Hair Cut And A Real Job As A Schneider Company Driver.

Three days before leaving for West Memphis Arkansas.I get three E-mails,One travel plans and instruction on how to be reimbursed on fuel,two confirmation and number to a PEO (pre-employment orientation conference call), three on haz-mat requirements. Then I get the congratulation phone call from my ever so helpful recruiter.She says I have passed the hair test and all the background employment numbers check out ,Welcome to Schneider National. Past employers have called me just to catch me up on their world and wonder how I've been ,So i knew they were seriously checking my background. A couple of bumps on my driving record from twenty years ago ,I was glad I had called and made sure of the dates just to clarify everything. The PEO call lasted about 30 mins and was a chance to meet on the phone with Bob from Wisconsin my driver adviser. The instructors at Alliance tractor-trailer center in Fletcher NC had told me to get all my endorsements fresh out of training while I had the momentum and material fresh in my head.I am glad I did, Haz-mat,Tanker,doubles-triples,and also a Twic card.I used the High Road Training Programand had no trouble with the tricky way the questions where asked. Two days till departure. I am packing for my 18 day stay in orientation.I am taking four pair of jeans,five long sleeve shirts,five tee-shirts,work-boots,tennis shoes,shower shoes,seven pair of sox and underwear,shampoo and soap,tooth-brush and shaving gear,two towels,calculator,Rand macnally motor carriers atlas 2014,pillow and lightweight sleeping bag,pens and pencils,clip-board and note-book,small ice chest,and some road tools because I am driving my car 500 miles across Tennessee from Asheville to West Memphis. I have read the good advice in Items To Packbut I am leaving some of the stuff in my car while I am with my trainer.I like to be prepared for anything. I have checked for dead tree limbs that might fall around the house,patch the holes in the driveway,checked for weak spots in the fence,stored the tractor and implements,seeded a few things in the garden although it may be too early,and basically everything else I could think of around the house that might go wrong. So now I can enjoy this fantastic weather this week-end going hiking with my love story.Although I am practicing weights and balance,trip planning, and hours of service on High Road Training Program and reading truckers forumevery morning when i rise. I will try not to think about the big journey ahead of me and just relax in the grandeur of the Blue-ridge spring. Thanks again to ALL the participants @ TT.

When this was written out it had paragraphs in it, I will try to get that right next time.

Bee-RAD,

I hope you enjoy your downtime before heading out on your new adventure, may that chapter and journey be as exciting and fulfilling as you expect!!

Stay safe,

Jim

Best of luck to ya Bee-RAD!

Schneider is a great outfit to get on with. They will give you a great chance to get started out in this new career on the right foot. You've had a great field of flowers here at Trucking Truth to gather a lot of different pollen from, so now you should be able to get out there and make some good honey... eerrr, I mean money!

I have just written a 4999 word report,I sent it but I had been logged off during the writing .please tell me you got that.

My new plan is to rewrite it then copy it then sign back in and paste it .this will take some time so if you have it already please let me know.I will keep checking my mail.thanks.old school your a hoot,lol.

Arrived in West Memphis Ar.I have driven my own car and saved the fuel receipts.8 miles from Graceland just over the bridge.At the Days Inn just 5 miles from the OC (Schneider's operating center).I have had a room to myself this week,some were not so lucky.I think they keep smokers in the same room.Not sure.By having my car here I don't have to meet the 5am shuttle in the lobby.Class starts at 7am,three others have decided to ride with me at 6:30.We get there in plenty of time.The room is nice with a fridge,microwave,TV,and desk.I have no problems getting rest.Respectfully on the way I drove by Graceland and walked the grounds of the Lorrain motel where 46 years ago MLK jr was taken from us.Then a shower and good nights rest.Monday ends Day 1: Starts at 7am in the classroom.There are14 members in my class,very diverse.WE meet each other and our 5 instructors,we also meet driver coordinators,company representatives,and the OC's director.We are all given business cards with each speakers personal contact information and invited to contact them with even the smallest of concerns or questions.The next few hours are filled with physicals .They check our blood pressure then we are ask to preform a few simple test lifting and climbing while they check our heart rate.Then we get started with a safety briefing and lots of paperwork.Read this,sign there.Sign here and initial here,and there.Then we are given a lunch ticket and released for lunch.The cafeteria is the center of the action and a place to wait for instructions.The food is pretty good,a selection of meats and veggies.After lunch we are divided into small gropes of 2 or 3.With one trainer,we take out the trucks.The trainer drives us out into the streets.The first word you notice keeps repeating is safety.Schneider is proud of it's CSA score and intends on maintaining or bettering it with each new driver.Nothing is stressed more.Tuesday ends Day 2: Getting up early is no problem excited to get on with it.Start in the classroom with the"Schneider way"no 2-8 split sleeper-berth,I will be a team driver so this will not affect me much,they said the rules were too easy to make mistakes,but I heard a few groans from the few that did understand.Schneider is big on safety,did I mention that? Then we hit the road.Today's lesson on the "Schneider way"shifting. They call it skip shifting and bump and run. Skip shifting is done on the low gears ,shifting from 2nd to 4th and again from 4th to 6th.With a beat pause between the double clutch.These techniques are designed for safety the driver is concentrating on driving not shifting in turns and lane changes.Bump and runs are skipping gears down shifting at 700 rpms.7th gear@700, clutch ,rev 1300,clutch to 5th,repeat into 3rd,roll into 2nd @ 3 mph.Kinda takes some getting used to but cuts out some shifting.Everyone gets some practice and then those that need it get some backing time on the yard.I could never write it all just know that the long hours are saturated with information.Wednesday ends. Day 3: Starts for me in the simulator. This can be seen on Schneider's you-tube channel,basically this is a large video game the instructor takes the driver through a series of adverse incidences ,climbing and descending a snow cowered grade,all of a sudden you have no brakes!Tires blowing out at high speeds,deer in the roadway.All very challenging.I thought it was fun and would have liked more time on it.The fast training continued after lunch with more road driving this time in the city with traffic and lots of red lights.skip shifting is becoming more natural.I appreciate the complete professional of my trainer.We still have 14 in our class.Thursday ends Day 4: Starts in the classroom preparing for next weeks adventure with our TE(training engineer).We also get our driver number.Yes here at Schneider you are a number,there are advantages to being a tree in a forest.I am not at all insulted at being known by a number,I can just do my job.With our driver numbers we set up our banking with direct deposit,insurance,training school reimbursement,and anything else dealing with finance.Then after lunch We are taken to the very back of the yard.They have set into place a cluster of tractors and trailers.This is the slow maneuver course.The trainer that set it up had won the national truck rodeo several times recently.Each trainee is expected to run the course with the tractor and 53 ft trailer with-out touching anything.I passed on my first run and have no idea what happens to those that touch something.I do know that at the end of the day we still have 14 trainees.Friday ends Day 5:This day starts with yet another reminder that we are Schneider drivers.We will put safety above all else.We are in no hurry.Protect your driving record,protect your CDL licence and that keeps you and the public safe.Now it is time to test your skills.WE are tested on highway and city driving,shifting and decision making.Hidden in the conversation the trainer is asking you questions on safety.We are expected to understand that we are the captain of our own ship. Most of us are finished by noon.after our TE is finished with us we will come back for one week of "soft skills"training.for now till Monday we are done.Time to catch up on laundry and get packed and ready.Saturday ends.Not so fast this is Memphis. Saturday night on Beale St.Here is some great food and music.We had a fine time and we sure needed the break. smiley face!

Bee-Rad, I have some very fond memories of Beale Street. It's a very unique place, and a great way to relax and spend the evening.

Hope everything is going well for you!