Ok drivers, i'm asking for some serious help here. I'm currently with Schneider making .27 / mile with an average of about 1,000m. / wk. Right now my checks range only around $300.00/ wk. Not nearly enuf to survive on. AND they want me to ne out for up to 14 days at a time with only 2 days home.
Now i understand this is the norm for many carriers, but i'm a newlywed with a new home and two children. They simply need me to be home more often.
I've been surfing the web when i'm home looking at other companies, including J.B. Hunt. I was on the phone with one of their recruiters for an hour yesterday comparing mileage pay, time at home and benefits.
He told me that he has a dedicated route with a 600m radius which pays .47 / mile. Sound pretty good, so i did ask him if there are weeks where it's slow and i'll only bring home a few hundred? He tells me that on this account, the least i would bring home would be 900. It also requires hazmat.
My wife asked me later why they pay so much more than schneider. Honestly, i haven't been in the industry long enuf to know why one company pays more than the other. I somehow doubt schneider can match or beat the mileage or time at home. I learned of one dedicated opening that only pays .33 / mile with only 2 days home with a weekly gaunantee of 700/ week.
I'm going to be calling my team leader at schneider today to see if there are anyother dedicated openings that can compare. I don't want to leave schneider, i do like the company, but i do need to provide what's best for the family. Only bad part is, if i leave them, i will have to repay $3,500 for the training school they put me thru.
Sorry this is so long winded, but i'm trying to do the best research i can to make the best decision. Do any of you drive for J.B. or know anyone that does who can tell me anything about them? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
I've never driven for JB Hunt, and can't say that they are doing this, but keep in mind that many companies are going to tell you just about anything to get you into their truck to move their freight. JB does, as I understand, have some experienced drivers making .47 mile, but if you are still relatively new to driving, do they guarantee they will pay you this amount? I would ask them to put all of this in writing to see if they back up what they are telling you.
One thing to also consider is this. Once you get in your first year with Schneider, you should no longer owe the training fee, and can leave with no debt to them. With a year of experience and a good driving record, more driving offers will open up for you at a higher rate of pay, if you can hold out that long. There may be a slight possibility that another carrier would pay off the training fee for you to got to work for them, but it might be a longshot, and they would probably require some type of contract in return.
Remember too that 14 out/2 home is pretty much standard for a lot of carriers, and many will run you for a month at a time. If Schneider values your role in their company, they should be willing to get you more miles and help you out.
Although things look pretty grim, the difference in pay between companies alot of time really is greed and the quanity of quality drivers they have to cover their freight, jb hunt may think they need some good drivers so they are paying more. Schneider knows you have that debt to pay and they will work you like a dog until your free. They know most people cannot put their hands on that kind of money all at once so they "enslave" you to drive for them. I would ask the representative from J.B. Hunt to give you some sort of garauntee ( he will say something like that's impossible the shipper could cancel tommorow with us but he can tell you how long they have had the run or how many off days their have been since they picked up that run) to back up his no less than statement about the pay on that dedicated run. Part of the game you have entered is learning to ask the question the right way so you do get some information about what your asking, and then put the pieces together to see if they add up. Personally I prefer dedicated runs myself because it gives you a schedule and a set budget to work with normally, ask if seniority picks in that department. Dedicated runs sometimes get passed around the seniority drivers first and though you might be able to break into that as new driver now if things change you could find your apple cart upset quickly and no recourse but to go back on the open board situation your in now, it wouldn't be the first time a driver jumped from the frying pan to the fire unknowingly.
I hate to sound sinicle but never take a dispatchers word on anything until he has proven to you he is trustworthy by doing rite by you for a couple years. They are not in the truck hanging out at some truck stop or loading dock with their life on hold for you! so Don't let them mistreat you either! Dangle the carrot for him too, by saying you will be more than happy to drive for him if he will assume the "debt" for your schooling but do not let him add on to the length of time you owe for the schooling if he is willing to assume the debt from schneider. It would be just like them to pay off the debt for you to get you at their company but reset the clock so you owe them a full year or something, remember no matter what they tell you, they need you. I mean that if you keep a clean record and good work history the companies will want you and they may try to make you think differently but their freight does not pay their bills without you in the seat of one of their trucks and happy, so you do a good job.
