Termination

I was terminated from Schneider 1 month before I made a year for safety violation. Schneider claim I did not secure the container to the chassis. That the front of the container was sitting on the pins. They said I took the container from the rail yard but could not tell me what rail yard. When I asked to see the container, they showed me pictures of the container but never let me see where the container was located. 1) there is no was I took a container from a railway with the container being on the front pin. That is something you can see just walking up to the container. 2) The rail yard would not have cleared inspection for me to leave. 3) They would not send me pictures of the the container. 4) I never received termination paperwork.

No, I do not have a spotless record. I do have providable incidents on my record. But those where in my first few months of working and they were for going to fast around curves, breaking a light with my mallet. The worst one was at the Samsung yard in San Diego and that according to personnel working there, happens on the regular because of the way the yard is made.

Schneider has made it very hard for me to get another truck driving and my unemployment was denied because of them. I want to fight the termination but have no money for a lawyer. Can someone tell me what I should do? Thanks.

A lawyer can't help you with this. You're an at will employee, which means Schneider can fire you for any reason as long as it's not discrimination. They also don't have to provide any of the information you're seeking.

You listed 3 preventables. I don't know what "going to fast around curves" means. That one thing it's self still make it difficult to find a new employer.

I've been to a few rail yards and they never inspect the equipment when I'm leaving. That's my responsibility. I've gotten some equipment that wasn't roadworthy and made them switch out the chassis. I mean everything from broken landing gear to shredded tires.

The front pin is a tough one. You have to make sure they're latched in place and locked with a ziptie. The yards I've been to don't do that for you.

You have to learn from your mistakes and keep putting in applications.

Schneider isn't making hard for you to get another job, your record is. We're in a time where 20,000 experienced drivers were just let go from yellow. The economy is tanking and the country's credit rating was lowered. Owner operators are parking their trucks and taking W2 jobs because they weren't making any money. The competition is steep and there isn't that much work available.

I answered your post in the Ladies Forum. There a couple links for you to read and use.

It's going to be a struggle to get on and use your class A. You might have to set your sights on class B jobs.

Laura