Picking my own freight baby! My journey to & of being on Schneider choice, the Adventure & Numbers!

How often is Schneider changing your guys loads after you have already had your truck assigned? My buddy said its only happened to him once in 6 months... He also said that living in Chicago Area that my best mentality would be to run a regional route... he said out of chicago one day back into chicago the next day...repeat. He also said that i could work the chicago St louis route and be home everyday... thats what he is doing... Thoughts? Cant wait to meet up with him and spend a few hours looking and playing with the board...

 

I just read that thread and it's definitely a wake up call for anybody considering this lease or any other lease.

All the prep work in the world can't prepare a person for the unpredictable job that is trucking. One small mistake or a catastrophic equipment problem can put a big dent in your dreams and even end your career.

I just wish that guy had shared his experience to the end even if he failed. The truth is that most businesses fail, in general, and it's nothing to be ashamed of in the end.

Now trucking is scarier than many businesses because it isn't just revenue you have to worry about, it's winter ice, incompetent four wheelers, DOT regs, crappy shippers and receivers, and general stress of sleep deprivation...and on this choice program you have the added stress of praying to the load board gods every day in hopes of getting and confirming decent paying loads.

That guy did all of this fancy legal footwork and disappeared. We don't know if he failed, but that would be my guess. He probably should have winged it for the first year to see if the revenue was there before getting into incorporating and all of the other prep work he did.

 

Chicago is a good place to be. Can't say you'll get home every night, and frankly if that's what your 'plan' is you'll likely be disappointed. But nevertheless, the Midwest is typically a very strong freight market.

 

based on what I see on the board I don't see how he's home every single night... unless he's on some kind of dedicated run

 

well, it's roughly 250 miles.....everything better run just right to make it work. But, you could leave out Sunday afternoon and kinda stagger your days and maybe do the house every other night. But, irregardless, if your first consideration is how often can I get home, you might have your priorities in the wrong order.

 

That's if the loads are scheduled right... Personally I don't see any reason why I load coming out of the Chicago area going to St Louis and it's a drop should be the next day that's easily attainable the same day but a lot of CS don't look at it that way.... I think it's idiotic the schedule it for the next day being such a short run

 

yep......see that's what the OP doesn't get. If it were merely an exercise in diving 250 miles one way, dropping off a trailer, and driving 250 back, it would be easy peasy. However, the reality is that it only happens in a perfect world, and this is not one of them.

 

He said I could be home everynight... he does not.. he is bouncing around between Chicago, St Louis, Kansas City, Chattanoga, OH, MI, and WI. All respective areas in-between... Of course he doesnt want to get specific with me as to customers and days... but i can understand and appreciate that!

I have no plans of being home regularly until the truck is paid off, even 2 days a month would be okay with me to do PMs on the truck, work on the house etc... Luxury of not having kids just yet... I can be more selective about being home after the title is in my hand... gotta make sure the business doesn't fail.

He did say there is a bunch of freight all the time being bounced between St. Louis and Chicago tho and thats a full days work down and back if you can catch the delivery pickup times just right... which he said its not too hard, just that there is other better money out there.

Do appreciate the input guys! You guys legitimately have me second guessing the whole thing... cause to even start i was already thinking Flatbed at Melton or Maverick... but the choiceboard has me intrigued... Now i know youll all say to go over there... but there is something rewarding about owning your own truck and picking your own freight off a load board like Schneiders...

 

here's what works for me.......10-12 days out, 2-4 days at the house. The full week you're out, make as much money as you can, the second week, start heading back home.

 

Does Schneider have a terminal in Rockford... OR north of Chicago... Is that one off 94 just into wisconsin... think its Pleasant Praire WI still Schneider?