The truth about watkins, my expierence

Discussion in 'Watkins & Shepard' started by keepatrukin, Jun 5, 2014.

  1. bchawkins7

    bchawkins7 Bobtail Member

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    Keepatrucking how did he know know your name?
     
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  3. keepatrukin

    keepatrukin Bobtail Member

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    And let this be a lesson for all you current Watkins drivers. They absolutely watch this thread and they know who you are. Maybe this is why there are so few if any, beyond mine, threads spitting truth about them. Like I said in my thread, this was my experience. I'm not ashamed to admit it, I'm in this trade for money, period. I'm not trying to see the country and don't drive a truck because I think its cool or fun. If I'm going to be out on the road I want all I can get. With the exception of the people in Montana, the folks there are great, just powerless to change anything. I do know of people at this company getting a lot better experience and better treatment, for whatever reason, I fell through the cracks.

    As far as the school I went to? Its up to them who they let in to recruit. There are literally hundreds if not thousands of companies to choose from out there. If Watkins don't or cant compete, then that's on them. In my area there are probably a dozen companies with terminals within 10 miles of home, so I have choices and no tuition bills. I'm in it for the money folks. I understand with more home time comes less money and vice versa but to be out forever and not make much? No thank you. That is all.
     
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  4. keepatrukin

    keepatrukin Bobtail Member

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    u underestimate the sneakiness, sir
     
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  5. gascanexplode

    gascanexplode Bobtail Member

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    Feb 1, 2012
    Charlotte, NC
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    Ill be totally honest, before going into trucking I was used to making more than a grand a week. So to see my pay drop so much was definitely a personal disappointment and not the companies fault.

    My frustration is that I always end up with 20 or 30 on my 70 at the end of the week. Its just so #### frustrating to know I could be making more money, and so could the company.. but instead I sit. I'm guessing its all the old timers that want weekends off.. and now they think all us newbies want the same. Well I don't, I want money.
     
    Last edited: Jun 10, 2014
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  6. TruckDuo

    TruckDuo Road Train Member

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    How about instead of wanting to work more.....you want better pay & weekends off.
     
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  7. AXE

    AXE Road Train Member

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    Of course the threads are watched...lol...no secret who I am, that's my truck in my sig! And I've done my fair share of complaining but in the grand scheme of things it ain't no big deal!
     
  8. gascanexplode

    gascanexplode Bobtail Member

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    Feb 1, 2012
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    My recreational time is to work, I don't want weekends off! Grew up working 7 days a week manual labor, its in my blood. Sitting around at home for days on end will put me in the looney bin. seriously.
     
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  9. SpiritWolf

    SpiritWolf Light Load Member

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    Jul 10, 2012
    North Highlands CA
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    Hmmmm....
    #1. "be carefull what you post".... Yeah... Look at some of my posts. I am not shy about calling someone out when I get screwed, or told BS.
    #2. Not many drivers still around.... I am... started as a rookie, and now run as an owner opp.
    #3. You start as a rookie, and expect the worlds best truck/equipment? Seriously? take a brief read on what I went through with my first truck 1714....
    #4. The mentor program is NOT the same as being forced to run with a trainer for months on end for pennies. I know several people who have gone through it, and REALLY felt better about their skills afterwards. If it was suggested that you run with a mentor, then your skills were not as "super trucker" as YOU thought. having said that.....I think your instructor in orientation REALLY should have given you more to work with than "Your doing fine"....He/she REALLY should have given you some idea of what he/she thought you needed to work on. The ball was SERIOUSLY dropped by your instructor there.
    #5. it sounds like you were flat told you might not have a truck....9 out of 10 are in conover...sorry that you were #10... I had to ride 2 days to get to my 1st truck.
    #6. "They told us that if we put fuel on just to earn a shower, they'd consider it company theft and terminate us! " ...really? I did this ALL the time, and never had a problem with it. Also enjoyed the extra $40 in points because I used Loves almost exclusively for fuel.
    #7. overly complicated trip envelopes? really? takes me about 5 to 10 minutes to do one for a 2600 miles cross country trip... How is 10 minutes of paperwork for a 4 day trip overly complex? Yeah, it does seam redundant given that we are transitioning to peoplenet, but the key there is TRANSITIONING..... its going to be a while before the bugs are out of the system... (if ever...I HATE the things)
    #8. A hose clamp comes off...and you would rather shut down, have them send a tow truck, AND loose a day or two of work...?
    It happened to me with 2070.... I never even called... I just bought a $3 hose clamp at Pilot, and billed them for 5 gallons of coolant. Total down time? 2 hours....
    #9. you fail to read your paperwork...and blame the company when they complain that you didnt do your route? Im not flat calling you out on this, as they HAVE screwed up before.....but Im betting your electronic notification said "load subject to change"....... And you didnt read the trip paperwork. Yeah... I goofed that too. Yeah.. I blow up over hometime also... simply put I Dont think a person who works in an office has any right to complain that I want to go home after having been away for weeks. But.... it IS trucking...and things are NOT going to go your way every time. They have only screwed me out of scheduled hometime ONCE since I have been with them.
    #10. Couldn't find drivers who have been there over 2 years? Thats because most of them are out DRIVING, not sitting and ######## about their job at the terminals.

