Schneider National

Schneider National Carriers is a great company to start out with or if getting back into the trucking industry. The training is very througho although they are quite strict with their policies.

My story:

Being an owner of a small plumbing company in Orange County California and have been in real estate and property management for years, I felt it was time for a change in careers - something exciting and different. I made a decision to give commercial driving a try.

After the bad experience I had with another trucking company a couple of years ago I really researched the different companies on line - Swift, CRST, CR England etc and opted to go with Schneider.

I expressed my concerns with the Schneider recruiter and she reassured me that everything is in contract and in writing including the pay scale and if I had any questions to call her immediately.

The second day in class at the beginning of our first break I took the class room instructor aside and asked him about the contract - I read through it and it didn't have the pay scale cpm I had disscussed with the recruiter anywhere on it.

The following day I was called out of class by the instructor to have a pow wow with his boss and the one who handles driver trainees (ex police officer What was his title? ummm?). I asked this individual if I can have in writing the cpm that the Schneider recruiter specifically said I would get so that there are no misunderstandings later.

His response - "We don't put that in writing, the recruiter you talked to must be "New"

I was kind of hesitant, you see I had heard that song before. I considered it momentarily and decided to stay......

Everything was going great! The staff was super and my class mates were nice people. Although it seemed to me we had joined the millitary forces (lots of personel from the millitary!) it was going smoothly

One evening after a long day of practice driving and classroom I decided to stay in my hotel room relaxing and studying. I ordered a gourmet pizza and a nice bottle of Pinot Grigio and took it to my room. My plans were to shower up and study for the rest of the evening and turn in early.

The following day after lunch I was out on the road with my trainer practicing my skills when he gets a call. After he was finished with his call he asked me to head back to the yard to practice backing. Once we were there he told me the head honcho (the ex police officer - what was his title?) wanted to see me.

( A little background on this Head guy - Ex police officer, shot in the line of duty which forced a career change because his wife did not like the stress)

Anyway.....

Walking across the yard I noticed all my classmates were there too. We were sitting around waiting to find out what was going on when one of the training instructors asked for the men and women to be separated into two different rooms. It was just two women - myself and my room mate in one class room and all the fellas in the other room.

My room mate and I are sitting there wondering what the hell is going on when all of a sudden in walks this ex-police guy like a cop on a bust holding in a plastic bag by his finger tips my bottle of Pinot Grigio!

Uh oh! I knew what was coming because I did bend their rules - However, to embarrass me in front of all my classmates as if I was some kind of degenerate to be made an example of?

I mean really, it's not like I was holding wild drunken parties in the hotel and not showing up for class. It was just a small miscalculation on my behalf and I feel that a slap on the hand would have been suffient enough.

Of course I got kicked out of the training program.

Although I found the reaction rather harsh, however I feel it's for the best. I would rather work for a company that doesn't treat me like a child. I am a responsible adult and can make my own decision on whether I can handle a glass of wine or two on my time off.

Bottom line is that if you choose to go with Schneider you have chosen one of the best, but be sure not to infringe on their rules even in the slightest. Schneider is unforgiving and ridged as far as their policies and rules are concerned. It's just as if you had joined the millitary and if I had wanted to join the millitary I would have done so years ago.

No thanks to Schneider.