Question:
I’m considering becoming a truck driver. Basically I’m in pretty good shape except for a sensitive back, which could limit my ability to lift freight.
1. I know I can easily pass physical but I’m wondering if I should be upfront about my back situation with the company I choose to work with? What happens if I don’t say anything and afterwards they find out that I have some limitations due to my back? What’s the best approach for me? Is having a bad back grounds for disqualification or will a company work with me in terms of giving me “no touch” loads and allowing me to pay a lumper to handle the freight? Schneider says that 90% of their load is “no-touch,” but how about the other 10%. Will there always be a lumper available that I can pay to help me with that 10% or will I sometimes be stuck with the job? Is loading/unloading always done with pallet jacks or are there times when you have to manually lift and carry freight? In general, are companies flexible? Do they try to accommodate a driver’s situation? Schneider OTR work is 90% “no-touch.” Are there companies out there that offer 100% “no-touch.” Is there maybe a certain type of cargo that I should look to haul or a certain type of vehicle that I should drive (like a tanker) that requires minimal or no lifting?
2. I noticed that Schneider has a plan where one can finance equipment. How does this work? Does this mean that I can finance the purchase of a truck and make more money by working as an owner operator? Schneider also leases trucks… what’s that all about?
3. In the beginning, I’ll probably be assigned to drive OTR. How likely is it to get a local or regional route in the future? Are these routes generally hard to come by or do they become available on a regular basis?
4. I’ve seen ads that pay .40 cents/mile. How do you get so much? Is this based on experience? Are most of these drivers owner operators?

Answer:
Leave the BUYING / FINANCING / LEASING part alone for awhile. Get your CDL and drive for a year or so before you think about trying the O/O route.
SCHNIEDER does all kinds of FINANCING / LEASING as well as REPOSSESSING.
Checkout the forums at www.pumpkindriver.com lots of info on SNI there.

Answer:

Be upfront and honest with them. They'll find out sooner or later.

If you're hired and they find out at a later date, you will be terminated. Be honest.

No, not necessarily.

90% huh? 9 out of 10 trucks are 'no-touch', what's your odds of getting one of those 9 as a new guy?

Depends on where you're at and who you (edited) off.

Depends on how you and your dispatcher and driver manager get along.

Yes, but you have too look real hard to find them.

Whatever makes you happy.

RUN AS FAST AND AS FAR AWAY FROM THESE TYPE OF "DEALS" AS YOU CAN!!!!

That would depend on job openings in your area or terminal.

You'd be hard pressed to find a company that pays .40 cpm right out of school. You might get that with say........5-7 years exeperience, possibly more.

Answer:
Listen to the voices.
Hoss and Flatbed speak from experience. Do a bunch of research before you start. T/N is a good place to start.-Arthur Spooner

Answer:
ROSIE!!!!! Will you pleez disable Hoss's "quote" button!!??
CDrecovering dweller..........oilfield trash division

Answer:

BITE ME!!!!

Answer:
Hoss,
Thanks for the input.
I want to make sure I understand what you mean about the 90% "no touch."
You mean that 9 out of 10 trucks are "no touch" and that as a new guy I'll probably end-up getting stuck with the "touch" load?

Answer:
Yep. And if your luck is like mine, it'll be 3200 cases of baby food, assorted flavors, 2 high x 9 tie.
Them 20 pallets can very easily turn into 76 pallets!

Answer:
You know Hoss I think Chilidawg didn't like your post.

Answer:
Yeah, that's just cuz ol Chilidawg don't drive a nice Petercar like I do. He's stuck drivin a Farmyard Ferrarri.

Answer:
You have to be really careful with companies claims to "No touch" freight. Some of them really like to manipulate these numbers.
At best 90% no touch will mean that 90% of the loads a company hauls do not require driver loading or unloading. Does that mean 9 out of 10 loads YOU will haul will be no touch. Nope. It doesn't. This is just a company average. You may get 10 or 20 loads in a row that require you to fingerprint them, and this can mean anything from yanking them off the truck with a pallet jack to having to sort and palletize an entire load.
Another way that some companies will manipulate this number is to run it across the board for every division the company has. If the company you work for has a flatbed division and/or a tanker division (both of which are typically 100% no touch) this can skew the percentage of no touch freight the van and/or reefer division really has. Also some companies will make sure the team trucks always get no touch freight while the solo drivers get all the loads that may require fingerprinting.
Now I am not saying all companies do this, but enough do that it is important that you ask about and get answers for the division you are going to be working in.
Also be sure to ask about lumper hiring policies. Some companies will allow you to hire lumpers any time you want and will pay 100% of the lumper fee while others may only allow lumpers under certain circumstances or may only agree to pay up to a certain amount. .
Answer:

It isn't the lifting of freight that wrecks drivers backs, it is the long hours of sitting, and being tossed around the cab of the truck.
I had no back problems when I entered this business. Now, in my thirties, I have many back problems.
I haven't touched freight in a long time, but it is the constant bumping and jarring that one gets driving down the road (especially in piece of crap Freightliners) that wrecks backs. This combined with the long hours of sitting (which weakens back muscles), and you get back pain that one might think more in line with what you might get unloading freight for a living.
If you have pre-existing back problems, be very leery about getting into this business.
Answer:
You might see if you can get a dedicated run in your area.
I was offered a Dedicated Wal - Mart Acct by Schneider, 100% no touch freight.
Pumpkin's strict physical kept me out of that job though, damn heart attack
Answer:
Hoss is right on that score--particularly when you pull a van. I pull a curtainside--have'nt touched a load. That's what forklifts and Lulls are for. Throw your straps/close your curtains and take it down the road. There are times where you may have to do some climbing. (that's why I bought a 6' stepladder ) But the only grocery warehouses I go to are the ones under construction.
Hoss was also absolutely correct on the buying/lease purchse option. STAY AWAY!!!!! You need the experience first.
I also had back problems from a previous truck accident, but I told Roehl, and I passed their physical. Their requirement at the time was that I could handle 75#. I can --sort of. Just remember:If the world did'nt suck, you'd fall off!
The more I see and read about Republicans and Democrats, the more I wish we had an Independent Party.
IMPEACH BUSH!!!!!!!!!!