Schneider VTL Orientation 2021

Great Job today!!

Thank for the update and keep going dude!! Sounds like you're doing great!

Hey Dean, Congrats on the passing of your test, Wish you the best of luck while out with your TE and beyond. I’ll be leaving Monday the 1 st. for Carlisle and on my own sometime towards the end of the month and Cabelas dedicated.

Recap of Day 7 (1-26-21)

Not the usual start to the day. Snow and a little freezing rain grounded us until 1000. We had class from 0630 to 1000 and spent a few minutes watching safety videos from a company that makes collision mitigation systems. I think the company name was "Meritor." Scary stuff... drivers texting while controlling a semi, sleeping behind the wheel, and a couple that were cut-off in high speed traffic and had to endure a collision.

We got to drive at 1000. The roads were a little slippery but not too bad. More right turn practice and dealing with traffic circles. Afterwards, when we retuned to the "Pumpkin Patch," we learned for to slid the tandems back. (The "Pumpkin Patch" is a Schneider OC. All the orange trailers make the yard look like a pumpkin patch). The training was a little slick but we made it work. After we slid the tandems we learned how much harder it was to back with the tandems all the way to the rear. It made a big difference. Schneider's training division also made sure we know how to safely open the trailer doors and how to climb in and out of the trailer.

Today was the last day with the driving instructors. For the rest of the week we will learn more about the company and how to manage our time and use the navigation system. Friday we have a couple of knowledge tests to take and have our graduation ceremony. It's almost time to get on the road with a training engineer for five days or so to learn more about day-to-day operations.

The next thread I write will be my experiences with the training engineer and how I'm learning the day-to-day of Walmart Dedicated.

Hey Dean, I know your busy so I’ll keep it short. What kind of backing did you do ? I got the hang of it just as I got through school and it’s been 4 months since. I’ll be heading up to Carlisle in five days, I’m excited but seem to be getting a few jitters as the day gets closer. Thanks , stay safe .

Hey Dean, I know your busy so I’ll keep it short. What kind of backing did you do ? I got the hang of it just as I got through school and it’s been 4 months since. I’ll be heading up to Carlisle in five days, I’m excited but seem to be getting a few jitters as the day gets closer. Thanks , stay safe .

Brian,

Schneider will train you and test you on the 45 back. I did not do that well on the 45 back in CDL school. Two practice runs with a Schneider instructor and I'm good as gold. It became easy, even with limited space. Don't worry about having any jitters - the instructors want you to succeed, they won't try to fail you. They are very good at critiquing and teaching. I had the jitters also, but once my confidence rose due to great instruction my nervousness dissipated.

Recap of Day 8 (1-27-21)

Second to last day! No driving or backing practice. Today we went thru what they call "A Day In The Life of a Schneider Driver (DITL). We worked with our tablets receiving load info, trip planning, and all the procedures from notice of a pre-planned load thru the final drop, including picking up loaded trailers and finding empties. As with every company, they want their paperwork and workflows to be complete and as mistake-free as possible. W also had to watch a lengthy corporate safety video with more video clips of accidents.

Only two days left. I'm hoping to get my TE assignment soon so I'll know if jumping in the truck right away or taking a 34 before then. A week and a half from now I should have my own assigned truck and be a "Refrigerated Consumable Commodity Relocation Pro" at the Walmart DC in Sterling, IL.

RCCRP .. LOVE it!

...of course, after a DITL.

CONGRATS, man!

Recap of day 9

One more day! Tomorrow is final exam day. We have a couple of open book tests to take and some computer checks for learning to do. Then we will have our graduation ceremony.

Today we continued practicing trip plans, finishing paperwork, and working with our tablets. Today was short, on duty from 0630 to 1430. One of the instructors even offered to check our quiz answers in our books to make sure we get the right answers in order to study for the tests. Considering Schneider but you aren't an expert test taker? No worries. It's all open book. Like I said before about pre-trip, post-trip, coupling and uncoupling. You don't have to memorize everything. Keep your mind on your work, distractions may cause you to forget a step, such as checking the locking jaws around the kingpin.

I'll spend the rest of the day rereading a few chapters and studying a little. I'll even neaten up my handlebar 'stache to make myself look more presentable. I'll have to dig out the mustache wax, if I brought any.

One more recap for this thread tomorrow. The next thread will cover learning on the job with a Schneider TE.

Later gators!

Thanks for taking the time to write all this up. Thinking on Schneider as one of the companies I will apply with after I finish up school. Thanks again!

Recap of day 10 (1-29-21)

Last day! We had two exams this morning. The first covered HOS (Hours of Service) while the second one covered Schneider's Workflows (usage of the tablet). I missed 1 out of 22 on the first exam. We covered all of the questions in class, except for maybe two. Did anyone fail? Unfortunately yes. I missed 2 out of 35 on the second exam. We weren't able to see what questions we missed. Once the exams are scored that's the end, unless you fail, then you can take each exam two more times. If you fail a third time you are sent home. It's all open book and you can use your notes. There's no reason to fail.

We were issued our own Schneider Samsung tablets which are used for workflows and as an ELD. I can't turn mine on until next week. We had a few more briefings to sit through, including the ergonomics of seat adjustments, hot to ask for and receive physical therapy, and what to expect during the Training Engineer (TE) phase. The TE is the third and final phase of training. We had a small graduation ceremony where all of the driving instructors and staff at the OC gave us all a round of applause and wished us good luck with the next phase.

Speaking of next week... I meet my TE next Tuesday, Feb. 2nd. I will be training at the Walmart DC in Sterling, IL., which is where I'll be working after I pass the TE phase. After five days with the TE, assuming I pass, I'll be issued a trucking and away I go. They let us see the scoring that the TE is going to use daily to make sure we can safely operate the vehicle and complete our tasks.

That just about does it for this thread. I'll start a new thread once I get a call from my TE confirming when and where we will meet. That will be the Schneider Walmart Dedicated TE Phase Experience.

Reply to this thread if you have any questions.

Cheers!