Schneider, which is based in Green Bay, Wisc., recently updated what it pays its training engineers, and it amounts to a rate increase averaging 45 percent.
Training engineers are Schneider drivers who become teachers, supervising new drivers until they hit the road on their own.
Drivers who become training engineers are compensated in a number of ways. They are paid for every mile the student drives during their time together, plus accessorial pay. For every student driver that stays with Schneider and performs well, Schneider awards the training engineer with safety and retention bonuses. Most notably, the training engineers receive an extra $60-$70 every day that they train..
“Our training engineers are a crucial part of the learning process,” said Rob Reich, senior vice president of driver recruiting at Schneider, which ranks eighth on “Commercial Carrier Journal’s” annual Top 250 list. “We truly value the instruction, know-how and passion these individuals bring to the Big Orange.”
Many Schneider training engineers remain drivers.
“I’ve found my transition to training engineer very rewarding,” said Stephanie Bruti, a training engineer who has been with Schneider since 2014. “It’s a good feeling to watch somebody grow and progress, not to mention it’s helping to further my own career with Schneider.”
For drivers interested in advancing their careers, becoming a training engineer can help them climb the career ladder.
“At Schneider we truly believe in Hire to Retire,” said Reich. “We want every member of our team to feel like a member of our family, which is why we provide the means for all our drivers to learn, grow and succeed with us.”
Schneider drivers with at least nine months of experience are eligible to be considered for a training engineer position.
