Im waiting for my truck to be fixed at the Gary, IN OC, so I thought I’d answer another few questions…
Mike in Virginia wrote:
“I was wondering a few things. Daily routine – fairly predicticable or really out of your control (sleeping, eating, etc)? Job Satisfaction and Stress – compared to the ’standard’ workplace?Money – January looked like (approximating) 20 days driving, 8047 miles, 2012 miles weekly, $563 weekly. Is this accurate? January is supposed to be a ’slow’ month in the industry; was it for you? I know you were doing little hops not long hauls. Do you expect improved miles / pay?
Do you see and chat with other Schneider drivers? Can you relate some of their stories?
Hope you are well. Thank you for the site.”
“Daily routine – fairly predicticable or really out of your control (sleeping, eating, etc)?”
Seldom out of control, but not always predictable either. I don’t seem to have any problem sticking loosely to a daily routine, but it takes a little planning, and it can potentially affect your miles (and money). The HOS rules (14 hour day, 10 off) naturally help you stay close to the same start and end times each day unless you have a long run where you can actually drive 11 hours before the 14 is up.
Normally I like to stop for the evening by dark and get started the next morning an hour or two before dawn. This usually means I take roughly 12 hours off for my DOT break. If I wanted to maximize my miles I’d drive until I reached the 11 or 14 hour limit (whichever applies), take 10 hours off, and start back driving without regard for the time of day.
One thing I am fairly strict about is stopping during my 14 hour work day; I don’t. If I take time for meals it’s either before starting my day or after I stop for the evening. Eating during the day is usually a pack of crackers or other snack type food, and of course the ever-present Gatorade. Obviously details of your load, such as appointments and/or time windows on either end, will dictate when and how long you run. But I think more than half the time you can work out whichever scenario you want.
” Job Satisfaction and Stress – compared to the ’standard’ workplace?“
That’s a tough one to answer, mainly because what I find stressful you may find fun, and vice versa. And for new drivers I think it depends on how realistic your expectations are.
Personally I find that I have to take satisfaction in reaching my personal goals on a daily basis, because I can’t depend on anybody else to recognize that I’ve busted my butt to get the job done, and done well. Not that my support personnel (STL, etc.) aren’t encouraging, it’s just the nature of the job. You spend the majority of your time alone, and many of the folks you do come into contact with during the day seem to be against you. Shippers and receivers often act like truck drivers are dirt, and too often other drivers will whine and complain at you over the CB at the slightest inconvenience you’ve caused them on the highway, whether real or imagined. And then at the end of the day, when the only thing you want is a place to park and get some sleep, you find that the same authorities who insist that you stop could care less whether there’s enough places for you and all your fellow drivers to do so safely.
The short answer; there’s not a lot of job satisfaction compared to other jobs I’ve had, but the stress level can be just as high if you let it.
” Money…“
Your figures are fairly accurate as far as mileage pay, but there are other payments included. You do get paid for things such as: delays (over an hour), short loads (under 50 miles), live loads and unloads, and a few others.
I have seen an increase in the miles of my loads, and hopefully it will continue to grow. However part of the ‘problem’ with my short loads is directly related to my answer to your first question.
From what I understand you are rated by the average number of miles you drive a week, and are loaded accordingly. In other words, the harder you run the more you’re given. Since I haven’t aggressively run every possible hour I could I haven’t gotten my average as high as it could be, and therefore haven’t gotten loads as long as I might have. A driver with more ‘drive’ would probably do a little better.
” Do you see and chat with other Schneider drivers? Can you relate some of their stories?“
I do see other Schneider drivers and do have the opportunity to chat, but frankly I seldom do so. Again this is a personal thing; while I do enjoy personal interaction with others, I’m afraid I’m not very tolerant of others. In other words, I don’t get a thing out of participating in bitch sessions or trading war stories with a bunch of blowhards. Sometimes I bump into an interesting driver who will exchange experiences in a casual and entertaining manner, and those brief conversations I do enjoy.
Thanks for taking the time to write, Mike. I hope I’ve been able to answer your questions, but if not please feel free to dig a little deeper and I’ll try to help where I can.
