Can you refuse a truck assignment?

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by MSWS, Jul 20, 2022.

  1. Terlingua

    Terlingua Medium Load Member

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    I've had the opportunity to drive all three types of trucks that Schneider uses- Freightliner Cascadia, International LT, and the Kenworth T680, and that's my order of preference for them. I was surprised that I really didn't like the Kenworth at all. Maybe it was just the was it was spec'd. The International is a close second to the Cascadia, mainly due to the configuration of the interior. I'm currently in an International with 420k miles and haven't had any problems with it.
     
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  3. MSWS

    MSWS Light Load Member

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    Normally, I might wonder that too. But not when I go to the shop and virtually every truck waiting for repair is also an International.
     
  4. Speedy356

    Speedy356 Light Load Member

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    Some companies pay you to sit with their piece of ####?
     
  5. MSWS

    MSWS Light Load Member

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    Not much. Definitely not as much as when you drive
     
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  6. SoulScream84

    SoulScream84 Road Train Member

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    Not as much as you earn driving. Starters offer MAYBE $75/day. Offset against 150-200/day, doesn't take much sitting to make it a bad situation. There's reasons so few companies run intertrashanals.
     
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  7. tarmadilo

    tarmadilo Road Train Member

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    My company runs a mix, mostly Kenworth T-680s and International LTs. I have driven a total of about 400k miles in two Internationals, with about three months in a KW in between, and I much prefer the Internationals. In my experience very reliable and comfortable. I was just offered a newer KW about a month ago and turned it down.
     
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  8. rockeee

    rockeee Medium Load Member

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    Actually most companies, large and small, buy in bulk, or try to because they can get deep discounts. I have to ask, how much driving experience do you have, including driving internationals? I have driven most brands including International and if I would have been so demanding on which make of truck I drove I think my quality of life would not be as good as it is.
     
    Last edited: Jul 20, 2022
  9. supergreatguy

    supergreatguy Road Train Member

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    Well, at least you’re sitting?
     
  10. MSWS

    MSWS Light Load Member

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    Solo 4 months in 2 Internationals. CDL training on a Freightliner and OTR training on a Kennworth.

    For the record, I haven't made any demands of a company about the truck I drive, I'm currently waiting for my wife to get her CDL and then we're going to team drive. The reason I started this thread was to gage whether or not drivers regularly turn down certain trucks. I've never done it myself, but I heard of it happening at my last company.

    Before we start at the next company, I want to know what I'm looking for and what's reasonable to expect.
     
  11. Another Canadian driver

    Another Canadian driver Road Train Member

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    If the A/C it's not working, you can't do a windshield defrost. If it'll become foggy, you can't drive the unit.
    Checking for a proper defrost op is part of your pre-trip.
    If it's not working, then the pre-trip is failed.
    You don't drive the truck, except to bring in to your yard shop and to report the issue and give them the truck's key after you parked it in a designated spot.
    Either your trainer, mentor, orientation manager, shop manager or your safety officer have probably mentioned this, in passing.
    Did they? In passing?
     
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