Questions about Schneider's training and pay

If it's a matter of 3 miles, do you have a cousin that lives northbound yall he can rent a shelf from?

Given a choice of the DG or nothing, I would say "thanks for your time, I'll keep looking". Half the time saying this will help the recruiter find some wiggle room to offer other options.

I can usually find something positive to say, but for the Dollar companies I've got nothing nice to say from the Board Room all the way down to the security guard. I would rather clean truck stop bathrooms than do DG store deliveries. The risk of an incident is high, the risk of personal injury is high, and the pay is mediocre at best.

Schneider generally requires 6 months in a role before allowing a change. They may start entertaining the idea after 3 months, but it will take 6 months before the switch happens. Staying incident free as a new driver on a DG account is NOT possible.

 

Follow-up suggestion: If your son can also score a hazmat endorsement -- it will make him a more compelling hire for recruiters.

FACT: Most hazmat loads are actually just normal, everyday items....like: hairspray, nail polish remover, charcoal briquettes, paint, paint thinners, rubbing alcohol, etc.

The vast majority of hazmat loads are NOT: nuclear waste, septic tank pumpoff, explosives, anthrax virus, and the like.

If he can go ahead....test out, and also get a hazmat endorsement on his CDL.....it can open doors of opportunity that otherwise would remain closed. This means A LOT MORE MONEY over the course of his CDL career.

-- L

 

Teams..CRST. Complete training program. Solo...RE West, Online transport, google companies that train with CDL. Schneider is so full of their own crap.

 

The school has nothing whatsoever to do with what endorsements he chooses to get.
Secondly, the automatic restrictions won't hurt much. Almost everyone is running autos.
Apparently, they test out as well.
So, testing day comes along, he passes, they issue a CDL. Yea!
Next day he goes down to the state DMV or whatever you call it and says, "I'd like to take the tests for my endorsements". They say, "fine. Go sit in that room and get crackin".

Finally, I know of no trucking company that takes you anywhere to get your endorsements. You gotta have them coming through the door.
His instructors and terribly misinformed.

 

I can't speak directly for the protocols within the "commonwealth" of Virginia -- but wwwaaaaaaayyyy down yonder here in Georg-ey... ....I got my endorsements after getting my original CDL (i.e., past CDL school)....but before I applied to any first-time carriers (like Schneider).

I used Georgia's Commercial Drivers' Manual to study the material; I gather Virginia has something similar, that can be had/picked up for free at any Dept of Motor Vehicles office there.

The practice tests are available from any of at least several on-line sources; they're a fantastic way to study/prep for these endorsement tests......after digesting the material in the above-mentioned manual.

The ABSOLUTE BEST time to have the endorsements....is when you knock on doors, and/or fill out job applications. Past all that -- I would recommend that he get his endorsements BEFORE he goes to Schneider.

Why?

After he on-boards with his chosen carrier -- I predict that he will then be too busy and/or too tired to study for said endorsements. Thus -- he will also very likely be too busy to take any of the practice tests.

Doing all that study, prep, practice...etc...is faaaaarrrr easier and less stressful BEFORE he does any orientation -- with ANY-BODY.

Later on....he'll be glad he did....$$$$$$$$$$......

-- L

 

As an aside, I wouldn't bother with Hazmat unless he plans to work for a tanker outfit that requires them. I had mine for over 10 years and needed it twice.
Doubles, triples, tanker......sure.
Hazmat is a whole different and involved kettle of fish.