THE ADVENTURES CONTINUE - DFO gets a truck and hops on Schneider's IC Choice Program

I know I could have done that but was to lazy lol, it's good to know he has been doing a great job this whole time

 

Thanks, yes Sadwar is correct, I started in November of 2013, so still about 7 months to go. Almost halfway there.

Really really hoping I will be able to get a loan from the bank to pay off what I still owe on the lease, and then be totally free from any kind of a lease agreement. My truck has been nothing but a great truck and as of now I am 100% committed to keeping it. If I have to I could always renew the lease for another year through SFI, but honestly I want away from those big payments and being tied down to the restrictions of any kind of a lease.

At the moment even if I am able to get financing through a bank, I don't have any plans to go elsewhere with my truck, if things stay they way have been, I will be staying with Schneider. I understand there is a lot more money to be made elsewhere besides SNI, but to be totally honest I really like their system of just being able to grab loads off a load board and go where I want to go and that's it. There is no one else involved. There are no brokers to deal with, no brokers to piss off because I keep turning down their loads that they want me to take into the northeast, I just spend an hour or so a day click click click done and I've got some decent loads planned out. While the rates I run aren't $2.50-$3.00 a mile, I am constantly able to find loads to keep me moving and if I have to sit, its usually max for a day per week, and that is rare. This Sunday will be an example of a day I'll have to sit on, because of the holiday. But that's OK. The nice thing about running for someone like SNI is their massive freight base. Drop and hook at lots of customers, a large maintenance network for their trailers if you run into problems, decent terminals in good locations, etc., etc. Everything has its ups and downs.

Bottom line is I'm making it work and I have been making it work for the past 5 and a half months and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. I do however look forward to having a paid-off truck so that I will have time to enjoy some things besides trucking in my life, but hey, looking back and seeing where I started just over a year ago and where I am at now, I can't say I'm doing too bad.

 

Besides, you get to keep us entertained when you have an ol'skool DFO Day

 

DFO I've dealt with brokers and most aremarginal at best. There are some good ones but I'd rather do theSNI way as a 1 truck operation. Are there better arrangements? It depends solely on each individual but i can tell you this at SNI there is a support network atleast.

 

Brokers aren't like dispatchers in the sense, I never called one too see what he had. I already knew what he offered. When I called it was about how much not where we going.

 

Perhaps one of you more knowledgeable gentlemen could help me out. Is there a list somewhere of Eaton transmission model numbers? I am completely lost trying to find one. I am searching truck listings, but for the transmission they only list model numbers (i.e., FRO....xyz4seriesO). Making #### up here I realize, but for the life of me, I wouldn't know 1 from another by the model numbers. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

 

I can tell you the last two numbers followed by a letter are the forward gears

 

Hey diesel quick question. I'm currently a company driver for Pam. Thinking about applying at Schneider for the choice program. Could I do so or will I have to drive company side first?

 

most you find are RTLO or something similar, example RTLO-1X610B (10B signifies a 10 speed) , RTLO-1X713/18 (this is a 13 or an 18 speed) , RTLOC-1X909A (this is a 9 speed)

you can try this document and see if it helps...

http://www.roadranger.com/ecm/group...er/documents/content/rr_rrsl-0001.pdf#page=16

 

As long as you have 1 year of verifiable experience you can come in straight to the choice program.