Profile For ChefsJK

You could always use your daughters address in Ohio for that purpose and it would give you a reason to head up that way and there is always freight leaving that state, lol.

Yeah welk that Loves you are at is super tight all around the fuel island. Some spots should only be for bobtails and it is always jam packed in there regardless the time of day, I only work a mile from there and fill up there twice a week.

Should have said hello, lol.

I bet you went to the Graingers in Bordentown for you empty huh, lol.

Yep. 😆

I bet you went to the Graingers in Bordentown for you empty huh, lol.

I will have to chime in here about UPS Parcel salaries because i do talk to a bunch and am friends with a few drivers here in NJ. Yes their top salary is $35/hour here but that differs around the country since each area has different contracts, etc. Starting salary of a 1st year UPS driver is $18/hour, during peak season usually September through January/February every driver makes top rate regardless of new hire, casual driver (hired just for peak season) or regular driver. And their hours per week they can work max goes from 60 hours a week to 70 hours per week during leak season. For hired drivers they get double time pay if they work on Sundays and have one or two triple time days they can use whenever and i think a couple of holidays are also triple time days. So yes it is very possible to make 100k with UPS in a year, they pay your pension and benefits, you just need to take care of your union dues. And they do run teams as well doing cross country stuff running from hub to hub and they also make a very good salary, u dont know many of the details about that side kf it. But like I said what I said above is based on NJ and their contract setup, they pay and everything else will vary from state to state depending in their contracts

Your only out with your TE for one week, 5 or 6 days even unless they have changed it from last year. If you can't handle that for that short a period of time you may want to look in the mirror. My TE was trainer of the year the year before i was placed on his truck, he was in the passenger seat the entire time I was driving and even understood and was happy that I pulled over to walk around when i was getting tired or not feeling like i was able to focus as much. Of course their are bad trainers out there, but there are also good ones out there. And as far as I remember they never offer the training position to someone with 6 months experience, hell you can't even have a passenger with you until you complete 6 months.

Hi guys. It’s getting close. I’m leaving for Atlanta to meet up with my trainers truck. Schneider is getting me a rental car at the Harrisburg airport, and I’ll be meeting up at our Atlanta OC. I’m hoping he’s a good trainer who helps me. I’ve heard some horror stories.if not, I’m calling our training department and asking for a new one. I don’t get a lot of time with him, so it needs to be productive! When I get back to Carlisle, I’m doing the hard skills test. I already passed my soft skills tests. I did very well. Just short of 100% on both the Qualcomm and the trip planning/log book tests.

It worked for me as well even though I am no longer with them. They certainly test your problem solving skills and how adaptive you are to every situation you come across, which to me I enjoy. I woukd rather learn from my mistakes then having someone tell me before i make a mess of things. And i mean that directed towards non life threatening situations or any situation that could put you in harms way.

One thing missed here is that Schneider spends the first week of orientation having new hires driving locally with trainers and backing mornings and afternoons. Then, in the third week, same thing to be sure they can test out.

To be sure, Schneider’s system isn’t for everyone. But it worked for me and many thousands of others.

Yeah I should have realized you knew that, lol, sorry. I was actually talking to another driver about this last week. I believe a lot of when we do is common sense to a point. I like to think I have enough sense to make a judgement call about a certain route, current conditions and knowing when to ask for help if need be. Yes it worked out well for me but there are also plenty of drivers that have driven their 30,000 miles or whatever amount of hours they needed to to be off the trainers truck and still just aren't getting it so to speak. I'm sure everyone else sees it all the time and wonders how they achieved their CDL, not saying that is always the case but I also look at it, that these people are also on the same roads as us and to be honest that kinda makes me nervous sometimes. But that is just my opinion rhink of it what you will, lol. But ai can tell you this, i didn't feel comfortable at all or thought I was rrady to head out on my own after 1200 miles.

One week of training. Yup, that'll effectively prepare you for solo driving. Not even close. Don't get me wrong, Schneider is a great company, but one week of road training woefully prepares a driver for this job. Most companies well equipped to train entry level drivers, road train anywhere from 1-3 months.

But that is what Schneider does, i went to their orientation, first 5 days paperwork, DOT physical, their physical test, some road driving, a final road test on Thursday or Friday to see if you are good to go with your trainer the following week. Week 2, you go with your trainer some dedicated, regional account are possibilities, i was on a Lowes Dedicated accout and drove 1252 miles that week and was back at the hotel on Friday afternoon of the second week. The 3rd weeks was log books, trip planning, some simulator stuff and then your final road test to get you your own truck. The end of the 3rd week, I was headed home on Saturday with my first load 43,000 lbs and on my own.

I know that's what they do. Exactly my point. Glad it worked out for you though.

Like I said, IMO 1 week of supervised driving is not enough. Others may think otherwise and that's totally fine. That's why it's important to fully understand the bigger picture, upside and also downside.

Sink or swim...

One week of training. Yup, that'll effectively prepare you for solo driving. Not even close. Don't get me wrong, Schneider is a great company, but one week of road training woefully prepares a driver for this job. Most companies well equipped to train entry level drivers, road train anywhere from 1-3 months.

