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Is it true they let you start solo?

Discussion in 'Watkins & Shepard' started by Lightside, Jul 11, 2015.

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  1. Jul 11, 2015 #1
    Lightside

    Lightside Medium Load Member

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    I read on their page that when you start after orientation you won't have a trainer? Sounds pretty good to me.
     
    Lightside, Jul 11, 2015
    Lightside, Jul 11, 2015
    #1
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  3. Jul 11, 2015 #2
    Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

    68,417
    143,460
    Aug 28, 2011
    Henderson, NV & Orient
    0
    That's what other drivers have posted. 10 days orientation then hit the road solo unless you request more time. 10 days is plenty of time unless you graduated from a public high school that focused of teaching political correctness.
     
    Chinatown, Jul 11, 2015
    Chinatown, Jul 11, 2015
    #2
    dukesings, iono12345 and Lightside Thank this.
  4. Jul 11, 2015 #3
    Lightside

    Lightside Medium Load Member

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    Jul 4, 2015
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    I start at May next week. Guess I will go to the orientation and see how it is. Schneider is an option but don't know if I want to go all the way to Fontana..unless of course they let me have my own room during training (representative said I might be on my own). Applied at Gordon and Watkins. Gordon seemed alright (they have a great looking terminal in Millersberg). Pay was the same as the others really. .29cpm up to 36cmp. Most pay tuition. Schneider is the only company so far that offered me a sign on bonus. I like the 90 dollars a day for 90 days at May. I keep hearing though they don't have a lot of work.

    The biggest things I am looking at are:

    Safety - Condition of trucks/trailers
    Pay/Bonuses - Schneider wins here
    Length of training - Schneider or Watkins
    Home time - May terminal is very close to me.
     
    Last edited: Jul 12, 2015
    Lightside, Jul 11, 2015
    Lightside, Jul 11, 2015
    #3
  5. Jul 11, 2015 #4
    RickyDickyDo

    RickyDickyDo Heavy Load Member

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    Nov 22, 2010
    Loveland, Colorado
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    Go to www.fmcsa safety. There you will find different web sites to look up companies on safety records and such.
     
    RickyDickyDo, Jul 11, 2015
    RickyDickyDo, Jul 11, 2015
    #4
    Lightside Thanks this.
  7. Jul 12, 2015 #5
    passingthru69

    passingthru69 Road Train Member

    8,740
    34,845
    Jul 12, 2009
    davenport,Ia / ratchaburi, thailand
    0
    Would like an auto.. Geeze want some to hold the steering wheel for you also...
     
    passingthru69, Jul 12, 2015
    passingthru69, Jul 12, 2015
    #5
  8. Jul 12, 2015 #6
    walstib

    walstib Darkstar

    4,674
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    Sep 25, 2010
    Since you aren't there, your house!
    0
    I highly recommend Watkins Shepard BECAUSE they have no trainer time, you shouldn't need it and their safety record proves it...
     
    walstib, Jul 12, 2015
    walstib, Jul 12, 2015
    #6
    Lightside Thanks this.
  9. Jul 12, 2015 #7
    3031

    3031 Light Load Member

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    Jun 29, 2011
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    It's true, you're on your own after the 10 day orientation. I started my career with WS and have been here four years. It's a good company.
     
    3031, Jul 12, 2015
    3031, Jul 12, 2015
    #7
    walstib and Lightside Thank this.
  10. Jul 12, 2015 #8
    Lightside

    Lightside Medium Load Member

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    Jul 4, 2015
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    haha I don't need an auto just would make things easier to start off with to learn the road and logs etc. I was told to try to find a company with an auto because my shifting wasn't the greatest but I would like to master it.
     
    Lightside, Jul 12, 2015
    Lightside, Jul 12, 2015
    #8
  11. Jul 13, 2015 #9
    Mr. Jay

    Mr. Jay Light Load Member

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    Jun 17, 2013
    Colorado Springs, CO
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    The only down side to the 10 day program isn't necessarily the driving aspect of the job, but the administration. When I went through, we were still on paper logs, so that along with getting everything right with the trip envelopes was fairly stress inducing.

    Then there's the whole "why won't the receiver return my phone calls?" and "My GPS says this and my routing says THIS?!?" issues to contend with as well.
     
    Mr. Jay, Jul 13, 2015
    Mr. Jay, Jul 13, 2015
    #9
  12. Jul 14, 2015 #10
    archangelic peon

    archangelic peon Medium Load Member

    504
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    Dec 15, 2011
    0
    Should have gone with Maverick then, Flatbed or reefer, they have full size sleeper auto cascadias, EXCELLENT equipment, dedicated glass & flatbed accounts, great hometime, better pay then all you listed/applied to, & might be a company you would want to stay for more then a year.

    Hope it works for you at Watkins, you must have thick skin or will grow it soon.
     
    archangelic peon, Jul 14, 2015
    archangelic peon, Jul 14, 2015
    #10
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