So long Schneider…

WOW, what a year it’s been!  I look on my experience as an over the road truck driver much like my time in the army; I learned things that I would never have learned, saw things I never would have seen, and will benefit from the experience for the rest of my life.  But if you want me to do it again you had better bring help and pack lunch.

As much as I wanted to leave on good terms, I’m afraid there was a bit of disappointment at the end.  I called my DBM 3 1/2 weeks before my anniversary date to give notice that I would be leaving, and while talking she decided that Sunday, Oct. 7 would be the best choice for my last day.  That was one day after my anniversary date and suited me well.

The rotating Home Run schedule had me going out for the last time on Wednesday, 10/4.  However since the previous driver was enroute from Florida that day the truck wasn’t available until Thursday.  My first load had me pull an MT to Charleston, SC to exchange for a loaded trailer headed for PA.  On Friday afternoon my next load came in;  picking up a loaded trailer near my previous delivery and taking it to a company in Charlotte.

This was a perfect load except for one small detail; it was a live unload with an appointment for Monday, 10/8 at 6 am.  Since technically I would no longer be an employee after the 7th I assumed they would have me relay the load at the Charlotte OC (my home OC).  But when I called my DBM she pretty much said “tough”.  Her take was that since it was a load for one of their largest customers, and since relaying costs the company I would just have to work another day.  While this was consistant with the “driver last” attitude I’ve experienced this past year, I found it surprising that her manner had changed so drastically.  While I had found her polite, considerate, and willing to discuss issues in the past, she was now quite cold and matter-of-fact and seemed to feel no regret for forcing me out another day.

At this point you may be thinking “it’s one day, and you’re at home, so what’s the big deal?”.  And normally I would agree; coming back in one morning to complete a load isn’t a biggie.  HOWEVER on two occasions she had assured me that I would be in and finished on the 7th, and based on that I had made specific personal plans.

I picked up the load as scheduled and headed for Charlotte, arriving on Sunday morning.  Once there I called support shift and explained the problem to them.  Wanting to be totally honest with them I also included the fact that my DBM had already refused to relay the load and told them the reasons she had for denying the request.  After sitting on hold for a few minutes the representative came back on the line to tell me that they had set up a relay and that I was free to drop it at the OC and proceed with my check-out process.  A few minutes later the necessary load messages arrived on the Qualcomm and all was set.  This last bit of drama was not the way I wanted to leave Schneider, but I felt forced to do what I had to do.

I offer my best wishes to those of you pursuing a driving career, whether it be with Schneider or any another carrier.  Hopefully this account of my year, along with the many other blogs and forums out there, will give you a pretty good idea of what to expect.

So long … until the next adventure!