But that is what Schneider does, i went to their orientation, first 5 days paperwork, DOT physical, their physical test, some road driving, a final road test on Thursday or Friday to see if you are good to go with your trainer the following week. Week 2, you go with your trainer some dedicated, regional account are possibilities, i was on a Lowes Dedicated accout and drove 1252 miles that week and was back at the hotel on Friday afternoon of the second week. The 3rd weeks was log books, trip planning, some simulator stuff and then your final road test to get you your own truck. The end of the 3rd week, I was headed home on Saturday with my first load 43,000 lbs and on my own.

Download Trucker Path on your phone and or tablet, any information you can every want can be found on there. That and they also make a little guide book as well, dont recalk the name of that, but I am sure most truck stops carry it near where the atlases and maps are kept.

Get ready to deal with some cranky chefs, lol. Every US Foods driver i dealt with in my 20 years in the kitchen has always been a good experience. They are going to be a bit rough around the edges thougg, just a fore warning, lol

I find a big issue with him fiddling with the phone if he is driving like you stated, there is no way in hell you should be having to tell him to stop the truck once, let alone 3 times.

I agree with you as well on your points, maybe it is different in different states, i don't know, lol, my friend just got hired on by Old Dominion on Friday after being with Schnieder for a year, and down by me in New Jersey, Estes will put you right in a truck if you are hired, UPS has been doing a huge hiring phase the past month for their shuttles, CDL A. It probably just depends where you live and the demands of the company where you are. But sometimes you have to start off at the bottom and take that hit, to progress and be successful at a company. But how ever you go about it Good Luck with the search!!!

ChefsJK cooks up an answer:

Look for those day cabs you see running around close to where you are, probably Estes, XPO, NFI, ABF, Old Dominion, Saia just to name a few who run local here where I am. Even give UPS a go as well, not sure if they are unionized down where you are, but every driver I talk to around 15 or so a day, are happy with what they have and are doing. And see if there are any local Hubs for any companies around you as well. But that is just how I would go about it, I'm sure there are better, more efficient ways to find something.

This is true. But most LTL companies (those are the companies listed here) prefer to get their drivers from their dock. In other words, to drive for them, expect to be driving a forklift for several months or years before you get to hit the road in a semi.

Look for those day cabs you see running around close to where you are, probably Estes, XPO, NFI, ABF, Old Dominion, Saia just to name a few who run local here where I am. Even give UPS a go as well, not sure if they are unionized down where you are, but every driver I talk to around 15 or so a day, are happy with what they have and are doing. And see if there are any local Hubs for any companies around you as well. But that is just how I would go about it, I'm sure there are better, more efficient ways to find something.

Schneider provides Rand Mcnally Atlases on the 3rd week of orientation, I still have mine.

I just do not understand why you are overlooking the Atlas as a tool

Unholychaos, do you not have a Rand McNally Trucker's Road Atlas?

The other day you asked us about a route through Buffalo and I told you to call the customer to find out the best truck route to their facility. You wound up asking your dispatcher instead, which makes no sense.

Now this?

Come on, man. You really need to get it together with your route planning. Thus far it's only been an inconvenience but if you keep it up you're going to get yourself into quite a bit of trouble over time.

The yard hostling company i work for does shuttle runs as well to Staten Island and Lancaster, PA

Have a question for you G-Town, were you running down Rt.72 last Saturday in the afternoon by any chance?

6-String wrote:

Cool brother! Great pic!

I saw a Wal-Mart trailer pulled off by the A&W convenience store / gas station on US 30 in Bedford this evening - only to see a Schneider truck pulling it. Was I mistaken or do you get out to that Bedford Wal-Mart as part of your route? Where are you usually running? I'm always on the hunt for Old School on the turnpike or 81. My head snaps every time I see a grey SAPA Volvo pulling a flatbed.

Hey, you'd look good in a green polo shirt!

Rarely west of York/Harrisburg/Williamsport. Anything east of those three locations is where I spend the majority of my time. My jaunts on WB76 exit at either West Shore, East Shore or RT72. I've been to the Bedford DC area only a couple of times during blitz week (the week before Thanksgiving).

I always check my tandem release too, never too cautious, lol.

Anytime I am away from the truck, I do a visual on the pin (with a good flashlight) once I return. Every Time! I saw a YouTube video where a dirtbag "king-pinned" a guy that he was upset with. Driver went into the truck stop, dirtbag snuck over to truck and pulled the release handle. Result was just like the above photos. Ever since seeing that, I always check.

That wasn't me with the springs, but I see a lot in the yard I work at. Multiple driver have almost dropper their trailers, but luckily have caught them on their frames. A driver the other night drove over a curb, I guess to get some more space to back up to the spot and sank his truck in mud. All sorts of things happen, lol.

The Emergency line and electrical line were still hooked up when he dropped it. This was taken shortly after he unhooked them and started trying to raise up the trailer. He didn't know there was a high and low gear for that, but after about 30 minutes he got it up high enough to get back under it.