge posters of a guy and his happy family standing by a shiny truck.. a quote from his adoring wife how proud she is and how they no longer have to worry, about bills or anything..
Then a quote from the husband saying how he had always longed to be a trucker and experience the open road, but with a family never had the money to get his CDL...

Then there is a big info bubble that says " Don't pay thousands of dollars to get your CDL, Ask how to get yours free"

And then, once they bite the hook, and talk to the work force to get a CDL voucher they have to have offers from a carrier and that is where the Megas are there.. to potentially hire them...

If they don't qualify for the work for voucher, they are steered towards the metas that have a CDL school...

But, it doesn't end there either.. since they are looking for a job and have probably signed up on one of the many job sites.. they also get emails and mailers to entice them to get there CDL and live the dream..

 

I don't think it is as easy as just naming them... I didn't get my start at a mega... It took a lot of foot work and rejection but I did get on with a small local trucking company that did OTR. They had several company drivers and a lot of O/Os.. the owner told me if I got one of the O/Os to be willing to take me out and teach me so I could get my CDL and then take me out to train me he would give me a shot..

So, I had to spend a lot of time at the barn/ terminal so I could be there to find one of the O/Os willing to train me..
Fortunately one of the ones who rejected me called one of the others who agreed to.. so I went out on the truck with him and after a few weeks he let me use his truck for the CDL test.. and then we went back out... and after a few months the company issued me my first truck and sent me off to get my first load..

So.. you don't have to do the mega carrier route.. but he eggs are the easiest to get on with if one doesn't want to search and try for better..

 

You missed my point entirely (doesn't surprise me)....and I'm not impressed with you OR your attitude. Lighten up Francis.

 

many small carriers have the owners name on the trucks and trailers
you start putting his or her name all over the internet and photo's of their equipment in these lawsuit prone days.
they will have a problem with you.
my medium sized carrier has a policy against it too.
reducing exposure.
not much people quitting and lots of us are 60 years old

 

I didn't do the apprenticeship program. But I did take advantage of the fact that they'll match every 4 years in military with 1 year bump in pay. So, I started off making more money than anywhere else I looked offered a brand new driver. And I can absolutely vouch for that 55k+ a year. I don't do the per diem program they have either and I'm not done with a year yet (it'll be in middle of this month) and I'm already at over 53k. Two more weeks and it'll be over 55k. My first year. If I'd done that other program, it would have been more. Also, they've paid off $2900 for my cdl school during that time too, so that's a bonus that's not in those numbers.

While possible, I doubt it. They were extremely upfront with me about everything when I was signing up and there wasn't a single thing the recruiters told me that wasn't actually true. As far as mileage estimates, I've had weeks where I've driven 3500+ and weeks where I've driven ~1500. It's kind of the way it is here and OP's experience would be similar if he gave it time. And maybe also gave it time to get off the brand new driver board where they hold your hand and give you way more time than you need to do a load. Because they don't trust you. Yet

You sound like you've never had any experience with a military recruiter. Biggest pile of lies I was ever fed at any job was in that office.

Yep. Or at least I feel like I am. I made more money than expected, I'm home as much as I expected and I haven't hit #### yet but that's more of my own accomplishment.

Have an upvote

Oh and here's where I'm getting off topic now. All volunteer? And they walk around saying how proud they were to serve their everything and how they're so special now.... let's be real

In my time in the military I personally met very very few people that joined up because of patriotic duty. Vast majority joined up because it was a better job than they could find and it was easy. Or they wanted the college money. Or they wanted out of whatever dead end town they were stuck in. And they got the chance.

If I'm being honest, I fall into all those. I wanted out of the town I was in. I wanted a better paying easy job and I wanted the college money. To be very fair I also wanted to have the experience of being in the military in my life, but that want would have gone straight down the drain had I been able to find a well paying job that I liked at home. Not that I was flipping burgers mind you. I was making $16/hr with all the benefits working as a city transit driver. But it sucked, so...

And it was the easiest job I've ever had. Mostly all of military enlisted before the higher ranks is and anyone that tells you otherwise is feeding you a pack of horse poo poo. All you have to do is show up and be willing to do what you're told to do. And you're told how to do and where to do and when to do everything. Sure, there were situations during my time in there that could be considered risky. Some were downright dangerous. Life threatening even. And you know what? In my year of trucking I feel like I've been in way worse danger most days than I've ever felt in the military. If people want to talk about a risky job, this one should qualify you for veteran status too.

To sum it all up, I don't get why people seem to think that they should be spoon fed and treated like royalty just because they went and got a job that had a special set of clothes and more hand holding than elementary school. Doing that does not make you special in my book. Pointing it out just makes you an entitled brat.

 

I don't impress you? How ever will I go on?! Where is my fainting couch??

 

Maybe Im blind, or maybe Im coming from an industry without a lot of vets in my particular section of that industry and I've never seem this royal vet type. But hey, maybe you guys have. That would annoy the #### out of me too.

 

Well.. I can see both sides.. I do feel very grateful and thankful for those who did fight for my freedom.. my heart does go out to the wounded veterans and I do donate to them..

My father was in the military and I grew up a military brat.. my father also did also see and go through combat in his 23 years in the service.. when he retired.. he was put all the away and was never one to bring it up, wear veteran apparel.. he was out and completely out..

My brother was also in the service for 4 years, he never had to see battle or combat in his 4 years... he is veteran all the way.. has the veteran license plate holder, veteran stickers on his car, veteran coffee cup.veteran apparel, from hats to shirts.. makes it easy to shop for gifts for him, just need to buy him something veteran. coffee mug, key chain.. he never misses a free veterans meal on Veterans Day, always asks if there is a veteran discount every where he shops..

When I was youn I wanted to join the military.. my father told me that I should go to college.. at first I thought it was because I am female, as he totally supported my brothers choice to go in..but, he told me it was because of all the things he loves about me.. that I am feisty and independent and don,t just fall in line.. I challenge the status quo and take on authority.. I was more a wolf than my brother who is more a sheep and more suited to the military..

As it turned out, I never got the opportunity as I broke my back in an accident while in high school.. so the military would never accept me.. so I went to college..

Since then... I am always trying to give.. I give to various charities.. like wounded warrior, I volunteer at habitat for humanity.. when the flood warnings start I always go an help fill sandbags... my veteran brother.. no so much.. he doesn't even donate or give to the wounded warriors...

Now I understand my brother is not representative of all those who are proud to be vets.. but, I think there are a lot like him..and it is sad, because there are veterans who I truly do owe my freedom to...

 

many retired military men starting a second career at the mega carrier seemed amused by it all.
they got 2 retirement checks and 4 paychecks each month
no need for a deduction for a crappy health insurance plan
should have re enlisted darn it

 

I work for one of those little 15 truck operations. The guy has been around for almost 30 years, newer equipment, newer trailers, pays extremely well, does what he says. Doesn't advertise when a position does open up because there's usually a stack of apps he can hand pick through. Just gotta keep your eyes open.