Hired By US Xpress

Got my first job today. After being sent home three weeks ago by Werner I contacted US Xpress and came to Shippensburg, PA for orientation. Today I was assigned a good trainer: Benjamin is an owner/operator with 17 years diving, 7 years as a trainer and trained over 100 people. He trained 3 members of the same family. His rules: keep the truck clean, showers every other day, respect my stuff and I'll respect yours. I don't smoke and neither does he. I couldn't be happier because I know two people who said their Werner trainers stank. (One was a classmate of my from Smith & Solomon in Phila. She said she got off the guy's truck because "I was tired of spraying Lysol.)

I'm learning that communication in this industry isn't always great. I completed the Online W4 and I9 but someone kept assigning it to me, twice. My recruiter told me I'd train on the Quad Graphics regional account, 12-14 days out, 72 hours home. The training coordinator found the nearest trainer but he's OTR. USX training is 175 hours. So I'll be out 3-4 weeks starting tomorrow.

Let the adventure begin.

Why did you get sent home??

A medication I take was on Werner's list of prohibited meds. I take it before going to bed si it didn't affect my driving but it's prohibited.

Why did you get sent home??

Congratulations. Are you going to be hauling rolls of paper on that account?

Today I was assigned a good trainer: Benjamin is an owner/operator with 17 years diving, 7 years as a trainer and trained over 100 people. He trained 3 members of the same family. His rules: keep the truck clean, showers every other day, respect my stuff and I'll respect yours. I don't smoke and neither does he. I couldn't be happier because I know two people who said their Werner trainers stank. (One was a classmate of my from Smith & Solomon in Phila. She said she got off the guy's truck because "I was tired of spraying Lysol.)

I like this Benjamin guy already based on his rules of the road. The trainer I had was much the same and I was very lucky to have been assigned to him. He was a non-stop teacher, so much so that at the end of the day I was so ready to climb up into the bunk and go to sleep. I wish there was a company policy that had a rookie go out with his trainer again for a week at the end of 6 months or a year. Then the trainer could really fine tune the training.

I'm not training on the account my recruiter said I would. This guy is OTR hauling whatever.

Congratulations. Are you going to be hauling rolls of paper on that account?

I'm not training on the account my recruiter said I would. This guy is OTR hauling whatever.

That is not a bad thing, it can actually be beneficial in many ways. Sounds like you have been assigned a great Trainer. Soak up all of the information you can. Congrats and Good luck on your new adventure!

If it's not too personal to ask - which med did Schnieder DQ you for?

I ask - so we can tell potential candidates for that company.

Companies will not disclose their "prohibited meds list" (aside from the ones obviously prohibited by FMCSA regs) for fear of a discrimination lawsuit from an applicant that is denied due to a non-disqualifying health condition (or one that is covered under the ADA). They'll get you all the way up there, and then send you home.

For the most part - any med that says "may cause drowsiness", is going to be disqualifying due to the risk of lingering effects creating an unsafe driver.

Congrats on your hire - best of luck to you.

Rick

Rick I believe he said it was Werner that dq him not Schneider. Congrats on the hire Philip welcome to the world of truck be safe out there

I take the antidepressant Nortriptyline. It can cause drowsiness but I take it before bed with a medication FOR SLEEP. It was Werner, but the way.

If it's not too personal to ask - which med did Schnieder DQ you for?

I ask - so we can tell potential candidates for that company.

Companies will not disclose their "prohibited meds list" (aside from the ones obviously prohibited by FMCSA regs) for fear of a discrimination lawsuit from an applicant that is denied due to a non-disqualifying health condition (or one that is covered under the ADA). They'll get you all the way up there, and then send you home.

For the most part - any med that says "may cause drowsiness", is going to be disqualifying due to the risk of lingering effects creating an unsafe driver.

Congrats on your hire - best of luck to you.

Rick