SCHNEIDER CHOICE PROGRAM - FREEDOM AWAITS " YOU " by JAR-HEAD

I suggest 20k to start but people can do it with less as long as your disciplined enough to not spend money just because you received a good settlement. Remember it's a business and your an employee of your business so the settlement is the business and your pay comes out of it.

 

thats exactly right .. 90% of owner operator failures come from not understanding the difference between Business and personal expenses .. So many go out and buy a new bass boat and 2 jet skis because the money is there now .. Then the truck breaks .. Their done that's the reality of it ..

Its a business must be treated as such

 

Ok real quick..

When I was signing on to SNI Choice I had 2 choices..as my credit rating was 782 I could do the following:

Lease the truck I have now with $5000 down for 3323.33/month..just the payment no insurance or plates etc.
That would normally be for 3 years with a balloon payment at the end.
Truck was brand new $155k with the Tripak evolution apu..so the price is competitive on a KW T680.
If you lease there isn't really a credit check..but the more favorable your credit rating the shorter terms you can get.
AKA wiggle room.

2nd option was:

2014 Mack Pinnacle with 45k miles..electric apu by mack I believe.
Smartway package(fairings,low rolling resistance tires)
445 hp Super Econodyne package with M-drive
Fridge
Upgraded interior..leather seats.
60 inch sleeper
221 inch wheelbase.
Full Warranties.
Nice truck spec'd the way I wanted it..as I planned on running regional
Truck pulls really well..not like the earlier autos..I test drove one under a load up at Macungie PA where they build them.
Price:$115K..really good price as it was a demo unit.
So I pull the trigger..put my credit app in with Mack.
Next day I'm approved at 7.5% apr(this is fantastic for a 1st time buyer) with $10000 down.
Payment would've been $2920/month for 4 years.

So I had the choice of buying and leasing.

Talked to the folks at ATBS(without telling them I was coming to SNI) and a independent commercial truck accountant.
Long story short I would save more on taxes if I leased.
Plain and simple..as I plan on probably turning the truck in at the end of the lease it works for me.
If I decide to keep hammering and the truck doesn't give me any trouble I'll keep it for another year.

Leasing is the boogeyman of Trucking..yes there's some predatory companies out there.
But with Schneider YOU control where,when and how much you run for..there isn't any dispatcher to throw you into poverty or making you run the NE (GASP!).
Plus Schneider Finance is separate from SNI..if you're in good standing you can leave and take the truck with you.
They will work with you where others wont.
Hell you can order a truck the way you want it and use their purchase power to get a really good deal.
I was going to do just that..but decided to get the KW(happy I did).

I just wanted to share my experience so far..I saved along time to go the owner operator route.
Which is what everyone should do..don't go into with no money in the bank.
So don't let the nay sayers tell you different.

And of course this is all IMO.

 

I read some of the post and drivers the way I'm reading it seem to feel sfi is the devil 👿. But after talking to them sfi I would wrather deal with them then another a leasing firm. Same goes with atbs drivers refuse to use there free 6 month trial. There not a sni outfit anyone can use them and what I'm seeing they really can help a driver stay out of the red. Today's trucks are throw away 5 years there junk. No point in keeping it.

 

I worked for Schneider for 8 great years as company driver, teaming with a 15 yr Schneider vet. Do Not Lease From any company that employs its own company drivers, NEVER! They really want you new students to sign on a lease, making it sound so attractive and they'll be big help in you attaining that dream that will soon become a nightmare. I have yet to meet a lease holder with Schneider who is getting great loads, not struggling to keep the truck. I made quite a bit of money as company driver, all the milage bonuses available because we kept the wheels moving and got great loads. Schneider company team drivers get the best trucks (brand new then 300,00 mile turn-in), and preferential loads over O/O or company lease holders. Schneider does not care if lease holders fail, because they get their money back in so many areas such as maintenance, tires, etc and the return of the truck when you throw your hands up in despair. Drive for the (or a) company, and save some substantial money to put down on a truck to make your payments more reasonable if being your own boss is your dream. There's a lot to learn in this business, and you can learn and earn driving for a company first. You learn good habits that keep your wheels moving, your loads on time, and take better care of your body than the average trucker then and only then will you be able to weed out lease offers that often appear like awesome opportunities. They are awesome opportunities, for the company to get your money and your truck after you are beat down by all the added in costs and few months of piss poor pay. Doggle got it right by learning the road, saving up $10,000 and making his truck work for him instead of the other way around.

