Comments By Hockey_Dreamer

I don't know much about Gordon Trucking or H O Wolding but I do know about Schneider since I've been working there since I started driving 3 years go. Is a good company and they treat drivers very well. I believe they do have a Western 11 regional gig there for new drivers too. Since you live in the LA area (or at least that's what your profile say) you might be out of the Fontana terminal and your DBL (Drivers Business Leader) will be out of that terminal too. A DBL is the one you call when issues with load, pay, etc arise. That person do not dispatch you. Schneider is very good, treat the drivers well and respectfully and are really god taking it's drivers back for home time, of course as along as there's freight to connect you back home. Keep in mind that sometimes been at home on time might not be possible for many reasons but at Schneider I can only remember 2 times not been at home on time in 3 years. I'm a Independent Contractor now and I am able to dispatch myself so been home when I want to go is not a worry for me anymore. Talk to drivers from all companies you interested in and do not rely on any other forum about how companies are since they are all full of garbage and disgruntled drivers who 98% of the time left on bad terms because of their own fault and in their minds they did no wrong. All companies have their good and bad things but it all depend on the individual. Which company is best for you? You're the only one who know that answer.

I have it combined. Phone line and the jetpack. I only add about $30 dollars more to my bill. You can go to any verizon store and ask. I don't want to give you any specifics because I don't know what carrier you have or all that info. If you're with verizon you can surely add it to your account and bill them both together and you might even pay less than having it both separate.

I understand its not the same in the sense of pay

I know it was not about the pay. I just wanted to put everything relevant out there. Don't want anybody going through what I went through myself.

I was a SEAL for 8 years, 2002 to 2010. 3 tours in each Iraq and Afghanistan plus all of those places I can't talk about.

I'm sure that after several years of constant separation, a few weeks at a time will be a slam dunk. Like I said, I just wanted to put everything that was relevant to a committed relationship out there.

I use a Verizon jetpack which is a mobile hotspot. It sure work like a champ. Many truck stops have their own wifi connections but you got to pay to use them $4.99 for 24hrs or $1.99 for 1hr. They also have two other options for 1 months and 1 year which are more pricey. About a laptop, any will do.

I have to agree with this only in the military context:

If you had a weak marriage (relationship) the Navy (insert your service here) would break it. If you have a strong one, it only makes it stronger.

After the NAVY my marriage did was difficult and very much bad for its last 2 years. I was gone all the time and very rarely had dinner with the wife (now ex-wife). Being a SEAL was not easy and definitely not easy on her either. And after I left the NAVY it sure was more evident that we just couldn't get used to each other since we never spent time together.

Military and trucking relationships are not the same. It do take a special breed of people to handle it. In the military you will always have a secure and steady paycheck while in trucking sometimes you will not. In the military you have an idea on how much you will get paid while in trucking your paycheck depend heavily in the miles (for those paid by the mile) you drive or the loads (for those paid by percentage) you get. One week it might be a good paycheck and the other it might be a lousy one. That right there (money I mean) is what in my opinion make or destroy a relationship.

No relationship is the same. I am not saying that yours will fail, I just want you to realize the fact when it come to a relationship and trucking. I wish you the best in your relationship and let us know when you pop the question (if you haven't done it already).

Save enough money.

Pre Hire letters are just a formality saying that you meet their basic qualifications but it doesn't mean they will finally hire you. Many things can go wrong. I did not went through a company sponsored training (meaning getting my CDL) so I can't tell you anything about them. But some private schools can offer equal or better training for the same price or even less most of the time. Keep in mind that if you go through a company sponsored cdl training you will have to commit to drive for them for a certain amount of time or you will have to pay back everything to them. Some companies say that if you stay with them long enough the training will end up been free. Like I said I don't know much about them because I went through private schooling.

The CDL itself is another issue. If the company school is out of your home state you will have to transfer it into your state of residence and depending on the state it can be a P.I.T.A.

Either way do your research and make a good informed decision. Wish the best for you.

I remember when I was a rookie driver somebody called my company and told them I was going 80mph in the New Jersey Turnpike. Well here is how it went:

1. Company trucks are governed at 60mph. Even if I had the pedal to the floor the truck would not pass 63mph especially in flat ground like the NJTP is.

2. I was not driving at the time the caller said I was. And there were logs to prove it.

If it was recently, now that I own my truck then there is a difference, I can go at whatever speed I'd like but I really don't go pass 60mph, 63mph is pushing it. Diesel is anything but cheap.

Don't know about ya'll but there are many truckers who are irresponsible enough to be allowed to carry a gun either with them in the truck or in their house, not only for people' safety but their own safety too.

Schneider National have regional positions available for new driver graduates on their tanker division.

