Amid a wave of job losses, dismal spending reports and stricter lending standards, a transportation services provider has launched an ambitious plan to put more vets in the driver’s seat.
Founded in 1935, Green Bay, Wis.-based Schneider National Inc. provides a full range of logistics solutions including one-way, intermodal, dedicated, bulk and transportation management services to two-thirds of the FORTUNE 500® companies.
A $3.4 billion company, Schneider National currently operates more than 13,000 semi-trailers and employs 21,200-plus employees in 28 countries on several continents, including Europe and Asia. It also ranks 13th among the top 50 companies with vet employees. One-fourth of the organization’s work force is composed of vet workers.
Grailing Jones, national director of strategic sourcing, said the trucking company focused on increasing its vet work force in 2008 and plans to continue in 2009. "We’re looking to fill a wide variety of driving positions as well as non-driving positions, i.e. mechanics to meet our growing logistical requirements," he said.
Schneider National Inc. is an employee partner with the Army Reserve Employment Program and the Army PaYS (Partnership for Youths Success) Program.
Unlike most truckload carriers, Schneider National offers both a company-based training program for inexperienced drivers looking to break into the industry and a broad range of employment options for experienced drivers.
Drivers earn an average of $36,000 to $60,000 annually, depending on experience and training. The courses range from three to 14 days, depending on the training the individual requires, said Jones.
There are many opportunities for vets interested in pursuing a driving career. While the job is not recession-proof, the trucking business is secure because more than 70 percent of what consumers use comes off a truck today, Jones said.
Shipping by truck has grown substantially over the past decade and companies like Schneider National are looking to vets to fill the gaps. Schneider National currently needs drivers to handle its business segments, which include the bulk (tanker), intermodal (truck/rail) and dedicated and over-the-road (national fleet) lines.
There are several career options to choose from:
• Transporting goods throughout 48 states, where truckers are on the road for up to 10 days at a time as dedicated bulk, company solo or team drivers.
• Drivers can also be owner-operators, owning their own equipment providing transportation services.
• Drivers can also become dedicated drivers providing specific service to key customers in Schneider National’s portfolio.
The company plans to continue hiring next year and will continue seeking veterans to fill those positions, said Jones, who joined the company in 1979 when jobs were hard to come by.
Vets can apply the funds from their GI Bill to pay for their CDL training. Vets also can opt to use their GI Bill to fund an apprenticeship program that would net them $8,000 to $10,000 over a 12-month period. If a vet decides to be an owner-operator, Schneider National has a program that will facilitate a vet becoming an owner operator. The vet will have access to competitive financing through Schneider National Finance.
Prior to Schneider National, Jones spent eight years in the U.S. Marine Corps., where he served as an infantry officer and motor transport officer. He started as a team leader at Schneider National, supporting 50 drivers.
Earlier this year, Jones initiated contact with the VA’s Center for Veteran Entrepreneurship (CVE), the Army Reserve Employee Partnership Program and the Army PaYS Program, as part of an effort to aggressively recruit vets into the fold.
The company’s mission to include vets has always been a critical component to Schneider National’s success. While the positive attention is a plus, adopting the feel-good initiative is more than just smart PR – it’s part of its culture, which dates back to an initiative of the founding chairman and Wisconsin National Guard member Al Schneider, said Jones.