Watkins & Shepard Trucking, Inc. - Missoula, Mt.

What a joke!! I called them yesterday to inquire about a pre-hire. I told them I had a felony conviction 32 fears ago for attempted B&E and they said {NO PROBLEM} since it was so long ago. I gave them all my personal info . I called back today and they said we can't hire you because you had a felony conviction. I told the lady that I was told yesterday it didn't matter to them because it they only went back 7 years. I sure am glad I didn't wait to go to an orientation only to be sent packing from there!! Another case of being lied to by another supposed good company. Also when I tried to plead my case ; I was HUNG up on. Another black eye ; guess I am getting use to it.

 

Why would you think that a lowly recruiter would be able to descide if they could hire you or not? The seven year thing is a General guideline and certianly not written in stone. The recruiter said no problem, and Someone else higher up disagreed.

A Felony can get you banned for life from many trucking companies. If a recruiter promises you more then a conformation number for a bus ride to orientation, get it confirmed in triplicate if need be before poping the cork on the bubbly.

It has taken me a year after a minor prevent to even get a some companies to respond to my application, let alone invite me to a orientation. And I only applied to the ones were I exceeded the minimum requirements on their websites. The Insurance company, and not always trucking company, decide who they can hire.

 

Hey, I'm still waiting for the original dude to come back and post up his side of the story... From what I'm gathering, he screwed the company and the company got pissed... now he wants us to hate the company cause he screwed the company - con man? I sure as heck don't want to run into him on the road, he might be one of those "truckers" who's out there begging for money - when you KNOW he's eating well

 

This was a long ordeal for me trying to get hired and sent to school with them. I had already been turned down by CRST, SChneider and ITC citing that I don not live in the hireing area. All was OK while in email contact before I filled out the complete application providing my Birthdate. Then it all changed. After they told me that I then said to them.

Oh I forgot to tell you I am a fulltime RV'er and I can just start up the O' Motorhome and be in any hireing area you need me. None of them returned back to me with a comment. I sent couple mre emails and still no response.

So with Watkins and Shepard after sending in the app via <snip> and got a response back to please fill out the more extensive application on their web site I called and Talked to Bonnie D. I was up front and told her my age and told her I was mostly intersted in signing on with them because I had read about their Unique Student Loan program thru Transportation Alligance Bank (TAB)

I was told no problem with age if you can pass all the testing required. So I went ahead and filled out the long form application. This process took about a week in all to get it to them. I told Bonnie up front that my credit score was low due to couple three Bumps I got the past year but because they CO Sign I feel there will be no problem and I look forward to driving for them two or three years.

I filled out and faxed in the Long Application on Oct 9th

After they got the app I was told I need to send in 3 yrs of business tax forms to prove I actually was involved in a little business on the internet for the past 3 yrs so I provided all that plus more, another week gone in the process.

Moving right along after signing my life away to be Indebted to them for 4200.00 plus working for them two years min Bonnie emaild me saying where is the Loan Application. I told her I had not rec one to fill out. So she mailed one,

We are running out of time as I am suppose to be in the Nov 26th class.

I bought work shoes on Oct 12th.

I filled out the long Credit app and mailed it back to them.
Gwen told me they arrived on Nov 1st

Then email from Gwen

Bonnie has ok'd your application and we are ready to move on the next step which is to send you in for a Pje. The closest location we have to you is in Las Vegas, NV. I need to know when you will be available to do this so I can schedule the appt. Thank you, Gwen​

They set me up for testing in Las Vegas on Nov 8th

I asked Gwen why not get my credit approved before the testing. I thought that was the most important thing.

Her response

I need to know the date before you go in. The loan will not be processed until after the physical is complete and results have come back. Thats why we need to get it done as soon as possible. Thank you. Gwen​

Bonnie​

Good Morning Gordon​

this is the procedure....for coming to school​

application ok'd​

then physical and hpe(bending and stretching)

we have to have these things done before we can send in the loan documents to the bank..

this is standard procedure on all watkins and shepard students.
Sorry I thought we had gone over this already or your e mail buddies had mentioned this to you.
any more questions please let me know
Bonnie​

So I did all my testing on Nov 8th and passed with flying colors and came home with my DOT Cert in my wallet. I figure smooth sailing now they can send in my loan papers to TAB

Then this email on Nov 7th from Gwen

Things are falling into place. ​

I bought my airline ticket on Nov 10th

This email on Nov 12 th 5 days later. You know these people just keep screwing around and I had to get my airplane ticket before it does not cost 500.00 one way.

Gordon: Have you gotten that copy of your credit report yet from freecredit? ​

I said
What are you talking about? Nobody told me I have to go out and get a credit report and send to you. This is something the bank would do I think.

She says

Gordon: We still have steps in this process we have to follow thru with. I'm sorry if you feel it is taking too long. Have you gotten the credit report yet with the credit score on it. I need this report before I can send the loan docs to the bank. Thank you, Gwen​

Nov 14th

I had appointment at DMV at 9 am so I was off on my way.

