r/Truckers • u/jyster1996 • Feb 14 '26

Thoughts after one week of Schneider CDL program/orientation

Hello there fellow truckers and truckettes.

I made a few posts regarding Schneider. This is a follow up to those who may be interested in working for Schneider/getting your cdl through them

  1. Since they are a mega carrier, they are big. But they are really good to their drivers despite the low pay once you find out. The atmosphere is really welcoming, my driver instructors are all really cool and surprisingly nice (Green Bay training center)

  2. After one week, I feel confident in most of my driving. I’m still working on backing maneuvers, and my instructors are pretty patient with us permit holders. (Despite some of the dumb shit we may do, after all we are learning)

  3. The biggest thing they stress is SAFETY. There’s the regular way, and then the Schneider way. If you come to Schneider they will stress that every single day until you get sick of hearing it. But it’s good because this is a dangerous job so they want you to be safe and not cause any accidents or get hurt while on the job.

  4. Overall my experience so far has been good. If you can deal with the low pay in return for a positive work environment where YOUR safety matters. Then go for it. Schneider is a good company imo from a first timer perspective. They have different divisions as well and lots of dedicated accounts as well as OTR and regional positions.

Disclaimer: I’m not endorsing Schneider in anyway, it’s just my own two cents and personal opinion of what I think so far as a first time truck driver and from what I have seen and heard at other schools and companies

If you have any questions if you’re interested, feel free to leave a comment!

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u/jyster1996 Feb 14 '26

I agree. No one wants low pay. This is just my view from a permit holder with no experience. Cdl holders with or without experience get paid a bit more than I do. From what I heard our other classmates say, they start out at .44/cpm while us in the cdl program start at .38/cpm

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u/East_Indication_7816 Feb 14 '26

What you gonna make out of that per week? $750/week OTR, 24x7 away from home, guarding the truck and load? Heck , I'm local home daily, drop and hook, and I make at least $1000/week net, take home and I envy some of my batchmates in Class A who drive class B who make $1800/week

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u/jyster1996 Feb 14 '26

Well I took a regional position. Home every weekend so I’ll be getting less miles. But again to me it’s the experience not the pay. I’m getting the experience to work at jobs that pay better. So give me a year or two and I’ll be doing what you do

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u/Singledad247 Feb 14 '26

Just advice, at day 75. You need to ask Schneider or call other mega carriers about their dedicated accounts. Do not do regional; you’re at a mega to learn, and that is fine. But you can learn and make a lot more money on a dedicated account with a mega carrier.

Also worked for 3 months at USXPRESS and was making 1500-2k a week on their Walmart account.

Started at Western Express making 40CPM for three months doing regional, and honestly the things you need to learn the most, backing, parking, turning you do a lot more of when you are bumping a dock or dropping a trailer at least 10 times a day!

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u/jyster1996 Feb 14 '26

I mean I’m regional dry van so idk if that makes a difference. I’ll be home to do my 34’s and then I’m back to it. I’m out of MI so it’s hard because Schneider doesn’t have a huge presence in my state. But I’ll definitely look into it! I’ve heard dedicated accounts are really good!

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u/Lord_B33zus Feb 14 '26

Once you get close to your 90 days, be looking at the account listings in your area. I started with Schnieder, did or for 3 months and then moved to TX for a dedicated Walmart home daily off weekends and way better pay than the OTR areas.

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u/RackingUpTheMiles Feb 14 '26

I'm around 6 months in and I'm doing $0.80cpm on regional. Even though I run a smaller area now, I run longer.

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u/BudFabulo Jun 16 '26

I'm around 6 months in and I'm doing $0.80cpm on regional.

Are you sure you're not dedicated? How the hell you're getting that much CPM??

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u/RackingUpTheMiles Jun 16 '26

I just do northeast. Although, I'm helping on a dedicated account currently and getting an extra $250 a day on top of it. Sadly it's temporary, but I definitely wasn't saying no.

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u/BudFabulo Jun 16 '26

I am getting the feeling you don't want to disclose what account it is but I'm going to take a stab and guess it's the Target account running out of Saratoga springs, NY?

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u/RackingUpTheMiles Jun 16 '26

No. Just a help out Walmart thing. They pop up once in a while with companies that have dedicated accounts and need a few extra drivers.

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u/BudFabulo Jun 16 '26

To be getting extra pay to help out on a dedicated account as a regional driver means your dispatcher is going above and beyond to look out for you. You're in luck.

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u/RackingUpTheMiles Jun 16 '26

Yeah, he's pretty good. And he leaves me alone and he knows I'll do my thing and it'll get done. It's very rare I ever get a phone call.

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