    Lastly...
    This company gives you plenty of latitude to do the job your way instead of holding your hand and giving you detailed instructions about everything. They give you everything you NEED to do your job...and make a decent effort to give you what you WANT......
    Thats about the best you can expect from a starter company, when your strait out of basic school.
    If you can get a better job, congratulations. Not everyone gets lucky.

    As for watching this web site? Ok... I ran 1714, then 2070, then got a Brand new truck 2392 for the last 2 months as a company driver. Now im in Leased on in owner op truck 3892... Yep. Im not shy. I also have no intention of staying at W/S forever. I will be moving to LandStar or such in year or so.

    My conclusion in reading your thread is that your a rookie, who not only wanted everything on a silver platter, but also wanted your hand held. You didnt get either, and got upset. Yes, your orientation instructor dropped the ball, but instead of picking it up and running with it, you kicked it away.
    If you get a better trucking job, then congratulations. Honestly I dont expect you to last very long with that attitude though.
     
  10. keepatrukin

    keepatrukin Bobtail Member

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    First off SPIRITWOLF there were 8 of us in my orientation counting the 2nd (2 2nd weekers) week people and NONE of us got a truck at Conover. Never did I ever say I expected the best truck, in fact I said the truck was mechanically sound. Yes it was filthy dirty and had some interior issues, not that big of a deal.

    After orientation I sat at home 5 DAYS before I had to call them for a truck, then wait another day, drive all night to get to it!

    2nd I was in the middle of nowhere when the clamp came off, 17 miles from the nearest town, if that's what you want to call the nearest town. I had no spare clamps in the truck, having only been in it a week or so.

    I never said there weren't many drivers still around. I said there aren't many long term drivers with the company.

    Your profile says you've been trucking for 1 year and you've had 3 trucks? Now your an owner op?!?! And your talking about leaving!

    If you read the replies to this thread you'll see I'm not the only one either there's a few people here saying they're on they're way out too.

    The incident with the missed drop? NO! My load assignment said nothing about it being subject to change at all. I saw the stop on the paperwork, tried to call and message dispatch but couldn't get ahold of anyone. called ocd left a couple voicemails, got no response. when I mentioned that I was told "were not in the office, we HAVE weekends" nobody works weekends there. I was scheduled for home, was 2 days late getting there as it was. Thought they might've had more stuff at my home terminal going to that stop or something (or maybe just doing me a solid and getting me home, lol, yeah right)so I took it to the terminal.

    talk all you want about me being a rookie. I am a rookie driver but not new to trucking. my father has been a driver longer than ive been alive. as a kid I would spend a month of every summer in the truck with him.

    I do not want or need my hand held at all, but I see no reason to stay with a low paying junk equipment company with bare minimum benefits. Still a rookie im getting .04 cpm more, a new truck, better benefits and GAURANTEED weekly home time. Watkins cant offer anything I cant get better at the next company. WHY SHOULD I HAVE STAYED THERE? You know everything, tell me that!

    I don't mind working or being on the road, I do have a problem doing it for .29cpm when I can get .33, the reason I went there, LIKE IVE ALREADY SAID, was because of the lies I was told. I was told id run north to south and back, see home a night or two during the week and most weekends. Counting the 5 days I waited for my truck I was home 6 days in two months! This was the very first time I had asked to go home in 2 MONTHS!!!!!!

    As far as the fueling for a shower being considered theft, I just said what I was told. We all were told this during the conference call with the fuel manager (I think his name was curt or something). Being new to the company I took it seriously. If you got away with it, good for you. Just another lie from the Watkins team then. You, and those like you, might be the reason for the stance they take on that now. I doubt you still do it.

