Terminated By Schneider

Bruce wrote:

Mark B: That is a great evaluation of this situation, and great insight into management mentality.

All of us inexperienced drivers need to make note of what Mark B. is telling us.

1) Companies know all newer drivers will and do make mistakes. 2) They want to help you correct your mistakes and keep you driving. 3) They will bend over backwards if you take ownership of your mistakes. 4) If you are called in because of any issue, have a vocabulary consisting of: "I'm sorry, I messed up and I want to learn how to avoid repeating this mistake." " I've thought about this and here's what I think I did wrong and what I can do to correct it." " I would welcome additional instruction."

Well done Bruce. I wouldn’t change any of what you wrote.

That's pretty much it, Bruce. Drivers are the only ones in the company that actually make the money. Everyone else is an expense. If you can't retain good drivers, you go out of business. We've all known plenty of bad managers, but it is very difficult to recruit good drivers, and there is real incentive to try and retain decent employees in trucking.

The entire O&T department were experienced drivers. We never made a decision to terminate a driver or a CDL trainee lightly because we all knew that for many people getting their CDL is a such life changing event. I saw drivers that had made some really bad decisions on the road get a second (sometimes a third) chance simply because of their humble attitudes in the aftermath. The ones that made excuses and blamed everyone else generally had a history of disrespectful behavior or complaints in their driver diaries, and they didn't last past the time it took to process the paperwork for dismissal.

2 Quick things...

1. Mark B - IDK if that is your truck or a default picture, but I am either really tired this morning or... I have not seen that Volvo model yet? It is a slick redesign. Honestly, one of the biggest aesthetic problems I have with Volvo is that cheap looking, non-symmetrical grill with the diagonal logo. Makes the whole truck look cheap and fragile. That new design almost takes my eyes away long enough to not have it bother me. (Which is great, because I otherwise really like Volvos, esp with Detroits)

2. Until you drive at least 6 months for a company, they lose money on you. Many places its almost a year before a company even breaks even on you. From cost of hire all the way to benefits, the cost of turnover PER DRIVER is $11,000 - $12,000. So if you get fired the company is not only parting ways with you, they are saying "It is worth the loss of over $10,000 to not have this driver work here anymore and replace him with an unknown driver who may or may stick around for a year and cost us another $11,000." This doesn't even include the training companies that have invested even more in a driver. Successful Mega Carriers and even successful smaller companies don't get to be called "successful" by throwing away profits and not taking termination very seriously.

That is the main reason these types of stories just don't make any sense to anyone who has been in the industry for a while, or anyone who has run a business. I mean - just think for a second. The OP here had the gall, the sheer arrogance, to come here and post complete BS to a group of successful career truckers, and industry professionals...about a major carrier that almost everyone is familiar with. He honestly thought he was going to pull the wool over the eyes of all these "Dumb Trucker's" because he is so much better and smarter. lol - he couldn't even manage to do his job, yet his ego still tells him he is better than you. I have watched a lot of Law & Order, NCIS, CSI but I don't think I'm going to join an attorney forum and make up a story about how "Major Law Firm X" just really screwed me even though I'm the most incredible Lawyer after less than 12 months of practicing. But the OP? He basically watched Big Trouble in Little China and figured he knew enough to fool the best and brightest truckers online.

Huh... Swift must have got those same defective computers!

Huh... Swift must have got those same defective computers!

Just read through this entire thread, my interest in Schneider led me to the tread! Gotta say as a prospect driver the sensors do give me anxiety and I’m a 49y/o safe driving dude... Granted Christian sounds like he’s a punk and his a blatant disregard for authority, so there’s that... Man I just wanna go through school, get trained up, go through company orientation, learn their equipment, their way and ride al while making some money... Hope these sensors aren’t an issue, but I guess if they’re not for the vast majority of the industry, I’ll figure them out... Sorry to bring up a dead thread, but for prospects such as myself I feels it’s a good read on many levels!

Huh... Swift must have got those same defective computers!

Just read through this entire thread, my interest in Schneider led me to the tread! Gotta say as a prospect driver the sensors do give me anxiety and I’m a 49y/o safe driving dude... Granted Christian sounds like he’s a punk and his a blatant disregard for authority, so there’s that... Man I just wanna go through school, get trained up, go through company orientation, learn their equipment, their way and ride al while making some money... Hope these sensors aren’t an issue, but I guess if they’re not for the vast majority of the industry, I’ll figure them out... Sorry to bring up a dead thread, but for prospects such as myself I feels it’s a good read on many levels!

Dead Threads are my favorite anyways!

As far as "Collision Detection", "Adaptive Cruise Control", or whatever they want to call it, with the giant spikes in Insurance coverage for trucking companies lately, you're going to see this no matter where you go in the next 1-2 years. Unless you are driving an old truck, these systems are basically standard in 2019 & newer models. And the discount that insurance companies give for them is pretty much all you need to know.

No one really LIKES insurance companies, but at the end of the day, their bean counters aren't giving away money for no reason. They do the math, they crunch the numbers and they have decided that it will make/save them more money to give discounts for companies that use these systems vs companies that don't. And I may be reading between the lines here, but that means all of the data they have gathered says trucks with these features are wrecking less than the trucks without those features.

At the end of the day - getting home to your family in one piece, and still being employed is the reason we go to work, right? Sure, there are lots of financial reasons for these systems, but there are also financial reasons that companies want to keep you alive and uninjured.

