MY 3 Month Review with Willis Shaw Express

Ok lets start off by saying if i had the chance to do it all over again i absolutly would NOT i thought it was great during orientation and training, thats right i was a student driver when i joined WSE. The Big deciding factor on me going with WSE was they offered a $150 a month tuition reimbursement and i didnt here to much about turn overs on WSE so that won me over not to mention the recruter told me i would average over 500 miles a day and thats what the add on one of the trucking mags said as well, all was fine with mileage when i was on my training truck wer wer getting about 4k miles a week, i finished my training in 4 weeks time. I thought wow they run great miles here, until i recieved my own truck that is i have been in my own truck now for 2 months and run an average of only 250 miles a day and see about from 1200 1800 miles a week, I never had a 2k mile week yet. i figured it was just me , and by the way im OTR but they never have me leave south east region for some reason. I only am running about 20% of my time out here the rest is sitting do to there preplans they will send loads with 700 miles but cant be delivered until 4 days out, and they are all loads that other fleets probably turn down. and its not just me i talk to other drivers here and unless your a trainer or have been here for 3 or more years you dont get any miles, i tried and talked to my fleet mgr but solved nothing, i just dont think they have many loads out there but yet they continue to hire new drivers and have them sit around . i recently found out that every fleet that hires a new grad gets a kick back of around $10k for each student driver employed which is where the reimbursement comes to play, no one ever stays past the 6 months if they even make it that long which is why i believe they hire new student drivers in the first place ( to make money off them) just my opinion . all i can say is i make less then what i could be making stocking shelves at walmart with all the hassle of being out here on the road. I Never get more then a 1800mile week and those are far an between as well good luck to who ever joins there fleet and some more info they have a 90% turn over rate you just never here about them because they are a smaller fleet

 

Here we go again, another new driver bi***ing and complaining. Then mix in a little bit of their "knowledge" (ex. "their 700 mile 4 day load was turned down by another company") and it makes for some entertaining reading at best.

Also, not to pick on the OP, but people can you please at least try to use the correct word? There/their, hear/here it's not all that hard. When to use a capital letter ( I for example). Or when to use periods and commas, to prevent run on sentences. I've never been accused of being an English major, but I at least try to use the correct word. (I have a dictionary one mouse click away).

 

So quick to judge there Pilgrim. I have been with WSE for 8 years. Through those 8 years I have thought about quitting. The only reason I have stayed is because there is no greener grass. I did my homework. I admit that we're not getting A LOT of miles. I am averaging 2500 at least. There are times you will average a lot less. I am one of those people that have averaged a lot less. I grumbled and complained. I even changed FM's after 2 years of having a good FM. Why did I change? Because as a O/O I can't sit idle. If you don't speak your mind, you will not get anywhere in this world, trucking or not. See, here is my theory. You got into this business without thoroughly thinking anything through. You thought, "wow, I can make money!" Wrong. Economy took a major dump. Companies closed their doors. Companies lost customers. New drivers get into this business because they "want to see the states." That is fine and dandy, but there's sooo many that don't have the "heart." It has to be in your blood to do this job. Job jumpers I care less about. I am just guesstimating that you will be one of those jumpers. So man up and at least try and work it out. Your attitude also counts against you. I don't pry into 'who did what or where." I keep my nose out of their business. I do my job. I do it right or at least try to. So if you want pointers on how to get along in a trucking atmosphere then you should ask yourself a few questions.

At least they have freight.
You get paid weekly.
You aren't just a number, but they know you by name.
I am known by name.
It makes a day brighter knowing that I am needed.
You could be homeless, but WSE decided to let you drive for them.
They want you to be safe and if a load can't be delivered timely because of the shipper or receiver they gladly arrange so it can be delivered on-time.
If you are the reason for the messed up load, then you are just SOL.
I have always been treated with dignity there.


There are cons. You have to wait till Thursday to be paid. Waiting around a truck stop or receiver for a load can be dull. Trust me the holidays are terrible. Never work the holidays unless you are set up before hand. That goes with any company.
I had a little issue when my mother was put in a hospital. I wanted to go home right then and there. I was 200 or so miles from home. They couldn't find a swap. I delivered the load and went home. I was pissed indeed. But, that was the only time that I needed to get home asap and wasn't able to. I get home when I need to get home. If I need to get to a place, I get there one way or another.

So before you can complain about 3 months of actually NO experience in driving. Ask someone who still is learning and never will quit learning. Don't go in with a full tilt attitude, because it will be busted.

Just say'n..

 

first off didnt know this was a grammar test, second if any one ####### and complains its the more experienced drivers who have been driving for years, Third Terribee Your a O/O you have no right commenting on how a company driver gets treated as for you can pick and choose what loads you want and if your just bearly making 2500 miles a week and sometimes less as a O/O your a moron for not complaining of finding another job by now that is far from something to brag about, 4th this is a thread started by me for other drivers who are considering comming aboard WSE as student drivers i had just experienced this you guys as vets have not, you have no idea what goes on as a rookie driver I do, so in this field I have the experience to comment on the situation not U! this thread was not intended on me having experience as a driver but as my tittle said MY 3 MONTH EXPERIENCE WITH WSE so unless I want to be a O/O or have been with the company for 8 yrs why would any one want to ask you any thing and especially when you think averaging less then 2500miles a week as a O/O is a good thing just because you have been here for 8 yrs means you know how everything works it means you know how your 8 yrs as a O/O has been not as a company driver nor as a a student driver so on this subject you have no right to even comment. I can't help it i call it as i see it if its black its black not dark grey!!!!!!, and these are my opinions on what i have gone threw here, not everyone is the same

 

Oh, so you figure that all the "vets" on here are ALWAYS been "vets?" Get real, we all had to go through the "rookie blues." And with your attitude in your last post here, my guess is you aren't gonna make it in trucking. Go stock your Wallyworld shelves and leave trucking to folks who have the maturity to deal with it.

Now I know you will jump on this, so be my guest.

 

Last it's not threw it's t.... never mind.

And like Big Don said, we were ALL rookies at one time. So get off your high horse.

 

Meh... Whatever.. Your "bi***ing" is just as bad.

 

Go with FFE they suck, but have miles youll forget how to get home

 

By the way,

a 90% turnover rate-is pretty good !!!!!

Many companies have a 100% +............

some even have a 200% !!!!!!!!!

 

You gotta start somewhere man. My father put my mom through college driving for these folks.. Bottom of the barrel is where you always start unless your a highly educated man. Do what you gotta do, put in your time, learn the industry and move on! Take care out there driver..