    As far as drivers not sitting around crying at terminals? HA, HA ha ha ha, talk to some of them from time to time. See how they feel about how they get treated.

    If Watkins is the best you can do, im sorry to hear that. If your happy with them, im happy for you. THIS WAS MY EXPIERIENCE WITH THEM NOT YOURS. I left and that's it. just felt someone needed to put them on blast for what they are. For my part and what I saw, a dead end terrible JOB. I'm looking for a career, sorry to have offended your delicate nature.

    P.S. maverick pays $550/wk during training for a MIN. 3 weeks. more than what I averaged at Watkins. then .40cpm. Schneider pays $80/day for orientation/training and lasts 16-18 days, I was getting $50/day plus $10/stop with my coach and got $700 for 2 weeks of orientation, was over a month before I got a truck. There are similar offers all over. Watkins is not the only company with short term training programs. they are the lowest paying. both of the above mentioned companies have NEW equipment, hire students, have better benefits. I could go on with more companies but I don't think you care. Your ignorance is your bliss
     
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  11. SpiritWolf

    SpiritWolf Light Load Member

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    Jul 10, 2012
    North Highlands CA
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    #. I started in august 2012. This site does not seam to update its time in service, so.. I guess I will have to change my profile to reflect that. I had 3 trucks with the company. the 1st lasted me a month, the second, almost a year and a half. The 3rd was my "reward" for having been with them for a while, and most likely happened because they didnt know I was leaving shortly after that to buy my own truck... So yes, I am now on my 4th truck, but I own this one. I will eventually leave W/S....Yes...Because there ARE better companies... but..VERY few good STARTER companies, and I wanted to run my new truck for a while under a system I had experience with before I try switching to a potentially higher paying place. Yes, I AM talking about leaving... its called planning for the future. I researched for 6 months before starting school for a CDL, and have never stopped researching and learning. its why I have made it as far as I have.

    #. 8 people in my starting class... of 8 people, 7 got decent newly purchased trucks (the ex-knight trucks at the time). I got handed an old lemon from hell. Transmission problems, clutch problems, splitter problems, air and water leaks like mad, no heater and marginal A/C, radiator blew, unreliable cruise control, ...ect... So yeah, I FULLY understand the problem with wanting a working truck. I threw a childish temper tantrum on the phone, and finally got 2070...she lasted me 130k with only one major issue. That was a blown turbo. Oh, and NONE of the trucks were at Missoula. All were splattered across the US where drivers had left them at terminals. You got to sit at home... I took 5 days sitting at terminals and riding with another driver to get to my pile of junk 1st truck.

    #. only been in your truck a week, so I can understand why you didnt have a stash of spare parts yet. 17 miles is NOT "the middle of no where", but I will concede that it is a bit further than I would want to limp also. And I stand by my comment about fixing something that simple yourself if AT ALL POSSIBLE...

    # long term drivers not around? again... Look for the camo hats... ask them how long they have been around. since 2001...1999....2003...ect... There are a lot of them. Just VERY few of them are sitting around terminals. They are out driving, or keep to themselves because they dont wish to hear everyone complaining. Im guilty of that too. I would rather hide in my truck, than listen to people complaining about everything.

    #. I stand corrected about your missed drop on the trip...like I said, they Have goofed before. And yeah, them not having 24 access for drivers to talk to someone up the food chain has caused me a couple of issues in the past.

    #. I have seen SEVERAL "my dad/uncle/brother has been a trucker for 200,000,000 years and he gets better than this" type people... yeah...and if they have been around that long, OF COURSE they are going to be getting REALLY good treatment.. they paid there dues and HAVE EXPERIENCE to back up there higher pay and better treatment. This industry EATS rookies for breakfast, and hands them loads of BS to hook them on the job. Every school I saw when I started talked about how you could make $50k to $70k your first year. Look at the turn over rates for new drivers. W/S is FAR from the worst. (but not the best either). NO trucking company is perfect.

