GREEN BAY, Wis. — In an effort to make sure new drivers receive high-quality onboarding while social distancing in a safe, secure environment, Schneider, a provider of trucking, intermodal and logistics services, has created a new remote truck driver orientation program.
The remote orientation experience ensures that all drivers remain socially distanced while receiving the same standard curriculum. The company currently offers remote orientation programs at eight sites. One site in Charlotte, North Carolina, is dedicated for owner-operators who lease their business with Schneider, while the remaining seven sites are for newly hired company drivers of all experience levels. These seven locations include Atlanta; Carlisle, Pennsylvania; Dallas; Gary, Indiana; Indianapolis; Phoenix; and West Memphis, Arkansas.
“COVID-19 may have changed many things about how we live and operate, but it hasn’t changed Schneider’s commitment to our core value of safety first and always,” said Tom DiSalvi, vice president of safety, driver training and compliance at Schneider. “The remote orientation program allows new drivers to experience the same high-quality onboarding program that we have been delivering for decades — just in a socially distant setting.”
Drivers who complete orientation remotely do so from a large conference room at a hotel near one of the participating Schneider training facilities. Remote participants are given Chromebooks so they can follow along with the same course and instruction that is being presented in person by an instructor at the Schneider Training Academy. Additionally, Schneider designates driver training associates to remain on-site at the hotel for help if needed.
Remote orientation is the latest measure the company has implemented to protect drivers since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic earlier this year. Other steps the company has taken include:
- Providing drivers with single-occupancy lodging for the duration of orientation;
- Prescreening drivers for symptoms before they arrive in the classroom;
- Implementing social distancing in the classroom, during meals and around the truck;
- Thoroughly disinfecting trucks between use by drivers;
- Supplying hand sanitizer, gloves, masks and sanitizing wipes to drivers;
- Providing grab-and-go groceries at Schneider facilities; and
- Keeping drivers informed through in-cab tablets.
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
