Watkins Shepard Short Training Period

Since starting this thread a bit over a month ago some decisions have been made. Thought I would update anyone who cared.

I have decided to go with Watkins & Shepard. I start training next week (18th) in Hickory, NC. Talked with trainer this afternoon - sounds like a great guy with lots of experience. I am looking forward to it. I am ready to get to work!

Thanks for all the feedback/input.

 

Just an update. Training has gone well. I finish up tomorrow, we are completing all the paperwork today and they are trying to finalize how to get me to a truck. Looking forward to it.

About the school with training I am not sure what they are referring to. I went to a cdl program at a technical college outside of Atlanta. They had no problem with it.

Good luck with whatever you do. I do highly recommend the technical college route if you have time. These programs take longer than the 3-week license mills. The one I went to was 8 weeks, but we got plenty of driving.

 

Another update for anyone that is interested.

I have been driving this week for WS and it is going well. I was tasked with picking up a tractor in Mississippi to take with a load to Missoula, MT so the tractor can be retired. It is a Volvo with a bit over 800,000 miles on it, a 2000 model I think. It is not in bad shape but it is one of their older ones. Average age is supposed to be around 18 months. I will get a new to me tractor on Monday - I hope. The other guy that went thru training with me is also bringing one back and we are traveling out together. Spending tonight in Billings and will finish up the trip tomorrow.

Driving has gone well. Getting used to truck stop food is another story. Flying J is really proud of their buffet. The food is not terrible it is just not good. I have some experience in the restaurant world and I worry about how long the food appears to have been sitting out. What most buffet operators do is bring out fresh, for example gravy, and pour it in with the gravy that is left over on the buffet. This just makes the fresh gravy old. Any bacteria that were in the old exposed gravy are now in the new. The correct way to do it is to replace the old pan with a new pan of fresh gravy and dispose of the old. The limit according to the industry standard ServSafe is 4 hours. A quality buffet will cut that back to 2-3 hours depending on the product. I could tell tonight that the gravy pans had been in the steamer most of the day by the dried out chinked up pieces of "gravy" that were on and in the pan. I didn't eat the buffet but if that is how they treat the food I can see does the kitchen do it any better???

Mostly I am having a good time. Driving has been fun. I have learned a lot the first week and I know that I have tons more to learn. I am glad that I am not riding with a trainer/finisher. I would be going crazy - there is not enough room in this truck for me and my stuff I cannot imagine 2 of us.

Everyone take it easy out there.