So you can be a skeptic, you can be a pragmatist, but at the end of the day, these systems keep you safer, they save your company money, and they are here to stay. And that's just pure "Vulcan Logic". (Shout out to my nerds!)

PS - if you have a problem with your system and you think it isn't working right, they can be calibrated.

Keep in mind that what YOU think 100-200-300 yards looks like in your head might be different in reality...

At the end of the day, we have put over 10 Million miles on our trucks with these systems, and we haven't had a single instance of our trucks "Locking up the brakes for no reason", causing an accident on its own, or slamming on the brakes when nothing is in front of the truck.

It's like anything else in our industry - people hate/distrust change and technology. Power Steering was going to be the end of trucking as we know it. Cruise control was going to be the end of trucking as we know it. Automatic Transmissions were going to be the end of trucking as we know it. eLogs were going to be the end of trucking as we know it.

When at the end of the day, the only "end of trucking as we know it" happened in 1980 with deregulation.

On a more "Micro/personal" level, having a rear-end collision while in a CMV could actually be the end of trucking as YOU know it. That is pretty much the worst type of accident you can have that doesn't involve injuries, fatalities or tow-a-ways. And these systems help prevent that and protect your CDL.

Story: after 6 months of driving dedicated for Schneider, My teammate and I switched to OTR. We received a new Freightliner and shortly thereafter began registering frequent stability control critical events. Previously I had only 1 stability control event in 6 months. I registered approximately 12 in one month of driving in the new truck, during which time my DBL quit and the new DBL issued me a CTE. I registered 5 more thereafter and was just terminated, 3 weeks after the CTE was issued, without recourse. Part of me is relieved to be done with Schneider and their bull**** but my question is is there any appeal I can make to the company? And if not, how will this affect future employment prospects?

I know very well about the sensors, black box, white box, qualcomm , tablet, and all the safety software as it relates to OTR team driving.

There are significant differences when switching trucks. What I was told by several training engineers and my own experiences is as soon as you notice inconsistencies in your matrix reporting, contact your dbl, explain the suspected errors and request sensors in truck be inspected, serviced, and then replaced.

If a critical event occurs that was in noway your fault (be hobest). Immediately find a safe and legal place to pull over and call your dbl, or after hours service. Get your version of events, and supporting documentation on the record verbally. Then email your dbl the facts requesting the mechanics and IT get involved.

After 2nd false critical event or numerous false perform warnings, request a route back to OC and first hand talk to chief shop administrator.

If you are required to be "re-trained", it is time to get your divisional manager involved. Request a TE mentor to monitor your performance logs. Get ALL eyes on you. IT'S YOUR JOB that is at risk. You must take an active role in defending it.

I had several technology issues with first truck, I didn't know any better. As EQUIPMENT was replaced and IT got involved, I learned the errors were not my fault. A simple radar error off a reflector on a Jersey barrier can cause collision warnings.

Also some trucks software are set for solo in team trucks. Other times it's way yo have to understand the performance monitoring software. For example using your foot on accelerator to reach 65 in team truck will result in excessive speed warning. However if you set cruise control after 60. And then thumb up cruise control to 65 you get no sensor errors.

Another example is not letting rpm over rev when accelerating from a stop. Rev sloy, let off, and give time for auto to shift. Sometimes the shifting sensor gets glitchy and you get a over rpm sensor warning for simply holding the pedal at appropriate pressure. (no fault of your I own).

Most common sensor reports I dealt with was following to close, which went off when people dart in front of me. The technology gives you so many seconds to adjust distance. One truck's sensors gave me 60seconds before sending in report. Another truck's sensors reported in 27 seconds like clock work. One truck had no sensor technology that notified me.

In short, it's very frustrating and we the drivers are not only ones ticked. IT, Shop, DBL, management. Every stake holder gets frustrated at these issues.

From my limited understanding, the technology between Qualcomm and tablets is an issue, and multiple systems all supposed to work seamlessly which don't. Add mountains and deserts with no wifi, no cell, and sensors do not report accurately.

I know the company is working very diligently to get issues corrected.

To be fired, that brings in some other questions.

Before firing are cautions and discussions with driver , then retraining several times. Then the driver being terminated can go before a board to have his/her case heard. All facts reviewed .

Schneider puts alot of Money & Training into their drivers. They have an open door policy that allows drivers to complain up the chain of command from their dbl all the way to the top of the ladder CEO Roarke.

What I like about Schneider is I can exercise my STOP work authority and stop the truck at any time I feel conditions are unaafe, and NO fear of being fired.

I might sound like a corporate kiss azz, but I have spent a lifetime in military and civilian sector jobs where people risk their lives and get killed rather than speaking up when safety is an issue.

Schneider is not a perfect company, no company is. However Schneider is serious about Safety and giving the driver a voice in the chain of command. That is why I question any firing of an employee without several members of leadership contacting that employee for his/her version.

Many drivers just say "F" it and walk off to another company. You have to fight for what you want. Be it at Schneider or any other company.

Life's a garden, dig it!.....Joe Dirt

Almost Forgot. When all else fails, call Schneider in Green Bay Wis. Request to talk to human resources . Explain your issues.

Fight for your job! Learn from the experience. Turn a negative into a positive! Good Luck.

1-800-588-6757.