[NDxEscape]

well, i have been looking, rescearching, and mainly looking on this post/topics/conversations for the best school to fit me and my needs. i have narrowed it down to one, Schneider. I have called and talked to Schneider....ONCE ACCEPTED....

they pay for me to go to the school in dallas tx for 14 days, all 3 daily meals included with 14 days hotel stay.

then 1 to 4 weeks on the road training, which they start paying me $350 a week!

the school cost a total of $4500, which is nothing out of pocket to start. ( which how i pay for it i dont care becuz i will make that and more within the next 6 months, and i have no bills except a cell phone so paying it back once i am a PRO driver for them will be no problem nor is it a concern )

AND you have 3 times to take the CDL test. ( i plan on having my cdl permt before i go, i feel more comfortable doing that )

to me that sounds waaaaaaaaay to good to be true!

does anyone know anything about Schneiders program? Anything I should look for? beware of? ask? a better school prehaps? ANYTHING?!??!????!

Like i said i have researched different schools, often finding that they dont have drivers to send out with you and being stuck waitng for one for months, or somethings never getting one and being stuck oweing money. or companys treating you badly.

i have no money other than average that is why i am trying to make a change but i am also not trying to look for a "quick" fix that just leads to more debt.

HELP?????!?!??!!!?

[Brad M]

The Schneider Training School is one of the best but it is also a very intense two weeks of training where you will go hard seven days a week with long hours and little sleep. You can find more information on this web site... www.pumpkindriver.com

[NevadaJim]

I hear the training is decent but the pay is horrible. They're just another meatgrinder starter company. No better or worse than any of the others. Just make sure you have $4500 stashed in a savings account in case something doesn't work out. You are going to hear good and bad about every single company. One thing about Schneider I really didn't like was the payback. If you leave before you finish your contract you owe the ENTIRE $4500, even if you worked right up until the week before the contract ended. Most of the other starter companies kick in $$$ each month to help pay it back. Make sure you read the fine print on the contract very carefully. Schneider may have good training but they have the worst contract, in my opinion. There are copies of Schneiders contract floating around the web somehwere...might be on the pumpkin website.

[NDxEscape]

well right now i make less than $15k a year so anything above that is going to be good for me. so i am not worried about the money, it looks like it should be at least 30k plus. and that is great for not having to go to a college for 2 to 4 years. Is that what you were talking about low pay? As far as the whole 18 month contact deal i am also fine with that. Any company willing to accept me, pay for school, etc. then the least i can do is to finish up the contract months. Plus, if i really wanted to break it, i can just easily save up once driving if i REALLY hate it that much and go elsewhere.

hmmm, again i really dont see anything bad about Schneider.

If anyone else has info or more detail please PM me, or reply. I will be checking out the website provided. TY

the ONLY down side i have found so far is the physical exam. It seems to be a little intense. I guess I will do my own simulations of these test so they are easier for me to do.... here is the list

1) Step test. Stepping up and down onto a "box" for a full minute. Heart rate is monitered the whole time. Heart rate can not go over "90% of age related maximum" (don't ask me to explain that, I have no clue how to. I will get a better explanation of it on monday when I go back into work.)

2) Climbing inside a trailer (twice)

3) being able to croutch under a trailer for a total of 20 seconds ( twice )

4) carrying 30 pounds of weight for 30 feet. (might also have to do 60 pounds as well)

5) Lifting a 30 pound object abouve your head once or twice

6) lifting a 30 and 60 pound weight from floor to waist twice

7) lifting a 30 and 60 pound weight from waist high to above your head twice.

8) being able to push 80 pounds worth of weight

9) being able to pull 80 pounds worth of weight

10) Theres another one, involving moving weight, can't remember at the moment.

they also take your weight and height measurements.