My Experiance with Watkins Shepard!

You never know, That scratch could have damaged the Structural Integrity of the Entire Truck!




American Trucker

 

So I started Orientation On September 27th, and became an "employee" October 7th 2010.

My First 4 FULL weeks on the Road MILES:

Week 1= 2359 Miles
Week 2= 2423 Miles
Week 3= 2633 Miles
Week 4= 2413 Miles

Total: 9,828 Miles Average: 2,457 Miles

Money Since Day 1:

Week 1= $100 (Orientation)
Week 2= $100 (Orientation)
Week 3= $128.40 (Orientation)
Week 4= $530.57
Week 5= $387.84
Week 6= $625.22

Total: $1,872.03 (All these $ Amounts are Deposits "after Taxes")

So far I still really like Watkins Shepard. Orientation went relatively smoothly considering the size of our orientation class. We didn't have to wait to be assigned a truck, Mine was right there at the terminal. Just about everyone I have met here at W/S has been very nice and helpful.

I have gotten a load within 1 hour of sending my MT call about 95% of the time. I've only had a few customers that took hours to load or unload me. Most of the customers that I have delivered too have been nice only a few rude ones.

My Miles while not great have been consistent, and I'm sure as I get more efficient my miles will improve. Same with the money, as the miles increase so will the money, I am also getting allot better with these LTL Furniture Runs I figured out a system to make it more Profitable for me. They give you the list of delivery's with the Name/Number/address/receiving hours of the customers/and delivery date, well at first I was doing just what it said, well thats wasting my time. So What I NOW do is Get to the first stop 15 min before the start receiving and then try to run through them as fast as possible even if I finish that "Days" delivery's if I have time and the hours to keep going I will start knocking off the ones for the next day, that way I can finish that load and get another one. A 12 stop 1000 mile load pays the same in 3 days as it does 4 why stretch it out......


So all in all I am happy that I made the decision to start my driving Career with Watkins Shepard and I would and DO recommend W/S to other drivers.








American Trucker

 

For sure! lol I tried but I should have taken the long way down here, You know the way.....UP into rochester then down to SC haha



American Trucker

 

I finished my last 4 stops pretty quick yesterday, (Rent a Center Doesn't receive until 10am) But I had delivered to 2 of them by 10AM haha

Then I ran up north a little more (Almost got to meet SammyCat) and did a drop and hook, I even took a short cut (RT21) on the way there that saved me 45 min, it was all "2 Lane Truck'n", Pretty steep up and down lots of curves, the road was wide for a two lane and being empty it was no big deal it was actully allot of fun I rather enjoy that type of driving compared to Hiways. But then after I got loaded they ROUTED me that way back!!!!!! WTF I need to explain this: On the way up there I was empty so hills and curves no problem, BUT on the way back at 74,000lbs and a 435-475HP truck NO WAY haha. So I took the longer way back down and even then on I-390 my truck was have BIG trouble keep anywhere close to the speed limit............I think I'm going to have that looked at when my truck goes in for its Oil Change in 2000miles. Because I can go up a hill not a grade but a little hill fully loaded 79,999lbs at 65mph, then later go back up the same hill compleatly empty and not be able to do more then 30mph. It does this ALL the time lol

Anyway I ran as far as I could unforunatly not far enough but I found Penn 80 Truck Stop its a Pilot, its HUGE and only had like 30% of the spots filled, If im ever in that area again looking for a T/S im deffinitly going there again.

Then today ran 10 hours and 15 min all the way to Rock Hill, SC I'm maybe 20 minutes from my apartment lol I seriouly considered stoping at the little T/S 8 spots thats about 2 or 3 miles from my apartment and walking home for the night, but I wanted to get as close to the customer as I could, so that I can use more of my 11 hours tomorrow on another load.

So Im here for 17 hours and 15 min, then I'll drive the 1.5 hours to the customer! I've got 2344 Miles and 16 stops worth of Trip enovolpes in my truck to turn in (3 Trips). Cha Ching Which is pretty good seeing as I've only been on the road since 5am Sunday Morning.

I'm hoping my next load will take me far away from the east coast for a little while I still have 16 states that I've never been to......


I've been to all the colored ones








American Trucker

 

Nope I'm OTR they can send me to all 48 and canada





American Trucker