Ya know, that's an excellent call. I can't remember the division specifically, but I was talking with someone recently that got on with Schneider out of Eastern PA and was getting home on weekends I believe.

I rarely promote any companies or schools over any others, but I must admit I'm pretty fond of Schneider. I never drove for em, but I definitely would.

I have been with Schneider for 3 years now, 2.5 in their tanker division as a company driver and independent contractor (owner operator) and the past 6 months in their dry van division as a independent contractor in their choice program (self dispatch). I do not have any complaints about the company. Being a great experience so far and not going anywhere.

11 minutes ago Just to give you an example. This week I had a SLOW week. only 2200 miles for the week. Most times I get 2900 to 3100 miles per week and home for a restart every week but anyway....

I worked 51.25 hours this week. I will take home $610 after taxes.That's $11.90 an hour.Trucking does not have overtime.Sounds great huh? I was away from home 120(5 days) hours. Mo.....$610 divided by 120 hours is $5.08 dollars an hour and I did not even get to sleep in my own bed. Not sounding so good now huh? Now that is 51.25 hours that I get paid for. There is 68.75 hours I got paid zip, zero, zilch...nada. That 68.75 hours extra I spent on the road includes but not limited to....long fuel lines....shower lines....traffic lines.....check in and out truck lines at shippers/receivers.

This is not just a cliché.....Truckers really do move America. We are needed and a vital part of what keeps America moving BUT tuckers are some of the most abuse people in america. We are grossly under paid and over worked. We are listed as "Unskilled Labor".....OMG to think McDonald's and Walmart and the like are in the same category. AS IF!!!!! But that is the truth of it in the government's eyes.

And you know what else gets thrown in for free? ALL the attitude people can throw at you and you have to bite your tongue (and that is just from other truckers :P) and take it cause that is what we do. A shipper call us "dumb truck drivers"....we bite our tongue so we can get loaded and down the road.

This is just one slow week in my life on the road. To think I have been doing this since May 5 1998. 15 years of my life. That is 5475 days give or take a few.

I wish I would have had a bad day then I could blame this "attitude" of this post on that but the truth of it is I can not. This is simply the truth of the matter but I digress.

Brett is right though. If your wanting to be home every night or nearly every night go into the trade skills where the money is better BUT.....If you are wanting an adventure unlike any other than trucking maybe for you.

You may ask if I feel this way then why do it day after day and week after week and year after year....The answer is not a simple one but I will try....the new people you meet....The sites you can see where otherwise you would never know existed. The "lifestyle" of trucking. That last one can only be done out on the road. Its an even harder thing to describe...."The trucking Lifestyle". Its a feeling you get when everything goes completely right and completely wrong. :P Its the days and night on the road away from family and loved ones. Its a tear in your eye as you say "Goodbye" to your kids as you watch them fade away in the rear view mirror of your truck. Its the tense and knotted muscles from driving through a zero visibility snow storm through Wyoming in the middle of December. Its the feeling you get after having your first shower in 3 days cause you spent the last 3 days in the middle of no where.

I could go on but I don't think this forum's server has that much hard drive space. lol Basically you need to do a lot of research BEFORE jumping forward. People have read everything on this site and spent months preparing themselves only to realize that what we share on here is only a small part of what they will be experiencing in the next months and years down the road. Read everything you can on this site. I mean everything. And if you think you still want to give trucking a try then by all means give a shout cause we will be more than happy to help you any way we can. Start here Truck Driving Blogs Many useful stories and experiences within those pages

Definitely agree.

I have to say for a owner operator $610 is tough either getting paid by the mile or by percentage like I do. Not to forget those unpaid hours we spend just for the fun of it (note sarcasm in the last statement).

Definitely research is the way to go but experiencing it is better to know if you can handle it. Do lots of research before jumping in it.

I see you live in Allentown, PA?

Schneider National have regional positions available for new driver graduates on their tanker division. Since you live in eastern PA if you choose them you might be out of the Keasbey, NJ office near Kearney, NJ. They also have other divisions like dry van and intermodal (container trailers). I now they recruit new driver graduates for dry van but don't know about the intermodal division. I think they have the tuition reimbursement program (something they did not had when I came in 3 years ago). You can look around their recruiting website and call if interested.

About schooling, my advice is to go with the one you feel will better suit your learning skills and you can afford if you choose to pay it yourself. There are companies that offer training but you will have to commit to them for a fixed amount of time to reimburse them for their expense schooling you.

I'm not recommending a specific school or program for like I said you look and pick the one that better suit your needs.

About your fiancee not liking the idea of you being away for weeks at a time... You're not the first much less be the last. Congrats on your engagement and the best of luck in your search.