Watkins shepard

I can totally understand that Arkie. That is why I don't like to fly. I don't like NOT being in control of the vehicle I am traveling in.

 

I checked out the temps from last year. I am hoping for a Indian Winter with just a tad of snow but last year they got couple inches in Dec.

I never put chains on my car in calif. Looking forward to learning that trick in -30 degree weather

In Thule Greenland we had - 65 degrees and phase 3 conditions where you stayed put for couple three days at a time. White Out and Blowing snow over 100 mph

Arkie

 

I remember those type temperatures and winter weather conditions from my years living in the UP of Michigan. And yes I have put chains on a car when the wind was blowing, snow coming down so hard it was a white out. One time that happened to me I was in office working clothes and dress shoes. Not a fun experience. Since that time even living here in the Pacific Northwest I always have a heavy coat, gloves, knit hat and boots in my Durango during the fall and winter months. You just never know.

My good friend of mine that drives truck told me to always carry two 2X6 boards with you in the truck. When you need to put on the chains you can drive up on them (inside wheels on a drive axel) then you can get the chains around the outter wheels a lot easier.

Raak

 

Tell us more about the school you attended.

This post was on another forum and I was wondering how true it is

Any students from Watkins Shepard on here???? Planing on attending W/S school in November. Is or has anyone attended their school and could shed some light on what to expect ????? Thanks for any Info

I went to the WS driving school about 2 years ago in Missoula. It's a good school, you'll learn alot about how to drive a truck. You'll get LOTS of stick time running on the local 2-lanes. You will also spend quite a bit of time pulling a 53 through downtown Missoula. They were using Freightliners with 10-speeds for training when I was there. Students have access to the training trucks in their off-time, you have to stay on the lot but it's nice to get to go and practise backing over the weekend. There are some decent grades around Missoula and you will get very used to mountain driving. One thing that Watkins Shepard is big on is teaching their drivers how to shift to a lower gear while going down a steep grade (a big NO-NO in most of the trucking world, but handy if the gear you chose to descend with isn't holding you back enough). Towards the end of your 4 weeks you will go on a "class trip" where you get to run team delivering real freight with an instructor driving shotgun. If you stay in their onsite housing be prepared for paper-thin walls next to the drivers lounge.....ie:loud truckers telling their BS stories all night long keeping you up.

Now for the bad news....

Watkins Shepard's driving school is sort of like boot camp for trucking. The instructors will do everything they can to keep you in a high-pressure environment to see how well you react. They will yell at you, scream at you, humiliate you, do everything but hit you. Part of it is just the "Montana Macho" image you will see quite a bit in the company, but also its just WS wanting to see how well their prospective employees react under pressure. I learned quickly to just be quiet and not attract attention to myself. Don't ask questions, you will just be talked down to. It's actually kind of sad to see a grown man throw a temper tantrum and a coniption fit when a student grinds a gear a little bit. Also, you will get lots of instruction for the driving part of the CDL test but no preparation at all for the pre-trip portion of the test. Be prepared to come up with a way to memorize the pre-trip on your own. I made it through the school by just reminding myself that when it was all through I would get my own truck and get to drive without anyone else in the cab to bother me. That's right, Watkins Shepard is the only company (that I know of anyway) to send out a freshly graduated driver in his/her own truck without a driver-trainer.

All in all I'm glad I did it. I worked for WS for a year and then got a local Monday through Friday job. I'll never go back to driving long-haul again.

Good luck to you...


Still sounds like a good school to go to and I will have fun reliving my Air Force Boot Days at W/S training. Least now I have more than fuzz to shave off.

I am comitted to going if all goes well and I get all my Ducks Lined Up.

Bonnie sent me the list of what to bring and school loan papers to sign and I guess it was the official offer and she told me they were bringing me up on the bus.


Arkie

 

Watkins-shepard is from what I have heard is a really good companyHOWEVER like I mentioned in several posts that if you can go 2 training with a private school rather than a company school.If u r low on cash they're ways to get financial aide.OR if u don't have any private CDL training Schools that r close or even in your hometown check out the community college CDL training programs.They r GREAT at least here in Nevada.IF u decide 2 go to your own school as I mentioned above Watkins-Shepard will reimburse u if u finance.ALSO u can apply for State Grants in your state.IF u quilify u can get state pel grants meaning that u NEVER HAVE 2 PAY IT BACK!!!! anyway that being said the cool thing about Watkins-Shepard if u already graduated from CDL training u just have to go to Moussula Montana 4 ten days while THEY train U at their own yard.Meaning U don't have 2 go out with a trainer who is more than likely a COMPLETE STRANGER 2 u after your 10 days r finished they assign u to a truck.WAY COOL IN MY OPINION

 

I like the idea of W/S
We made a deal to keep each other for two years, 24 months and they will pay 25.00 per week of my 40.00 school bill as long as I am driving for them.
That is 2400.00 out of 3840.00

So I only pay 1440.00

I got a trucking program I am going to do a make believe that I am O/O and track everything in it. (Truckers Helper S/W) which is only 49.95 to buy.

That way I will see what it would of been like if I had my own truck and getting the 1.25 PM

The bank I am getting my school loan from (Transportation Allience Bank TAB) is also tied to Flying J and I already have applied for my account and will get a bunch of checks and a Flying J Fuel Card (Debit Card, Not a Credit Card) . They also loan money to buy new and used trucks.

Arkie

 

What a beautiful drive from Vancouver over to Missoula. I arrived in at the W/S school this afternoon and got my key to the room. Checked out the dorm rooms. Pretty small, only two beds and a night stand in between. Maybe a chair or two. Then took my family over to check into the Wingate Inn. Nice water slide pool area in here and computers to use. We are going to spend the night here then they will drop me back over at the dorm on Sunday.

It was raining on and off on the way here but coming through Idaho on I90 during the color season was awesome. It is part of what makes driving so nice. The sights you see from the small window. I saw the envelopes for a couple of Johns in there with mine. See you guys tomorrow.

Raak

 

A tip for you new guys, and some of you older hands also.

Stearns rain gear. It cost a bit more, stays pliable even in sub freezing weather (a big plus) and is easy to get in and out of. It's light and durable. A full set will set you back about $70 at Wal-MArt. And it's worth every penny of it. I haven't had to buy anything else since I purchased the set I have. And, I don't have to wear tons of heavy gear underneath. It blocks the wind effectively.

Cheap ones get stiff in cold weather, and rip easily.

 

Thanks for the update and good luck your first few days

I have my sterns rain gear from when we owned our 50 ft cruising sailboat

that was long ago but the gear lasts for many years.

Arkie