Swift/Schnieder/Anyone vs. Millis

[jgreen428]

Hello Various People That Know Better Than I:

I have figured out in my recent months of underemployment that I would like to attempt to become a professional truck driver. From everything that I have read on this and other websites, the company a potential driver chooses is an insanely huge choice which tends to make or break any persons sucess, failure, prosperity or poverty in this field.

I dont see the big disadvantage of signing on to a company-sponsored CDL training program. If a company requires that you stay for a year in order to clear the expenses of school that may seem like a degree of indentured servitude and it well may be, but in ANY sucessful job, especially as a complete newcomer, anyone in their right mind is going to stay for at least a year anyway. Maybe now that Ive reached the ripe old age of 30, a year just doesnt seem that long to me anymore <hardy>.

So that brings that big choices of who to go for? I have spoken to people with Schnieder, Swift and Millis, and have actually been pre-hired by Millis. Schnieder and Swift both seem like over-bearing, multi-national corporations that are out there to screw the little guy and promote general-unhappiness whereever they go and all that. Lots of horror stories about low mileage, recruiter lies,big hyped up websites that detail (supposedly) EVERY last thing a new driver would want to know and all this. Millis on the other hand, seems like a smaller company with less frills on their website and less intricacies about the rules of the financials in their training program. Besides that, the ONLY complaint Ive ever read in one of these boards about Millis was some guy that said he "didnt like pulling hills in 5th gear" or something like that. They also seem to have the best starting pay and incentive packages for new drivers.

The BIG ace in the hole though....And I really wonder if this makes THAT much of a difference: Schnieder and Swift both have terminals very close to Detroit. Downriver Detroit is about 45 minutes from where I live and that seems reliatvely convenient, though Ive heard many of both companies facilities are nasty. Millis' nearest location/dropyard/school is in Trenton, OH...about 180/200 miles from where I live. How important is it to live a county away from the terminal?

Thanks for reading my rambles and if anyone could give me some proper advice, it would be greatly appreciated....

[marcel27208]

Hello Various People That Know Better Than I:

I have figured out in my recent months of underemployment that I would like to attempt to become a professional truck driver. From everything that I have read on this and other websites, the company a potential driver chooses is an insanely huge choice which tends to make or break any persons sucess, failure, prosperity or poverty in this field.

I dont see the big disadvantage of signing on to a company-sponsored CDL training program. If a company requires that you stay for a year in order to clear the expenses of school that may seem like a degree of indentured servitude and it well may be, but in ANY sucessful job, especially as a complete newcomer, anyone in their right mind is going to stay for at least a year anyway. Maybe now that Ive reached the ripe old age of 30, a year just doesnt seem that long to me anymore <hardy>.

So that brings that big choices of who to go for? I have spoken to people with Schnieder, Swift and Millis, and have actually been pre-hired by Millis. Schnieder and Swift both seem like over-bearing, multi-national corporations that are out there to screw the little guy and promote general-unhappiness whereever they go and all that. Lots of horror stories about low mileage, recruiter lies,big hyped up websites that detail (supposedly) EVERY last thing a new driver would want to know and all this. Millis on the other hand, seems like a smaller company with less frills on their website and less intricacies about the rules of the financials in their training program. Besides that, the ONLY complaint Ive ever read in one of these boards about Millis was some guy that said he "didnt like pulling hills in 5th gear" or something like that. They also seem to have the best starting pay and incentive packages for new drivers.

The BIG ace in the hole though....And I really wonder if this makes THAT much of a difference: Schnieder and Swift both have terminals very close to Detroit. Downriver Detroit is about 45 minutes from where I live and that seems reliatvely convenient, though Ive heard many of both companies facilities are nasty. Millis' nearest location/dropyard/school is in Trenton, OH...about 180/200 miles from where I live. How important is it to live a county away from the terminal?