    # your constantly bringing up "junk equipment"....seriously...did you do ANY research at all about this company before signing on? one of the BIGGEST complaints people have is our equipment. I HATE sitting at a shipper for 2.5 hours fighting with trailer tandoms... W\S is slowly upgrading their fleet of trucks, and is slowly bringing in new trailers. But it doesnt happen overnight. Now, you ARE a rookie...been around the industry for years or not doesnt count...You JUST NOW started Driving...and how long you have been DRIVING counts. A 5 year old truck cost me $60,000.....a brand new one costs $130,000.... you have ZERO OTR exp.... which one do you REALLY think the company is going to put you in, until you have proven your worth? Mechanical issues happen with both Old AND new trucks. I know one of the new trucks has been back to the dealer 4 times in less than a month for major issues like leaking axle seals, turbo, Ishift, ect....And it has LESS than 5k miles on it. Even the truck i just bought has had problems. Fact of life, a truck that sits for a while WILL 75% likely have some issues that will need to be fixed when it starts running daily again. Honestly it sounds like they put some time in trying to find you a decent truck, but gave up and handed you the best they could. Im sorry it didnt work out for ya. My 1st didnt work for me either, so i FULLY understand your pain/frustration with that.

    #. hometime. yeah... being out for 2 months sucks. Longest I went was 3 months. Never going to do that again. However, In the almost 2 years I have been here, If I called and put myself on the HT list a couple weeks in advance like your supposed to, and I reminded them in every check call like your supposed to, then only ONE time did they not make it happen for me. More often than not, I get more time at home than planned. I just took a 34 at home, even though I'm not due home until the 4th of July weekend. Trucking is NOT friendly to those who want to spend lots of time at home.

    # fuel for showers....Not sure if we are talking about the same thing... I made my fuel stops to make SURE I hit Loves more than enough each month to qualify for unlimited free showers, and free coffee refills. Didnt work every month, but most of the time it did. Following the fuel route was a suggestion, not a requirement. Heck, I had so many loads where putting a full tank in like the routing told me to was flat impossible from weight considerations, so I Had to make my own routing 75% of the time.

    #. I didnt say there were not drivers sitting around terminals, I said your not seeing the long term drivers because they Are NOT sitting around terminals. And I have heard stories a whole lot worse than yours from some of the guys sitting around complaining..

    #. W/S is not the best I can do... I just know I could have done much worse. And your right, Your experience does not come close to mine. I didn't run with a mentor but went strait into my own truck, They saved my house with the $400 I got from orientation, They allowed me to pay off my debts, And they allowed me to save enough to put a down payment on my own truck. Obviously this is not how your experience with them went.

    # last I looked both Schneider and Maverick do hire rookies. Yes. but then you will run with a trainer who you may or may not like for the next 3 or 4 months in a small enclosed box, with your future in the company (and your life when your sleeping) FIRMLY in the trainers hands. Schneider will NOT give you a new truck, they will give you an older truck, until you have either proved yourself by having been there a while, or agree to lease purchase one. Oh, and Watkins has NEW trucks/equipment also, in the SAME way your mentioned companies do. Again, not necessarily for new drivers.
    (some DO get new trucks, because sometimes chips just fall that way.....just talked to a guy last week who has been with us 2 months, and has one of the newer trucks. his 1st truck was almost as bad as my 1st, so they moved him into a new one)

    Your wrong. I DO care, hence why I have been on this forum discussing my Experiences with W/S since BEFORE I actually got to orientation.
    I am also perfectly willing to admit when I am wrong, or mistaken about something. I am also willing to Flat state my opinion, and facts as "I" see them.
    I have 3 truck driver friends who went through initial CDL training with me. 2 I flat told NOT to come to W/S because I KNEW W/S is not the easiest company to work for as a beginner. The 3rd DID come here, and yes, he has left W/S.... he was offered his old union electricians job back. I would have left too for a $130k a year job!
    You insult my only having been a driver for less than 2 years, which totally ignores the FACT that IN that time, working for W/S, I was ABLE to advance from being nearly bankrupt to buying my own truck.... not leasing, but actually buying.

    I know where I managed to get to working for W/S. Obviously you couldn't work past both personal (and yes, some company caused) issues to reach where I did.

    I will ask this.
    Who do you work for now that is so much better than W/S?
    Whats your pay rate as a rookie?
    How long did you have to run with a trainer?
    How good is your Truck now?
    Did your new company provide you with everything you want?
    Have they Ever screwed Anything up?

    If we are are going to sink to the level of flinging ignorance insults, then I will end with this.

    Come back in 6 months and tell us all about the lofty heights you managed to reach with your new employer.
    Until then, Im done replying here.
     
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