My Experiance with Watkins Shepard!

i would make videos, but it would just be me yelling at cars and singing my own remixes of songs because thats what i do 10 hours a day. i do want to get a dash cam and give that a try though.

 

Just leave out the "peeing in the bottle" parts.

 

Sounds like me in my F350.... I get so #### mad at the idiots driving today that think the turn signal is an option. I yell, Scream and throw a lot of fingers when I'm in my POV..... When I'm in my big truck at work I have to be good because I'm waring an Air Force Uniform... Pisses me off that we have so many stupid people driving these days......

 

Hey AT
just got a chance to catch up the last few days! You have been busy.
LOVE the video and music very very cool! I also checked out your FB page!!
I hope your New Year was good and that 2011 keeps going as well as you ended 2010!!!

 

Hey AT just saw the new video looks good keep em coming! Its alot harder to find another company to drive for than i thought it was going to be! I wonder if i could go through orientation again?

 

D1 I really don't understand your questioning me, I made a mistake and now let's just move on, I'm not perfect and I am human, luckily no one got hurt or killed and so now let's just let it be, to tell you the truth I can't remember where I got the trailer, but when dispatch ignores my QC request to get the trailer to a shop and tells me to do something else with it then, I have done everything in my power to get it fixed. Thanks TD24

 

You really dont get it, let me make this clear. if you know the equipment needs work and is dangerous, simple solution get stern with dispatch, inform them of what needs to happen, if that doesnt work get saftey involved. you must take control, not take orders. if a trailer is unsafe I tell dispatch straight up what needs to happen, not what I want to happen.

Like I said before, not really picking on you directly but at the same time, informing you.

 

Sorry TD but I must side with D1 on this issue. A quick background on me before I state my point of view. I am not a truck driver yet, but I do have 15 yrs as a CDL driver Class B in the public transit sector. I worked for 12 yrs as a driver and 3 yrs as a Supervisor/Dispatcher. As a Supervisor or Dispatcher your job is to get that LOAD from point A to B. Load being either freight, or people from my experience. The dispatcher is not the one evaluating the equipment, and they are not the one that is going to be held liable if something happens, even if they are made aware of the safety issue and give orders to proceed. However the DRIVER has the final say, and responsibility in the operation of his/her vehicle.

This is not a bash on anyone, I just felt like I needed to touch on this issue. This goes out to all the people with limited or no commercial experience under their belt. Its all about C.Y.A.. If anything happens it is your license and your livelihood on the line, not the dispatchers. If you are unsure of the extent a defect may have on the safety of a vehicle, then by all means call your dispatcher and ask them, or better yet call safety or a shop and ask. If you don't like an answer that a dispatcher is giving you and you know, or feel it is a big issue, then by all means go above that dispatchers head. If it means pulling your truck into a shop and them having to find another close by truck to pick up the trailer, or pull it into a nearby warehouse to have it loaded onto a safe trailer, well that is what they are there for. Even if it is a defect that someone else might operate with, but you just don't feel safe working with those conditions. Do something about it. C.Y.A..

I have been reading a lot on here about people missing things, or just down right admitting that they haven't checked something during their pre-trip. Is it really worth it to get complacent. In today's economy is it worth it to risk a ticket, or worse, your job. Its not to me, and I am sure it is not to a lot of you. These defects that cause major safety issues are nothing to be screwing around with. Why do you think there are certain points in your CDL test that if you screw up and get wrong, it is an automatic fail. That is there for a reason. And if during an accident investigation they come across a defect that should have been picked up during a pre-trip, even if the accident is not your fault, guess what you are going to get dinged for it or worse.

DISCLAIMER: There are certain things that you may feel that are a major safety issue that everyone else says is ok. If you have C.Y.A. and conferred with all the powers that be and they say pull it. Then you might want to take a step back and reevaluate the situation. I have had people take a stand on defects like a crack in the windshield or mirror that I ended up just having to write up for insubordination and delaying their schedules. So make sure you have a bit of common sense about things, and if your not sure again call the appropriate people and get a second opinion.

This is just a word of caution on the issue from someone that has been on both sides of the window. I only bring it up cause it is the current flow of the conversation. I am not bashing anyone here. TD sorry if you feel singled out, and I realize it is not common practice for you. AT sorry for jacking your thread.


Drive Safe and hope to see you guys out on the road in a couple of months.

James

 

Nice video. Pretty dirty windshield......LOL......

 

Yep, when I have an equipment issue, I don't "ask" to have it fixed. I tell them it's going to be and if it's safe enough, I'll drive straight to a shop. If not, I'll have it fixed wherever I am if need be. It's OUR responsibility to ensure the safety of our rig, the freight, ourselves and all those around us. When it comes to safe operations, the buck stops with us and we have the final word....PERIOD!

Not picking on you TD, just agreeing with D1.