Watkins Shepard Or CFI/Conway????

I don't know much about CFI except they haul refer and w/s does not. Thing I like about w/s is that after the 90 day probation you can stay regional, go lower 48, team or drive flatbed. Options are there. I love em so far and do recommend them but I think it'll come down to whether or not you want to drive refer or not.

 

CFI does not run reefers. And the insurance sucks. It will pay, but you'll have to hound their butts to death.

I'm getting bills from a visit they failed to pay on from 2 years ago. I paid the deductable upfront...Now the hospital is after me.

I left CFI after almost 3 years, came to W&S.

I haven't regretted the move at all. I make the same money, sometimes more. And I'm home every week.

 

I'm not currently on their insurance. Snafu on my part So I can't give you any info there.

90 days vs. 60 days Not a deal breaker/maker in my book.

I have started long term disability with them though.

I would be more concerned about how a company treats its employees. I'm not going to be treated like a dog...just because I need my insurance 30 days sooner. By ANY company.

 

Sorry, but I'm gonna sound like a recruitor.

I've had a couple of run ins with a few people. Mainly personality conflicts, mine being the problem in most cases.

One run in with payroll, that was resolved.

I've ran into a couple of Detroit drivers that complained of issue in getting home, OTR drivers.

Their equipment is as good as CFI's.

Forced dispatch?? You WILL go to Canada and NYC if you drive for CFI. It won't be an option. Odds are you will drop in Jersey with W&S..not always though. Canada loads will most likely be dropped at a terminal as well, depending on where in Canada it is going.

Routing here at W&S is provided as a guide...not carved in stone. So long as you keep your out of route down...there will be no problems. I've seen dispatches avoiding 2 lanes roads in favor of interstates when it was an extra 50-80 miles longer. So keeping out of route miles down is not a problem.

Dispatch issues ?? Not sure what you mean. I get dispatched out, then I get reloaded when empty fairly quick. If I'm running OTR, they keep me moving as long as I have hours to run. If regional, they start working me toward the house.

When home, I get a call from dispatch with availible loads, I pick what I want. Sometimes, I do have to take something I would rather not...But this is trucking.

I SIT an average of 2 days per week. The differance between W&S and CFI...I sit at home, instead of a terminal or truckstop as I done EVERY week with CFI.

I make the same if not more money at W&S, as CFI.

Big Bonus: Nobody here is crying about the lack of miles, and low paychecks. And nobody here (upper management) has been telling us how soft the economy has been for the past 2 years.

Warning: If you are lazy or DO NOT want to work... DO NOT apply with W&S.