So a year in nearly........2 more weeks and it's a year as a Pumpkin Driver!

Easiest job I've ever had. They are still serious about safety........GOAL is always your friend, particularly when hooking to a trailer. Not all trucks ride at the same heights, very easy to high hook unless you get out and look before you back all the way under.

SNI will not do you dirty.......unless you F up. You F up, bye Felicia, bye any bonus money due to you, forget trying to draw unemployment, it will be denied under misconduct. At least on Dedicated, our DBL's/Driver Managers pretty much leave us alone. In fact, I haven't talked to mine but once in the last 6 months. We only talk if I need something it seems, like a question answered. Each year you will have to do a check ride with a safety man to make sure you haven't developed any bad habits. Like taking a turn not lane to lane, unsafe lane changes, failure to properly control the vehicle(not using 2 hands on the wheel) or watching your mirrors enough. Even guys with 30 years for SNI still have to do it even the driver who trained the safety man when he first started.

If your a good driver, and stay safe by doing your job, they treat you well and leave you alone. I've gotten shirts, hats, and getting ready to receive a jacket along with an assigned truck. Next goal, keep my nose clean for another year then I can decide if I want to go to the Blue side, aka Wal-Mart Private Fleet.

 

Wow, a lot has changed quick since my last update. I'm on borrowed time with SNI. No, nothing I've done wrong. We lost the Walmart contract and the SNI options weren't pretty for my area. It was OTR or Dedicated OTR. So I will instead become a stay at home dad for a while as my son starts school and our 3rd child is born at the end of July. USX got the account, it's been a train wreck since they started 3 weeks ago. A few of our drivers switched over and already quit, USX was playing games with their paychecks. None of the numbers they kept giving would add up to the gross. Of course USX has been playing the shell game with the rest of us. Gives us part of the pay details but leaves out the important parts, "oh we will have to check that for you" then never talk to you again! No thanks! Was thinking of switching to Walmart, but good god that has become ugly. Starting pay for experienced is .38 a mile. Used to be .45-.50 6 months ago. Benefits are even being cut back. They are walking a very tight rope to having a Private Fleet mutiny. The drivers are very upset and asking US what kind of pay they could expect to switch to over.

In the end, SNI has not done me wrong, I would stay with them but the options available just don't make sense for me to still have a family to come home to! I would certainly give SNI all 5 stars if someone asked for a recommendation on them.

 

It's feels good to be a part of such an helpful community.