It is going to be very tough for you as a newlywed and a new driver at the same time, but it can be done if you work together and strugle through the tough times. The other probably most important thing I have learned is keep your bills to a minimum on the road or at home, so that when they screw up your check or the dispatcher gets mad at you and you can't get any good loads for a while, your homelife or credit rating doesn't go in the toilet because they will pull that on you with the purpose of trying to "trap" you at their company.
Also very important DON'T LET ANYONE encourage you to do something you are uncomfortable with regaurding the operation of that truck! Running hot logs, speeding to make up for a late pickup or slow shipper or worse "a tight window but I think we can make it". another one is just get it in their you have plenty of room or statements like that. YOU ARE SOLEY RESPONSIBLE for that truck and anything it does, so act like it even at the risk of being fired or sokme other threats company/shipper people will try to put on you. Your trying to pay back the schooling already you don't need a collision bill on your record because someone made you a promise over the phone or otherwise and then left you holding the bag!
One of the biggest parts of being a licensed proffesional driver which you now are, is deciding what is rite or wrong or what your limitations are and sticking to your decisions regaurdless of anyone else's input or "peer pressure" You don't want to be cocky or always difficult but you have to be willing to tell the company NO that you decided you don't like what ever the situation is and they can send a driver to pick up the truck or you will head to their nearest terminal and releive yourself of the responsibility of their truck but you will not do what you have told them no on. I garuntee you will sleep better at night after doing so if it comes down to something like that.
I guess I will quit there I don't want you to think it's all bad out here in a truck but you do have to develope a strong backbone and a keen ability to detect the truth from the "thousands of tons of B.S. that this industry ships everyday"
Good Luck
Erik
Ok drivers, i'm asking for some serious help here. I'm currently with Schneider making .27 / mile with an average of about 1,000m. / wk. Right now my checks range only around $300.00/ wk. Not nearly enuf to survive on. AND they want me to ne out for up to 14 days at a time with only 2 days home.
Now i understand this is the norm for many carriers, but i'm a newlywed with a new home and two children. They simply need me to be home more often.
I've been surfing the web when i'm home looking at other companies, including J.B. Hunt. I was on the phone with one of their recruiters for an hour yesterday comparing mileage pay, time at home and benefits.
He told me that he has a dedicated route with a 600m radius which pays .47 / mile. Sound pretty good, so i did ask him if there are weeks where it's slow and i'll only bring home a few hundred? He tells me that on this account, the least i would bring home would be 900. It also requires hazmat.
My wife asked me later why they pay so much more than schneider. Honestly, i haven't been in the industry long enuf to know why one company pays more than the other. I somehow doubt schneider can match or beat the mileage or time at home. I learned of one dedicated opening that only pays .33 / mile with only 2 days home with a weekly gaunantee of 700/ week.
I'm going to be calling my team leader at schneider today to see if there are anyother dedicated openings that can compare. I don't want to leave schneider, i do like the company, but i do need to provide what's best for the family. Only bad part is, if i leave them, i will have to repay $3,500 for the training school they put me thru.
Sorry this is so long winded, but i'm trying to do the best research i can to make the best decision. Do any of you drive for J.B. or know anyone that does who can tell me anything about them? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
J B RECRUTERS WILL TALK ALOT AND PROMICE YOU THE MOON JUST TO GET YOU ON THAN YOUR SCREWED THERE RECRUTERS GET PAID BY THE AMOUNT OF TRUCKS THEY FILL SO THEY WILL SAY WHATEVER THEY HAVE TO AS LONG AS THEY GIT YA
Last edited by WILDBILL : 03-05-2007 at 06:11 PM.
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J.B. Hunt?
J B Bullshit
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