Profile For Frank D. (Exit #4)

One other thing; it's not indentured servitude, it's an apprenticeship. Schneider has a lot of driving opportunities. You never know you might be able to land a home daily gig after you put some otr time in. They have day cab work out of there.

Butch, why would you want to Jet Set? You live in Atlanta where Schneider has an OC. You would be doing the same thing without the hassle of flying plus you wouldn't have to slip seat. You would have an assigned truck that you could set up with all your gear and you'll use Atlanta as your park location for home time.

Schneider's Jet Set Fleet is for drivers that don't live in Schneider's hiring areas like Florida, Alaska, Maine, and remote areas outside their shipping lanes. Roehl had a similar program, but I don't think they're doing it anymore. Schneider has otr dry van, bulk/tank, intermodal, and WalMart dedicated for Jet Set Fleet.

Once you get your truck situated, you'll go pick up and deliver freight just like any other driver. Sometimes you'll bobtail and other times the truck will have a trailer. You won't be doing any accounts with the word Dollar in it. Only drivers in dedicated fleets do that. Don't complain about the 50 mile loads on weekends. They have sliding scale short haul pay and remember the dbls have loads that need to be moved, so just do it and just might get a long run. Here's an example: One weekend at the Charlotte OC, I moved trailers to and from Amazon. When that was done I took a load from Charlotte to Attleboro Mass., then went to Auburn Me. down to Knoxville, Tn.

Some companies have in house recovery drivers. Some companies send their new hires to recover trucks and some companies send drivers out to do recoveries when their truck is in the shop for a long time. Trans Am does this. With Schneider's Jet Set fleet, it'll be hit or miss whether you get your truck at an OC or at some location like a truck stop, garage, or residence. It was 50/50 for me. Depending on the size of a company's fleet and turnover, it could be a full time job.

I did jet set otr dry van, so I'll give some insight about what to expect. Basically it's recovery, although you might get lucky and get your truck at an OC. When you get to your truck, call your dbl and let them know you arrived. They want you to rest before you're available for dispatch. As far as flight delays, communicate with them and keep them posted. You will not have to get running as soon as you get to your truck. Pre-trip to the nth degree. Check stickers, insurance, registration, etc. Also, permit books. Every truck I drove had a wacked permit book some so bad, safety threw them in the trash. Clorox wipes, Windex, paper towels and air fresheners are a must. I was lucky that the trucks I recovered were in decent shape, and didn't need much to be legal. Couple of light bulbs, valve caps, and a mud flap. Keep all your receipts for baggage fees, cab fare, and anything you needed for the truck. You'll be limited to what you can carry on an airplane, so no coolers, coffee pots, etc. I found it better to stay out a month then come home for five days. Take pictures of any damage and send them to your dbl so you won't be held responsible. I'll start with the cons: flying it got old lugging my stuff from airport to cab to truck and vice versa. Slip seating could be a con, but I knew what the deal was and accepted it. Pros: You don't have to worry about where to park for home time. You'll be routed to the nearest OC to your fly location. In my case it was Atlanta then I flew to West Palm Beach Airport. Delta or Southwest. This is my take on Jet set, and hopefully this helps. Schneider is a good company to get your start in trucking. I no longer do it because my wife has some health issues that require me to be home. Good luck to you.

I have an interview scheduled next week for a Combo Local/Regional position at Estes Express Lines. Keeping my fingers crossed. I left Schneider a little while ago after driving in their Jet Set otr van division. I applied four days ago, and I was called yesterday, filled out two electronic forms, and received a call this morning asking if I was still interested in the job (YES) then was scheduled for the interview with the TM next week. If hired, I will post my experiences to share with everyone.

I'm still here. I lurk more than I post because most of my questions/concerns have been answered by the fine members and moderators on this site. I was driving for Schneider on their Jet Set otr van fleet, but quit because the flying and truck recovery was getting old. Despite this, I would recommend Schneider to anyone wanting to start their career in trucking. I have an interview scheduled next week for Estes Express Lines. Pending the outcome of this interview, I'll be posting in the Local thread. It's for a Combo Local/Regional position.

G-Town, I have shopped at all those stores that you've mentioned.

FWIW I asked if this position included any account with the word "dollar" in it, because that's a young man's job and I can't be doing that. I was told that I would be otr. That remains to be seen. They also have Walmart dedicated that sounds good. The reviews are favorable.