Comments By Don R.

I recall reading about how some companies fire the truck driver and leave him stranded where ever he was at? True or not, I wonder if some wrecked the inside of the truck as revenge? Yes, take the high road & be nice I agree

Oh I've had to recover a few really nasty trucks. Trust me, you're far from alone when it comes to that. It's incredible how many drivers quit their company on the spot, abandon the truck out on the road somewhere, and just completely destroy the inside of the truck out of spite toward the company. Happens all the time.

I was hoping truck drivers would someday make the "Classiest Professionals In America" list, but alas, maybe we're not quite there yet.

Good grief.

Thank YOU! I also read about some who got fired for an accident even if not they were not at fault. But if at fault good to know a company could still keep the driver on & give him/her another chance! I can understand taking eyes away from the front for a few seconds might cause a problem like I read about here, hitting the light pole. Reminds me of movies or a TV show in where they actor is talking to the passenger look at the other actor "while driving" Obviously in the show they are looking away longer then normal because they are being towed with a camera on them. Many times i say out loud, keep your eyes on the road dude! I am a happy go lucky type of a guy, good attitude, as some of you have said in blogs/podcast, be positive and have a good attitude! Will do! Be safe everyone!

Thanks Aaron!

I learned from reading on "Indeed" or "Glass door" that people who work at Schneider are given a number instead of use the drivers name and they complain about that versus some smaller companies will be "family friendly" and use the persons name

The "family friendly atmosphere" thing is a common myth you'll hear from people. You need a small company to be treated like family, a large company will treat you like a number and they don't care about you. Totally not true at all. In fact I talk about that in a different podcast:

Episode 9: Are Major Carriers Nothing More Than Starter Companies?

With any company you're going to have people you're less than thrilled with or people who hate their jobs, or whatever. The size of the company doesn't matter in that regard, there is no Utopian company and some people are simply prone to large emotional swings or bad attitudes.

But all companies make money the same way - by keeping those wheels turning. If you're a hard working, reliable professional with a great attitude you'll get to know important people in any size company and I assure you there will be plenty of people who know who you are, many of which you may be unaware of.

In fact, I'll give you an example and you'll love it! A guy who worked for Schneider, of all places, got himself into a huge mess and the company had every right to fire him for what he did. I'm not going to give away any of the story, I'll let you read it from him. He doesn't mention the name of the company in the article but it was Schneider, which is what triggered the memory of it.

I promise anyone who fears that these large carriers don't notice a great attitude or don't care about their drivers are gonna love this story:

How Having A Great Attitude Earned Me A Second Chance

Is trucking worth it??? I think YES even though I am not a trucker yet, I will be entering the field very soon as Schneider is sending me to a 3 day truck refresher school in Minnesota In the first week of May then 18 days of training at Green Bay, WI. at Schneider Co. Starting out at .36 CPM, been reading about some companies will pay .52 CPM if that is true?

Read also that USA trucking raised the CPM rates for their drivers and that Ohio passed a bill to try to get more new truckers trained and hired. A CDL magazine also stated that more drivers are staying with a company longer!

Anyhow, from reading blogs, quotes from this site and other sites be it online magazine articles or what not about life as a OTR driver I am glad that I am single & used to be alone that I feel I can adjust to be gone a lot and not be concerned about "home time" Hoping to drive a lot of miles in a week, then where ever I am at to take the 34 hours reset at the location I am at & sight see it...

Like Brett said he went to games and so on to make good memories and I plan to do the same! The citizens of USA would quickly learn the need for truckers if all trucks stopped for a few days to a week & see how quickly the products are gone from the stores shelves and not be restocked until trucking is re-started!

I learned from reading on "Indeed" or "Glass door" that people who work at Schneider are given a number instead of use the drivers name and they complain about that versus some smaller companies will be "family friendly" and use the persons name. I imagine that Schneider is very big & has a lot of employees that the number system works best for them? I am not concerned if use numbers in place of my name as a future employee.

I was a journey man plumber in Chicago for 15 years before moving to Michigan so my "sweet" ex wife could move to get a job she was offered and at the time the plumbers union in Flint Michigan did not want me to join because the economy was bad and over 100 members were out of work and Michigan had different rules that I could not transfer my Illinois plumbers license to Michigan, so I worked as building maintenance worker a for a while then forced to leave on a "buy out".

Thru a funded job program I went to a six month truck driving school certified by the professional Truck Drivers institute last June of 2016, because of family issues I had to delay applying to truck companies, which is why I have to go to a refresher school before going to training.

The only thing I am concerned about is I have had 3 DOT physicals done so far and each time I had to go to a hearing aid center to use the sound field testing booth because I could not hear the person whisper behind me using my hearing aids, but inside booth I could hear the sounds & pass the sound threshold limit and after the 3 day refresher I will meet the Schneider medical team and odds are be sent to the sound booth again and if fail that then I will not be able to complete the training course, at times I think I should apply for the Federal hearing exemption wavier form? I will wait before crossing that bridge if I need to?

Looking forward to learn about life as a Trucker very soon and will practice safe driving. Be safe everyone & have a great day!

Your welcome and I just looked up the Gypsum express site, here are two in Ohio, 56270 Dillies Bottom Road Shadyside , OH 43947 and 412 S Buffalo St , Vanlue , OH 45890 http://www.gypsumexpress.com/careers/

I wanted to work for Maverick myself but while talking to them & the fact I didn't have three recent years of work history they said sorry. Schneider is taking a chance on me so I am looking forward to this opportunity as I go thru the motions Have a great day also

Thanks Don R.

I live in southern Ohio, but I will check to see what their hiring area is.

Have a GREAT day!

