My time with Schneider

"Fartliner" Cascadia...now that's funny!!!

 

The first few months,after settling into the 06"dookie were eventful,to say the least.I didnt quite understand how dedicated accounts ran.Its not really like over the road.Your given certain stops from one trailer,as well as backhauls.Your first stop is free.By that,i mean your not being paid for your first delivery.I never understood that one.I was told it was common practice.Whether it is,or not,i don't agree with it.If im driving,and working,i should be getting paid.Just my opinion,and nobody was changing policies over it,so i had to deal with it.
Backhauls for home depot were where most drivers patience,and sanity were taken.If you had an appointment time set in the qualcom,it was often different from the one the shipper had.The shipper,also usually cared less when,or how you got loaded.You very rarely had any that got you in and out.The ones that did,you loved going to,and the other ones
you knew what to expect before arriving.The problem with this,was you had to enter an available time for the following days work.If your backhaul screwed you real good,you could count on getting a crappy load the next day.Your start time would either be too late to get a good load,or you had a long drive back,and got crappy one stoppers that paid little.
My original dbl took good care of me,and i will always appreciate her for that.If i was allowed to stay north of atlanta,it wasnt too bad,if you went south,then you got to play in traffic,and your not gonna get paid fighting atlanta traffic in and out daily.You could easily lose several hours a day getting in,and out of traffic.Add that to the first stop being free,and low miles,and you quickly get into bologna sandwich pay range.
In the time i was employed there,we went through over one hundred drivers at last count that i had heard of,but i would bet it was higher than that.
It was a known fact that this particular account had the highest turnover rate of all schneiders dedicated accounts.
Most of the guys quit,and a few others i knew of were fired.Some of the guys were pretty rough around the edges,and i sometimes wondered if they had not just been released from one of atlantas fine penal systems.I honestly liked those guys though.They weren't afraid to unload when the office got stupid on them with loads,and backhauls.
You could just sit back and let those guys say what the rest of us wanted to say.I didnt get to learn alot of the guys names,but you kinda would hear through the grape vine if they left under exciting circumstances from the normal.
I was chosen a few months later as one of a handful of drivers to slip seat.I know most slip seating stinks,but this was a salaried deal,and was the best money i made here.It didnt last long,though.
They werent able to run our 11,or 14 out daily.You had to be back in time for the next guy to start his run,so they couldnt be as aggressive with planning.I was told by the few remaining drivers from werner,that it was originally a salaried account when they had it.The guys would gross a thousand dollars a week,and anything over that if available,but not
less.That was how things should have stayed,and you would not have had such a high turnover.
Thats not a concern of upper management,though.Stay,or go, they got plenty of fresh fish getting out of class each week.

I have to apologize again for the story line today.The new job has really drained me the last two days,and my brain is fried!I will give you folks a break down of my miles,and stop pay,and some highlights that made for good/bad memories this weekend when ive got a clearer head,and some rest.
Ya'll stay safe.

 

I just left Schneider too, things started out ok, but they switched to the "new and improved" workflow computer system and miles just went out the window. Too many 200 dollar paychecks and had to go find something else. I tried to give them the benefit of the doubt but after six weeks or nothingness something had to give.

 

Yea, its not easy...

Were you OTR or regional?

 

I always thought the main purpose is to make money.So then why do more compaies then not make drivers sit?Just does'nt make any since.

 

Huh?

 

what do you mean huh,don't you agree?How can companies make money by making drivers sit?

 

Ohh, sorry didn't understand what you said there... Yea that's true.

 

I am hoping Opus will get back on here and continue with this thread. I was curious what else he had to say.

 

Quite the soap opera. "As the pumpkin-colored truck turns"

Sound like Schneider it just your typical meat-grinder mega carrier that uses and abuses you until you throw your hands up in disgust one day and leave. I would have no interest in going through what this guy has.