Schneider Jobs: Driver Pay, Requirements, and Reviews

Schneider is one of the country’s leading freight firms, providing a wide range of national logistical services. The company began in 1935 when founder Al Schneider sold the family car to buy his first truck, and now has over 9,000 tractors, 36,900 trailers, and 22,300 intermodal containers on the road—all moving more than 9,200,00 freight miles per day.

Schneider began trading on the New York Stock Exchange in 2017 and currently works with more than two-thirds of the companies listed in the Fortune 500. This success has cemented the brand’s reputation, along with several awards, such as Forbes’ Best Employers for Diversity 2021, Top Women in Transportation to Watch 2021, and General Mills Dry Carrier of the Year 2020.

If you’re considering a career as a truck driver with Schneider, learn about the roles available, typical salaries, benefits, training, and more.

Types of Schneider Truck Driving Jobs

There are several different types of Schneider jobs available for both inexperienced and experienced truck drivers.

Dry Van

Schneider’s cross-country dry van division is its largest. Drivers can work solo or as part of a team and choose from regional routes—staying relatively close to their home base—or over-the-road (OTR) options, which keep them away from home for longer periods. Schneider’s OTR drivers average around 2,500 miles per week and 600 miles per haul.

Dedicated

For those who wish to have a little more stability and routine, driving a dedicated route can be a good option. Dedicated truck drivers haul freight for just one customer, with consistent miles, freight, paychecks, and home time. As with dry van driving, Schneider’s dedicated routes are flexible, allowing drivers to work solo, as a team, regionally, or OTR—with additional options for part-time and local work available, too.

Intermodal

Schneider’s intermodal drivers move freight across the country in partnership with rail networks. They transport containers to a rail yard on a truck, where the haul is lifted onto a train and shipped long distance. Another intermodal driver then picks up the cargo at the destination rail yard and transports it to the final customer. Schneider’s intermodal jobs typically function on a local or regional solo basis, with frequent home time.

Tanker

Schneider’s tanker drivers haul liquid and dry bulk loads, generally in steel tank trailers, with hands-on loading and unloading processes. Though Schneider pledges that 75% of its freight is non-hazardous, tanker drivers do have to deal with dangerous materials from time to time. In return for taking on this unique role, they are among the highest paid in the fleet. Tanker jobs are highly flexible, allowing drivers to work solo, dedicated, intermodal, OTR, regional, or local.

In addition to the roles listed above, Schneider offers experienced drivers a range of other opportunities, including training engineers, driver instructors, driver trainers, and driver mentors.

Schneider Truck Driver Salary

Schneider driver pay varies depending on the type of truck, mileage, hours worked, and experience level. The company reviews its pay, benefits, and perks weekly to ensure that they stay highly competitive, and in 2020 it added guaranteed holiday pay to its list of benefits. Here are some examples of the highest earning potential for experienced drivers in different roles:

• Van Truckload: $98,000
• Dedicated: $110,000 dependent on customer
• Intermodal: $110,000
• Tanker: $102,000
• Team: $104,000

Driver salary packages at Schneider include several different elements:

• Base pay: This includes mileage pay (for example, $0.50 per mile), load pay (a set amount per load delivered), and hourly pay.
• Accessorial add-ons: This consists of payments for things like loading and unloading, detention (being held up with a customer), and stop-offs.
• Performance-based and bonuses: This includes payments such as sign-on bonuses, safety and fuel management bonuses, and referral bonuses of up to $2,000 per new hire.

Schneider Driver Pay by City

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), in 2020, the average annual salary for a truck driver in the U.S. was $50,340. Nationwide, truck drivers at Schneider earn an average annual salary of $58,292, with variations by location. These are average annual wages in ten of their highest-paying cities, according to ZipRecruiter:

Wages compiled using ZipRecruiter’s data for Schneider truck drivers (2022)

Perks and Benefits for Schneider Truck Drivers

As well as a comprehensive salary package, Schneider drivers can take advantage of many other on-the-job benefits and perks, too.

For starters, the company often offers new hires attractive sign-on bonuses of up to $10,000, paid out across 12 monthly increments. It also recognizes its existing drivers through several loyalty plans and awards, including the Advantage Club, the Million Mile Awards, the Consecutive Safe Driving Awards, and Haul of Fame awards.

Drivers have access to quite a few other perks, such as free laundry and showers at the company’s network of facilities, discount programs, a passenger program, a driver referral program, commuter benefits, physical therapy and injury prevention services, and financial, legal, and adoption benefits.