I took three tests
Gen 50 questions Missed 5
Combo 20 questions if I remember missed 2
Air Brakes 25 questions Missed 2Total 95 questions
Passed with flying colors and was so happy I have done everything required. W/S required us to take our state DMV tests even though as soon as we get there we have to take the MT tests. They DMV guy in Kingman thought that was insane and stupid because you can't transfer the learner permit to another state.

So when I got back home I get this email from Bobbie

Hello Gordon.
Curt is back we are sending in your loan docs to the bank..just like everyonelse
sorry for confusion...
We will wait to hear from the bank to see if they approve it.
I will let you know as soon as I hear from you...
Bonnie​

I asked her again about the credit report.​

Congrats on the permit.​

woo hoo.​

I do not need the credit report....sorry for the confusion for this new process...​

we are still learning...

talk soon

Bonnie​

Anyway I figure couple three days and I should learn about the loan. Thinking as long as W/S CO signs it should be a walk in the park. ​

Thur I celebrated at the Colorado River belle Micro Brew Pub couple good beers and then came home to the Great News from Bonnie​

Hello Gordon,​

Just heard from the Bank....​

your score is lower than they will accept... so we can not fund you at this time.​

Could you possibly come up with the money up front?

please let me know..​

I feel like dropping dead now.​

My whole life just passed in front of me.​

I asked why why if you co signed I should of not been turned down​

This from the training dir Cutis W.​

Mr B., If you'd like to discuss you potential employment with Watkins and Shepard please call me. I need Bonnie to be working on other things. Please do not e-mail or call her any more.​

We have not said we will not employ you. We've only said we will not co-sign a loan for you. ​

Curt W.

Director of Recruiting ​

I asked him why dir you treat me different than the other huys I know on the forum that will be in the Nov 26th class. I know they co signed for them and probably everybody else the past year. That was the Great New Deal I read about on a Transportation web site, article about this process.​

I have not rec anymore response from W/S​

I have not had anymore contact with them, I have contacted the agency to complain about age descrimination because I feel they just needed to find a way to dump me out of the process without telling me I am too old.​

You may not agree but with 4 companys now and months of wasted time my dream is about over.​

Arkie​

 

The requirements for credit have changed recently. Another reason they may of turned you down is because you seemed by your post to have a combative tone in your dealings with recruiting. At least that is the perception I got from your conversations with the company.

Everybody gets turned down for a job they thought they met the requirements for at one time or another. But they don't cry foul they just keep looking. Thats what you should do or get your credit score up so you will qualify. Good luck

 

Maybe after 4 companys have delt me a blow I quit kissing their A@# in the end. I am 65 years old and all I wanted to do was go to their school and drive for least two years to pay back the loan. Then get my own truck and Authority if it still felt right. Now I am talking with a friends friend who has his own truck but got handicapped and can't drive anymore, truck has been stored for a few years. Maybe some way we can put it back making money.

Arkie

 

That's a good idea.

According to your Location- Bullhead City AZ, I can't think of many trucking outfits that can help you out there. I don't even think we have Vegas open right now...

 

So I take you back to these companys about my location.

I had already been turned down by CRST, Schneider citing that do not live in the their hireing area, They advertised in our local paper for drivers.

All was OK while in email contact before I filled out the complete application providing my Birthdate.

I then told them.

Oh I forgot to tell you I am a fulltime RV'er and I can just start up the O' Motorhome and be in any hireing area you need me. None of them returned back to me with a comment except for ITC after I filled out all the papers and sent them in, waited over a week and then called them, They said O' their terminal in Kingman just closed so we can't hire you now.

I told them the same about moving close to one of their terminals and he just hung up on me.

Go Figure

Arkie

 

Arkie,

Sorry to hear about the run-around they gave you. I would never work for them or any other company after that. Here is how it worked out for me;

I sent in my application and it took almost a year to get in. I called every 3 or 4 weeks to see if there were any openings until finally a call came. I met the transportation manager for an interview on a Thursday. After the interview, I was told that I would be taken to meet the branch ops manager. All went well and they asked if I could go take a pre hire drug/alcohol test. I took the tests on the same day. I received a call on the following Wednesday for an offer to come to work for them. I excepted and was told to report in two weeks for training. I arrived on Sept. 1st 2004. Three of us spent exactely 3 days in the classroom for training since we all had prior experience. One of those days, we were asked to take a test drive with the trainer/mechanic. It lasted about 5 minutes as we drove around the block with a loaded trailer. We were never in class more than six hours each day and we were paid for eight hours each day. One day we were there for only five hours.

Needless to say, we are all still there. It was a little tough for the first three months as we were only paid $17.07 per hour. We did get a raise to $18.49 after our three month probation period. We are now at $24.39 per hour.

If I were you, I would take the time to find a company that makes you proud to call yourself a professional truckdriver.

Drive safe