Is there a Gypsum Express near by you? I hear they get home weekends? At least that is what the website claims. Every once a while I see in the employment section, local driver jobs, not sure about needing OTR experience, depends on the job & company. I have none but will soon thru Schneider if it all works out with the refresher school & etc. Good luck

Hi Old School and C.T.,

Thank you both for replying.

I totally agree with you, Old School. I should have asked for more help before I quit, and I should have given more updates as I went along. You are right - it was a mental thing. It wasn't the physical side (although that part WAS hard at times as well). When I first left for orientation, I was gone for about 7 weeks straight. I went through orientation, flatbed training and then glass training. (C.T., I was in the glass division). Then I went out with my trainer for 4 weeks. Next was final eval and I picked up my truck. Then I did finally get to go home for about a week.

When I started driving solo it was all good at first. But as I continued it was getting harder to leave the house after my 3 weeks out. I started dreading having to leave knowing it would be a long three weeks until I made it home again. I could have stayed out for just two weeks, but the home time was not guaranteed then. I would get by the house, but maybe only for a 10 hour break.

What I said before about the work being hard at times is also true. It is not the main reason that I quit, but as I think about it, it did contribute. It IS a lot of work securing and tarping the glass, and it took me a lot of time (5-6 HOURS on my first couple loads.) Everyone said I would get better and faster with time, which was probably true. But I am almost 50 years old and not in great shape, so it was pretty hard for me. Not unbearable, but hard work. I asked my fleet manager if I could switch to the TCD (referigerated) division, and he said I should stick it out in glass for a while and I would get used to it. I did for a while, but I asked him again, and he said it might take a few weeks to make it happen. So by this time I wasn't liking glass, AND I wasn't getting home enough.

So a couple of weeks ago, I was doing a 34 hour reset at a Maverick terminal, and the whole time I was thinking "I could be home right now". So I rented a car and cleaned out my truck and went home. I called my fleet manager and told him and that was that.

I regret making a hasty decision like that, and I am not usually that way. I don't know..it just got to me mentally and I was not happy when I was out. Trucking is a totally different lifestyle - at least OTR was for me. And I DID know this going in to it. I just thought I would get used to it. Yes, I could have waited to get into TCD, and the work would have been easier, but I would have still had to be out 2 -3 weeks at a time. And that, at least for me, is too much time away from my wife and family.

So that is the story of why I quit. I should have asked for more help/advise on here along the way. If I do get another trucking job, I will be sure and not drop off the face of the earth again. Hopefully I can find something with weekly home time. Or maybe trucking just isn't the right thing for me.

Thanks for reading, and have a GREAT day !

Yes it is too bad he didn't reach out for advice and learn other options. Anyways, after some research and reading posts I did try Maverick, but they would not talk to me as I didn't have three years of recent work history and Schneider talked me to and continued the Job App, I passed the Urine/hair follicle drug test and because it has been quite a few months since I graduated from trucking school they are sending me to a truck refresher school for three days, if do good there then on to Green Bay, WI for eighteen days of training then after that I will know more. I have a clean personal driving history & free of no drunk driving or felonies. I have been single for a long time and used to be alone so I feel I can handle being gone a lot over the road.. After getting the one year experience under my belt I will decide if I want to stay with Schneider until I retire for good or look for another company as some I read are offering .52 cpm solo OTR. I like the fact that Schneider is a big company with different modes of trucking, like going to ports, dedicated, OTR and etc. I will admit I am nervous as I have not worked in a while but looking forward to start this new chapter in my life and seeing more of this country soon. Safe trucking everyone!

CDL school at 59, now 60 and started applying to truck job, just waiting on the urine,. follicle drug test before going any farther

http://www.livetrucking.com/ooidas-new-video-proves-why-speed-limiters-in-big-trucks-are-a-horrible-idea/

I think drivers can control own speed, I rather have that then a governor.

I graduated from a PDTI certified school back in June of 2016 and personal reasons had to hold off applying for jobs. Now i can and waiting for the urine/hair drug test results, when it proves negative. Because of the time since I graduated Schneider is sending me to Minnesota to a trucking school for three day refresher then bus to Green Bay Wisconsin for 18 days training and orientation. I will know more about that later. I did try apply other company but because I have not worked in a while they didn't want me, have to show last three years of work history. Glad Schneider took me on. I told the recruiter my concerns as I have had three DOT physicals and each time had to go to a hearing aid center to use the sound field test booth because I could not hear the forced whisper test of the person behind me. he will ask the medical team my concerns. In the past I passed in the booth with my hearing aids, sometimes I think I should apply for a federal hearing exemption wavier? I have been single for many years and not concerned about "home time" and like the idea that Schneider is a big company with many kinds of routes to pick from & learn. Because of the refresher, I will have a 90 day contract to pay for this and while I work for a year OTR to get my experience and learn more about the company & others, decide if I want to stay with them until retire, or? So until I hear about the results of drug test, my start date is April 27th for refresher. From this awesome site, I learned to ignore negative posts on Indeed, Glassdoor & so on. amazing how much bashing there is about some trucking companies. Good luck everyone & thank you!

KaTow's mystery:

G.Town, Errol, et al-- How do we spend, or what do we do, for 34hr reset? Sit in our bunks? Eeeek!

Well, you could get in the bunk, zip up your sleeping bag and hibernate for a day and a half. Fire up your gaming computer. Sit in front and watch all the other drivers try to back in to slots.

Most common, though, is to take it easy, get a car and go somewhere, catch a movie, visit a local friend/ neighbor/ army buddy/ relative, do your taxes, whatever - it's truly your own time.

But when your 34 hours are up, you must be rested and sober, ready to hit the road and drive for up to 11 hours that day.

I was saying in one post that I am not concerned about "Hometime" so I hope to work for a big company that does 48 states so where I am on my 34 hour reset that I can go sight seeing!