Thanks for reading my rambles and if anyone could give me some proper advice, it would be greatly appreciated....

you will hear all that advice about any company you want to read about...as far as facilities for schneider they are some of the best you can ever run into....free wi-fi, computer access, full service cafeteria, showers, and more....... if you ask me it depends on what size company as far as the need to live near a terminal...schneider/swift have the freight to get you a load to timbuk2 if you lived there so that wouldnt matter you will hear about low miles, recruiter lies, and all that about all companies

[fireman932003]

Hello, I have never worked for any of the companies that you mentioned but I have known a few that have worked with Swift and Schneider. I have heard nothing but good things from them on both companies. The only negative I have heard is that at Swift, they tend to give you a not so good truck in the beginning. That is all second hand information though so I would not trust it. I do not know anything about Millis so I will not comment on them. I know this is not the best of info but I hoped it helped! BOL

[redsfan]

Hello Various People That Know Better Than I:

From everything that I have read on this and other websites, the company a potential driver chooses is an insanely huge choice which tends to make or break any persons sucess, failure, prosperity or poverty in this field.

This can be somewhat true, but the number one thing that will make or break a person is the individual themself.

I looked at Millis fairly hard, I only ruled them out because they only way they take noobs is if they attend their school. If you get the CDL on your own you have to get a year's experience first. I wanted to get it on my own so I scratched them off the list, otherwise I may have proceeded further with them. IMO, the proximity of the closest terminal would probably not have much of an effect on you with any of these 3 companies. Millis is smaller, but they're not exactly a Mom & Pop outfit.

Good luck!

[Skullitor]

GO with The "ORANGE ARMY" Schneider is THE KING! Soon you'll BLEED ORANGE BLOOD! 8)

[tom3130]

I am going to millis in nov. was suppost to in oct. but delayed it . I will tell you I know nothing but what Iread about swift but I work with a guy who went threw schnieder school and said it was great actually helped him get a teamster job.
I chose MILLIS because I felt I would learn more in a class size of 5 to seven verses 30

[jgreen428]

Thank You everyone for the advice. It seems like from all the reading Ive done, Millis and Maverick get the highest overall ratings from people that post things on these boards. With Maverick's facilities being in AR, I felt they were a bit too far away to go and learn. Now I just have to figure out if there which I should do first between getting my physical and my permit. Thanks!

[shaley06]

Good luck was gonna go thre for training but drove to TN to get mine now I'm going with Transport America. You must be going to training facility down by Cincinatti. GOOD LUCK>

[OTRunner]

Yes Skullitor, the mighty Orange is bleeding, lost 1 000 drivers over last year. Wonder why?

[Smooth]

LOL , If they only lost 1,000 drivers last year they have quite a low turnover rate , like 15% . Do the research before you comment .

[Soldierontheroad]

Hmm 1000 out of about 15000 not counting new hires? doesnt seem to bad to me

[jgreen428]

Like Ive said at various previous times, I really know nothing about trucking, but I like to think I do know a thing or two about life in a general workplace. The only people that know anything about turnover-rates or retention at various compmanies usually work in either HR or they are on the board of directors or whatever said companies equivalent to that is. People that do those things and know said information......are too busy cleaning dog hair out of the back seasts of their Saab's and yelling at little Edward's violin teacher for scheduling his lessons at an inconvenient time.........rather.......than posting messages on posting boards about the industry.

Schnieder seems as perfectly fine as any other big company, but there must be SOME sort of truth to all the horror stories and the whole "weekly pay guarantee" thing just REEKS of fraud. If that's really a needed perk, something must be up and I betcha two gallons of kerosene theres a list longer than my manhood of terms and conditions that go along with that "guarantee". Besides all that, I'm shy and like to coast....You put me in a class with 47 other people and I'll get by and then get out in the world and not know a thing. I'd rather get bitched at directly until I get it right by a person or people that care more about my performance than the performance of a class or group.

Like Chris Farley said in Tommy Boy: "I can take a dump in a box and guarantee it, but that doesn't make it a quality product."