Drivers accrue paid time off (PTO) according to the length of service as follows:

• Six months of service: three days PTO
• One year of service: two weeks PTO
• Seven years of service: three weeks PTO
• 15 years of service: four weeks PTO

In addition to this, all drivers get six paid holidays per year (after one year of employment) and receive PTO for funeral leave, jury duty, and required military training and service.

Schneider also offers all employees a 401(k) plan with company match and medical, prescription, dental, and vision coverage.

Additionally, the company is committed to advancing women in trucking and was voted a top employer for women by Forbes magazine in 2020, as well as being named to the 2020 Top Companies for Women to Work for in Transportation list by Redefining the Road, the official magazine of the Women in Trucking Association.

Schneider is also one of the nation’s largest employers of current and former military personnel, with 15% of the workforce having military experience. The company runs a Military Apprenticeship Program, commits to a higher starting pay, and applies previous military experience to a driver’s track record.

Schneider Truck Driver Requirements

There are several routes to becoming a Schneider employee. If you’re an experienced driver, you can find a list of current job openings on the company’s website, along with information about pay, equipment, and orientation.

If you’ve never driven a truck before, you can earn your CDL in as little as three weeks with Schneider’s driver training program. You will then move into orientation for several weeks before heading out on your own to begin your new career.

To be eligible for Schneider’s CDL A training, you must:

• Be at least 21 years old
• Have a clean driving record and solid work history
• Pass a knowledge exam and skills test
• Present the necessary documentation (a valid non-commercial driver’s license, Social Security card, birth certificate or unexpired U.S. passport, or green card (if you aren’t an American citizen)
• Pass a background screen and undergo a physical
• Be aware of any additional state-specific requirements

Schneider offers new learners financial assistance through its company-sponsored CDL training, CDL Apprenticeship Training (CAT), and Enhanced tuition reimbursement programs.

Application Instructions for Schneider Drivers

If you’d like to join Schneider’s fleet as a truck driver, the first step is to look through its current openings and apply for any that catch your eye. A Schneider recruitment assistant confirms whether the role will be a good fit for you and verifies the information given during a short telephone interview.

Alternatively, you can attend a local recruiting event to apply. If successful, you’ll move into paid orientation, which is the final stage of the hiring process before starting your new job.

The length of paid orientation for experienced drivers varies depending on the type of freight you’ll haul, with van truckload hauling requiring just four days, intermodal requiring up to eight days, and tanker requiring 18 days. For inexperienced drivers, orientation is longer, from three to five weeks, depending on the position.

“So here’s the skinny I got from the recruiter,” explains one current trainee on Reddit. “It’s a five week apprenticeship program, two weeks classroom, three weeks in a truck with a trainer. You’re under contract with them for nine months and in case that doesn’t work out, you’ll owe $2,080. After you go solo, idk if it’s based on my location or what factors it in but you’ll be handling the Eastern 37 states at $0.47 cpm starting out.”

Schneider Reviews of Truck Driving Jobs

Reviews from current and former Schneider drivers tend to be favorable overall, praising the comprehensive training program, friendly atmosphere, and steady mileage. The below reviews give an idea of what you can expect from Schneider jobs.

On Indeed, one former truck driver notes the company’s excellent training program and safety record: “Schneider is typical mega carrier. So, you should know what to expect going in. Training was top notch. Meet some really cool people there. Safety above anything else. Management was informative, and patient. The hotels they put us up in, were “meh” at best. A couple were bad, but they had no problems either replacing it, or reimbursing, if I had to go to another place. They keep you moving, if you have a work ethic. Starting pay is low. As expected. You have to grind.”

Returning Schneider driver Jon has this to say on the company’s Facebook page: “Schneider is a great company to work for! This is my second time going back to them. I realized grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Tried out some other trucking companies thinking it would be better for me and my family but I was wrong. Schneider has always been there for me and my family. They are very trustworthy and honest with everything. Steady runs. I absolutely love the way they operate and their systems! They make is so much easier for truckers to get the job done professionally and no stress. Home time is great and are always willing to help you balance work and home time. Lots of route options with decent trucks. Average pay but can’t complain. Other companies seem to promise you all these things to get you in the door then lie to you. Schneider has always been straight forward honest with me. They provide amazing training to help you succeed in your trucking career. Even tho they are a big company I am still treated as family. I highly recommend them even if you are an experience driver! Thank you Schneider!”

Other Trucking Companies to Consider

If you’d like to work as a truck driver but aren’t yet sure if you want to join Schneider’s fleet or training program, look for similar roles at other industry-leading freight firms such as USA Truck, Werner Enterprises, and NFI Industries.