Can’t Find A Job After Being Terminated From Schneider

Name is Alex, I have about 6 months of cdl experience. I worked for Schneider doing intermodal , everything was great until in December I disconnected the truck trying to do my tug test and got fire. I tried doing my tug test at the pacific union the truck was sliding so I decided to move to a dry spot.as I was doing so the truck disconnected, my explanation wasn’t the best when I was ask what happen and I got fire. I clearly thought I already check my Kp, and saw locking jaw across, but doing so many containers that week got me thinking I already check everything but I didn’t. I have one preventable accident on my dac , my mvr is clean, and the accident wasn’t dot reported. Besides that everything on my record is clean, but I cannot get a job.

Sorry to hear about your predicament. A disconnect is a serious violation and hard to overcome. You may have to change your driving expectations and go to driving a straight truck or find a local company driving dump, waste, propane delivery, etc. This may involve class B driving. If you keep your toe in the water, in time you may get back to where you were before the incident.

The standard advice here is to apply everywhere possible and see if someone will give you an opportunity. Good luck to you.

Alex I think what you have described here is a “high-hook” situation. It happens.

Simply put, only the lower part (flange) of the kingpin was engaged, locked into the fifth wheel jaws, NOT the entire shaft of the kingpin. The best way to ensure this hasn’t occurred, is to determine if there is any gap between the fifth wheel plate and the upper coupler plate of the trailer. There should be zero gap, no daylight. Even a tug test might not catch a high hook situation.

Both, checking the gap (as described) and checking the locking bar is engaged, is required before getting back into the cab to perform the tug test.

I can understand why Schneider terminated you. You actually moved the truck before performing the tug test. It’s a safety issue.

Any newbie reading this, please realize, dropping a trailer once beyond the confines of private property (like a trailer yard or shipper) can produce catastrophic results.

Please everyone… take your time when confirming a positively coupled trailer exists. Make sure!

Alex…sorry this happened to you. Take BKs advice… apply everywhere. Use this link: Apply For Truck Driving Jobs. Be prepared to demonstrate what you learned from this event and how best to prevent it from happening in the future.

Good luck!

It's not a good time to be looking for a driving job - even with a spotless record. The economy is in worse shape than we've been led to believe. What's your nearest city?

This is an interesting discussion. If I’m understanding G Town correctly, there are two types of high hooks. I didn’t know this previously, but now I know.

I think that with time, many drivers lose their fear of a high hook. A high hook where the king pin goes completely over the 5th wheel can be costly in terms of both time and money to get out of.

I have been in several situations where I would have high hooked if I didn’t GOAL before finishing the backing-in process. But I regularly see drivers back up to trailers and slam in without ever doing a GOAL. Very risky.

So driving a straight truck or dump trucks is the only option of finding a cdl job,and does this count as cdl experience.

Once the economy gets better you'll be able to find a gig driving. Maybe have to put a lot of applications out.

Moral of the story is when hooking up the first thing you do before touching the gear or airlines is check the pin. And when dropping the trailer the first thing you do before touching the pin or airlines is lower the landing gear. Any other mistake or misstep in the process is survivable

No that is not your only option. I disagree with Bruce on that. This is no doubt a serious offense. But not a career killer. Just apply, apply, apply. Use the link G-town provided. Unless there is more the story. You will be able to get back in a tractor trailer.

So driving a straight truck or dump trucks is the only option of finding a cdl job,and does this count as cdl experience.

So driving a straight truck or dump trucks is the only option of finding a cdl job,and does this count as cdl experience.

Apply everywhere that you qualify for. Check out applying for unemployment while you're at it, too.