 

Many fail because they feel like they need to take breaks at this stop, and eat at a restaurant, stop at the rest stop, get something along the way to drink. Shessshhh we are a time= $ money business, if the wheels aren't rollin, the dough ain't flowin. You waste even a little over an hour a day, thats a full day of driving miles your missing out on per week. And what for? You are away from home, family, loved ones usually for only one reason…….To Make Money! You find ways to keep the truck on the road as many hours as allowed, and not give away 4 days of paying miles a month because you think you deserve to sit on your ### someplace eating or playing a video game.

 

Dang man ... Ok let me give you my insight on what you wrote there and give you a full prospective you may agree or disagree but you made some good points but also some points that don't pertain to this program SNI Choice . Point -1 SNI does not lease to new students Point - 2 if you haven't figured out decent company habits by year 1 or 2 even 3 in a truck then your prob never gonna learn or had a piss poor teacher .. Point 3 - I agree it's a business and your correct the largest failures in the LP or OO game is folks not running it as such , slot machines , casinos , new toys , chrome , new bass boat , etc ... If your not business minded you will absolutely fail . I know a few on this board who are very successful at SNI and I have a close personal friend who has done the CHIOCE PROGRAM just around 5 solid years and on his 2nd truck and making things work very well . Point 4 - SNI is open to the fact CHOICE DRIVERS do not see team freight nor dedicated lanes unless it's a JIT thing or had a company unit fall out . We get irregular route general freight .Point 5 - trading a truck after. 3 years has no baring on if you should be a owner operator or not . My unit is a 2006 and I'd put it up against any 14/15 truck pound for pound in. PULLING or FUEL MILEAGE any day of the week . It's how you drive it not how fast you can run it .. Point 6 - Miles mean nothing in a percentage lease it's about revenue per day not miles per day or week . Point 7 - again I agree it's a BUSINESS that's why I started this thread mostly to teach folks that have issues converting over or buying a new truck etc . I haven't got to that portion of the thread yet but I am soon. .. 90% of failures is due to not being able to grasp the concept of I AM IN BUSINESS rather than THIS IS MY ENTIRE PAYCHECK .. It's a numbers game some never figure out .. Point 8 in percentage you don't look for miles again it's Revenue per day .. Then you break it down even farther to NET PROFIT PER DAY.. Limit your DH keep your foot out of it .. It's very obtainable at SNI . If your in it for a NEW SHINNY TRUCK .. Stick your arm out the window .. BLOW THE AUR HORN and become BILLY BIG RIGGER .. then yes your correct failure is at your door step .. On the other hand if you go into this as a BUSINESS OWNER and do things for mileage and revenue per day .. Then your PROFITS will be what you make of it .. The beauty of CHOICE over a standard LP is you actually have a CHOICE and that choice can lead you to failure if you can't get over the learning curve of being in business . It can also fail you if you are one who just won't do hardly anything and nothing suites you .. It's TRUCKING it's not always perfect .. Good comes with the bad etc .. Like I said the difference on this program is like the thread says THE CHOICE IS YOURS !!! JH

 

Not sure why it jumbled all my last post up but I tried to edit it to space it out by paragraph won't do it .. Sorry JH

 

I have the same problem when I put paragraph's in once I hit post it makes every thing into 1 big paragraph.

 

8 years as a company driver yet absolutely ZERO as an O/O and none with the choice Board. Never met an O/O with SNI who's not struggling to make money and keep his/her truck. Hi my names TennMan I am a O/O with SNI who bought a 2015 thru SFI and I get all the great loads I want from the choice board. I also have no problem Keeping my truck and Have always had positive settlements since the first 1. I do make good money as a O/O driver and my company also makes good money. I run how I want where I want when I want to. It is a business not just a driving job. You're right some driver's fail as O/O as do some as company driver's. If I fail it will be because I FAILED not because SNI wanted me too. They merely give me the tools to fail OR succeed. Thanks for your post and If you continue to read on here you'll meet many more successful driver's so stick around now and enjoy....TennMan