Schneider National recently opened its second U.S. Intermodal Training Academy.

Located outside Los Angeles, Schneider's Intermodal Training Academy will provide experienced new hires the focused, hands-on training they need to be successful and safe in the rapidly growing area of intermodal transportation.

Schneider opened its first Intermodal Training Academy in Chicago earlier this year. Each new hire in Schneider's Intermodal division completes a four-day curriculum, which includes classroom instruction, a rail yard tour and in-truck, scenario-based training with an instructor that includes both highway and rail yard driving environments.

To help ease the job transition, Schneider Intermodal driver associates who participate in the new training program will receive $400 in training and orientation pay.

Located at Schneider National's Los Angeles Intermodal office, the Intermodal Training Academy provides technical working areas and classrooms equipped with simulators for hands-on training with two full-time instructors.

Driver Quintin Scales had zero experience in Intermodal and only one year of prior truck driving experience before he enrolled at Schneider's Chicago Intermodal Training Academy earlier this year.

"I was nervous at first and assumed I'd be behind," said Scales. "But the teachers were very helpful and I loved that the preparation catered to people with various learning styles; the program incorporated CBT [computer-based training], video, classroom instruction and over-the-road with a training engineer."

In addition to his role as an intermodal driver, Scales also now trains students as a certified training engineer.

Schneider will continue to provide over-the-road training for experienced drivers and driving school graduates in its other divisions in addition to the new specialized Intermodal training.