[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 9 (Monday, January 23, 2012)]
[House]
[Pages H86-H87]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING DONALD SCHNEIDER
(Mr. SHUSTER asked and was given permission to address the House for
1 minute.)
Mr. SHUSTER. It is my privilege today to celebrate the life and mourn
the passing of Donald Schneider, a pioneer who transformed the
transportation industry through his ingenuity and entrepreneurial
spirit.
Mr. Schneider, who was chairman emeritus and former president of
[[Page H87]]
Schneider National, ran one of the Nation's largest trucking companies
with over 12,500 tractors, 35,000 trailers, and thousands and thousands
of employees. Some of you may recognize those trucks painted in a
distinct shade of orange that travel the highways and byways of
America.
Mr. Schneider was a hardworking man who began his career driving a
truck and as a mechanic's assistant at age 18 in his family's business.
He served in Korea, went to the Wharton School of Business in
Philadelphia, and began working in the family business in 1961.
Over three decades, Mr. Schneider expanded his fleet substantially,
using modern management techniques and acquisition of regional
companies to grow his business. Again, his leadership pushed Schneider
National to one of the largest trucking companies in America and, of
course, one of the most successful, especially after the deregulation
which occurred in 1980.
Donald Schneider was a great man who never lost his common touch. He
insisted on being called by his first name and, in a 1970 interview,
was quoted as saying: My job is important, but not as important as the
driver or the people in the service center.
That's how he grew his business--caring about the common man, caring
about the customer, and growing his business into one of the great
businesses in America.
Mr. Schneider was a man who served with a true servant's heart, and
America has been enriched by his service to this country. I invite all
Americans to join me in celebrating his life.
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