Profile For Jeff1000

Congrats Jeff.

I figured if you gave this a little time it would work itself out. That's why I told you to take chill pill and relax.

Good luck and keep us posted on your adventures.

Thanks DoubleCutter, it’s been hard for me to chill because, despite this teaming power play, I really like the company, the people, and want to drive for them. I know the grass isn’t greener on the other side.

One thing I learned in the Navy is that if you choose to disobey an order you better be damn sure you’re right. If you’re wrong you’ll get reamed, and if you’re right cooler heads will prevail. Cooler heads prevailed here and kudos to Schneider.

Now I’m waiting to hear from my ride to Phoenix. Thanks again.

Called Schneider and manager said he found a truck for me in Phoenix. The only problem is that there’s lots of a driver’s personal stuff in there. He said I might have to drive to French Camp to get the truck cleaned out. He asked me if that was a problem and I just said that the main thing is a truck and removing personal belongings doesn’t seem like a problem to me.

He said he’s going to find me a ride to Phoenix on a truck. I told him I was packed and ready to go.

Just something I’m curious about. In a large company like Schneider who has the power to fire somebody, and how does the process work. I mean if you happened to tick off a DBL or something could he fire you? Wouldn’t a firing have to go through some chain of command or process before it could happen? Thanks.

Ernie, I noticed there’s a lot of college grads in trucking. BTW, thanks for the well wishes.

Here’s an idea I’ve been tossing around. I wonder if I could lease a truck with Schneider right from the beginning? I know you guys aren’t too fond of leasing but Schneider is supposed to have a good leasing program (from all my research). I was thinking about running this by my manager at French Camp just to let him know how serious I am about beginning my solo driving career. Don’t beat me up on this it’s just a thought :-). Thanks.

I talked to my TE (training engineer) about this and he said he thinks that Schneider is trying to transition into mostly team drivers.

Yeah, that's definitely not the case. Although they may be considering putting new drivers together for a short time as a team after training to "augment" the training you could say. Schneider has the shortest training period in the industry that I know of. It wouldn't surprise me if they decided to have new drivers team up for a bit after their time on the road with a mentor.

But that has nothing to do with you because they haven't made that decision. I'm just speculating. So at this point I totally agree with DoubleCutter - just relax and let it work itself out. If you don't get anywhere with it on Monday call someone a little higher up the ladder and see if they can get you rolling. This situation is indeed very common. I've seen it at every large trucking company I've worked for and I've been on both sides of it. I've been issued a truck ahead of others who have been waiting and I've had to wait while others bypassed me. You haven't burned any bridges or made any enemies. Just keep a positive attitude, speak professionally with everyone you deal with and this will get worked out very shortly.

Thanks Brett, I just relayed a theory my TE had regarding teams. He also said that he thought the day cab drivers could take up a lot of the work performed by the solo guys. I don’t know enough about Schneider’s operations to even propose such a thing. I never believed they were phasing out solo drivers.

Of course I will continue to deal with Schneider in a professional courteous manner as always. Just because I may speculate and vent here it doesn’t mean that I’m going to say those things to Schneider. Thanks again.

Ya know Jeff, I think you are starting to get paranoid about all of this. "Someone in the company has it in for me", or " a guy that was pampered all through orientation". If you start all of these accusations with this guy you are dealing with, he is going to think he's dealing with a physco with a persecution complex. This would hurt your case instead of helping it.

And don't tell them about a bad back, that would be a surefire way for them to send you back to their doctor and pry into the reasons why you have a bad back.

I can understand your anxiety about this situation, but you need to take a chill pill and jst wait to see how this plays out. It very well could be a temporary shortage of trucks. Plus it is the holidays, so things don't get done as quickly as usual.

Don't let this naw at you to where it ears you up.

Good luck and keep us posted.

With all due respect I think the “psycho” thing is exaggerated, but perhaps a tinge of paranoia has crept in.

I would never stray from the facts in talking with Schneider, but I did share a couple of possible theories that may or may not be true. I have learned through quite a few years living on earth that anything is possible and to expect the worst and hope for the best, but your point is well taken and I agree.

Anyway, I appreciate your input.

Jeff, I've read this entire thread through twice now and it just seems so bizarre to me that I don't really understand it. I've never heard anything like this before when it comes to Schneider. This is a huge company and there's just no way they are going to all teams. They've got to have solo drivers, it only makes sense from a practical perspective concerning logistics.

I'm sorry this happened to you, but I'm going to say it again, it doesn't make any sense. I certainly don't blame you for not wanting to team, but I can't for the life of me understand why they don't just give you a straight story and either find you a truck or tell you that you need to move on.

Exactly, it doesn’t make sense. That’s what I’ve been saying. The only thing I can think of, as Tracy mentioned, is politics. Or maybe someone I met at the company has it in for me. There is no logical explanation that I can see either. This is why I’m so troubled about this. Hopefully next week will offer some clarity. Thanks.

And one more thought, hoping I’m not beating this to death or wearing out my welcome, but it seems to me that teaming is a very personal decision that a driver has to decide on his own. There are so many factors involved with teaming that it’s not a one size fits all thing that's suited for all drivers, and it certainly isn’t something a company should order a driver to do without a driver’s approval. In my case there is no way my back could survive trying to sleep in a moving truck, but no one asked me if I would consider teaming, or if I was the type who be suited or able to team, just that I WOULD BE TEAMING, even though it went against the agreement I had with with Schneider. It was a direct order, a take it or leave it order.

Aside from a dicey back, my feeling is that the only way that teaming could work out for me would be if I was part of a husband and wife team, and even then my back would preclude it. No one at Schneider asked me if teaming was something I would want to do or could do, just that I would be teaming. Period.

Just to add Tracy, when I called the manager back last week offering to finance my own transportation to another OC to pick up a truck he said to me “don’t worry about this, we’ll get you figured out”. So instead of him saying don’t worry, we’ll find you a truck so you can solo as was our agreement, it was “we’ll get you figured out”. What the hell did that mean, “figured out”? Figured out the door? He mentioned nothing about Schneider honoring their agreement with me or finding me a truck, just that they would “figure me out”.

If this continues for another two weeks I would strongly suggest that you start looking for someone else to work for. I know you like them, but if they are going to lead you on in this manner then this is not the place you need to be. I don't care that they may be thinking of running teams only. You DO NOT advertise for a job and then change the job. That is wrong! I myself, would call them tomorrow and ask if I need to be looking for another job? If they say yes, then at least you are free to go on to the next chapter. You can then apply at another company, explaining why you are leaving Schneider and believe me, another trucking company will understand. The market is too big out there. The industry needs drivers.

DON'T SECOND GUESS YOUR SELF! YOU DID THE TRAINING. YOU DID ALL THAT THEY ASKED. IT IS TIME NOW FOR THEM TO DELIVER, SO YOU CAN TOO!

Good luck. keep us posted.

If you were to make the decision to move to another company, make sure you get it in writing that you were advised to look else where. That way it can't be said you made that decision without talking to the powers that be first. Always cover you backside when dealing with things of this nature. As we used to say in the Navy CYA (Cover Your A$$).

Ernie

Absolutely sir, will do. After putting so much time and energy into Schneider this will be a last resort meaning that they tell me to move on instead of correcting their mistake. Thanks.