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

I'm sorry to hear about these problems that you folks have been facing. I, however, would just like to say that Wakins and Shepard have been a great company to work for so far. I am new to the trucking world and a bit hard headed when it comes to catching on to things so I ask a lot of questions. These guys have been great about answering them without making me feel stupid or rediculing me for asking so many stupid questions. They have given me over 3000 miles in my first two weeks despite screwing up one pickup time and one delivery time in the same day once already (I got lost). I think I just love trucking and I really love this company. I can definitely see where your frustrations are coming from, but as they said earlier in this thread, there are 2 sides (or 3) to every story.

 

Just to update my trip with Watkins and Shepard
Two weeks after Kurt told me they would not Co-Sign for me and I asked them why are you treating me different than the rest of the applicaints? And I am thinking about fileing a Descrimination suit against you, The package was sent back to me by the bank and the application was CO-Signed, Back dated to cover their Butt and a email from Kurt to the bank I don't think they wanted me to see but it proves they went out of their way to knock me out of the training.

I understand they did get a token old fart into school and he got sick the first week and was sent home. But he will get to come back.

Anyway the class I was suppose to be in Graduated yesterday and I am happy for them to have done it. I hear 21 students in all and the next class will also be over 20. They must have alot of drivers quiting to need that many now when normally the classes were 10 students. And they have 3 schools.

 

can't keep my mouth shut any longer. Arkie sounds like a bitter old trouble maker, W/S is a great company to work for and they DONT have 3 schools. the only 30 day school they have is in Missoula.

buck up and live with it pard.......they didn't want you, and from your writings....I can't say I blame them

 

Go xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx AH

Arkie

 

I am sorry for calling you that. Not right just because you voiced your opinion. I think me or anybody just does not like rejection nomatter why it was. When you get old it is harder to take when you think you can do the job. Going into this whole deal I didn't know I had medical problems till I saw my dr for the first time in 6 yrs. Found out I had High Blood Pressure, High Colustrial and Type 2 Diebetes. The odds were against me to do this truck driving thing but I turned my life around with meds, exercise, diet and passed all the tests required. The day I passed my DMV I was so happy and went to celebrate with two beers. Came home with the sad news I didn't get the student loan.

So I didn't take this too well

You have a nice day, someday you will be old too.

Arkie

 

Hey Arkie,
Couldnt you have paid for the school yourself? I mean it is not like they told YOU no, they just told you they couldnt co sign your loan.
Well I guess you said you got the paperwork that said they did co sign. So I guess you should have asked them that IF you could come up with the funds yourself, if they would accept you.

 

Arkie no offense for saying so but part of the problem as I see it.....you make a lot of incorrect assumptions....your comment, "one of these days you will be old". you have NO idea how old I am. I have retired from one career already
by the way, I too have high blood pressure and high colestrol.
it seems to me you are looking for excuses why you CAN'T do something instead of reasons why you CAN
anyway...I hope things work out for you.

 

I agree here.. I'm new to posting here, but I've been reading for a month or two. I find it interesting (but not at all surprising) the heavy bias toward complaints over compliments.

As you can see from my age, I've blown out a few candles. One thing I learned many, many, (ok, I'll stop there) years ago is that you really ARE as young as you feel. (It's not for no reason my wife says she has THREE children. I have a great time doing whatever I'm doing, I'm in it to the eyebrows or deeper, and I go until nap time)

I just shut the door on my *second* career, and am looking for something completely different.

High Blood Pressure and High Cholesterol do seem to be facts of life to many of us - and I bless the drug manufacturers for helping me keep mine in check. I'm actually bucking for a job either on flatbeds or in LTL. My kids are certainly old enough to deal with OTR, but from what I can see, it offers limited on-the-job exercise - something I could surely use.

Returning to Arkie - I can understand bitterness.. but without the contents of that note from W/S to the bank we can't form an informed opinion as to whether they were singling you out for no good reason. As a past manager, I'm VERY familiar with hearing only one side of the story. Missing information leaves .. well, information gaps.

If you really feel you have grounds for a discrimination suit, take what you have to a lawyer. Most reputable lawyers will at least give you a no-cost preliminary meeting where they can take a look at your documentation and then tell you whether you have a case or not.

Since you are somewhat of a gypsie, I imagine you have little to no knowledge regarding local lawyers. Go ahead and pick one out of the book and call them. Tell them your problem on the phone.. and ask if they would be willing to work with you. It's very possible they won't want to - but you CAN ask for (and they should be able to suggest) legal resources in the area that could help. It may take several "hops" to get with a lawyer who feels comfortable with both segments (discrimination and transportation), but odds are good that there's at least ONE in any fair sized community. (It took my wife about 6 hops before she found one, a few years ago, to deal with her problem. It ended up costing her ex-employer about 25 times the wages she'd have been paid in the interum - just in legal fees)

(No, I'm not a lawyer, I don't play one on TV, and I have little actual use for 'em. But even used car salesmen serve a purpose).

As for the "Back Dated" form.. I'd suggest it probably is NOT back dated. They probably really did fill it out and sign it at that time - maybe even sent it off to the bank. If your credit is anything like mine, the bank probably responded with "uhhh - bad idea", whereupon W/S withdrew the offer of co-signing. It's not at all uncommon in ANY extended business relationship to pre-sign paperwork at one business, and then have the whole thing go *QUASH* when new information comes to light.

I started to wonder why they made you get your own credit report, instead of spending the $26 (or less) it would have cost them.. and I'm sure the money was a consideration. It was possibly even THE consideration - but it's good for you anyway. Every time somebody looks at your credit report, it actually counts as a strike against that credit standing (I have NO idea why this is - but it is). If you have your own copy, you can provide it to any potential employer, etc, at no extra cost to you.

In all honesty, though, and sympathizing with life experience, if I were a judge and this were in my courtroom, I'd still have to find in favor of W/S. I see evidence of miscommunication, but nothing to indicate that W/S has any vested interested in burning you.

 

The way it was explained to me is, if differrent people keep looking at your credit, it appears that you are a bad risk just by the number of inquiries.
drive55cat

 

Arkie,

Just a note here to say thanks for the PM. Given that I'm a newbie on the board, I can't respond directly - so, I didn't blow you off.

Good luck in the future,no matter which way your wheels are pointed.

Lurch