Watkins shepard

That really kinda blows, I know they stopped it before I got there but atleast to go back and offer to do tuition reimbursement would be cool, or atleast half of it. LOL

 

I have a question. Waktins and Shepard sounds like a great company for their drivers. Do they force you into a lease? Also with no trainer how can you know you are doing things right? What if you get loaded and the weight is messed up, how do you learn how to move your 5th wheel or tandems so you are not over weight. I have small concerns about this stuff.

Also does Watkins and Shepard have any newer trucks?, I was told 2005 were the newest? How old are their trucks? I know another company I am looking at the oldest trucks are 2008s and they are beginning to get in 2011's. I don't want to ruffle any feathers just wondering about old run down equipment and break downs.

Thanks for the great posts.

 

LDS, There is no lease program at WS, you are either a CO driver or O/O. As far as knowing where to slide your tandoms (no sliding 5th wheel). They will teach you in the 30 day class or 10 day orientation. As far as trucks go, I think the oldest is '04 and the newest is maybe '09 Im in an '08. They take pretty good care of the their trucks and will get you to a shop if you need one out on the road.

 

Thanks for the info I was wondering about the weight thing a bit myself. I was just starting to wonder more about the trucks. The guy in class with me was going to join me at Watkins but has decided he likes May instead. He likes the flash new trucks, we talked to drivers from SEVERAL companies yesterday and he fell in love with May.

I like the family feel of Watkins and Shepard myself.

 

Thanks for the info WR, Watkins appears to be good. You have been there for 2 years. I narrowed down to Watkins and May myself I will be starting school soon. What could you tell me about Watkins and Shepard to really seal the deal for me?

 

I cant convince you either way, remember this is a WS post not a may one so everything will seem bias. but I can say after hearing horror stories of many different companies that you dont see any posted here because there arent any. I have yet to have any issues with WS, infact everyday I wake up and realize that I work for a good company. I have not read anything bad on may, so they may be good also. Dont let flash of equipment sway you, yes alot of companies have really nice new rigs but are you seeing other company drivers who have been there a long time or brand new drivers driving them. I know if I was owner of a company I would rather put a new guy in an older rig than a brand new one.

As far as break downs and such, its trucking, sometimes you break down, sometimes you dont. I am in the shop starting today and for nothing major, I just have concerns I want looked at to make sure I am safe and that my equipment is in top working order. My Truck is a 04 Volvo with 434k on the clock and if they ask me to move up I will ask to keep this one for another a year or so longer, I like this truck, its growing on me. A APU would be awesome but at the same time I have made this home and wont change it for anything. Well except maybe a new KW or something hahaha...

BTW Lots of trucks here in Helena this weekend, anyone around? Im the Ahole who will be idling all night long lol

 

Thanks Deserted1 I really like Watkins, maybe I am trying to talk myself into May and should just go with my gut and stay aimed toward Watkins and Shepard. I do have to admit I am a little concerned about older equipment, but if W/S has kept up on maintenance and taken care of the trucks that is a good thing. Thanks again.

 

Go with whoever you feel more comfortable with, thats the best advise you will hear from anyone on here.

A tad bit offtopic but you guys might find this some interesting reading from my blog today. Linky... http://deserted1.wordpress.com/2010/05/14/51410-helena-mt-food-shopping/

 

LDS Disney and I are also, I have heard on this thread and others that W/S take exceptional care of their equipment, I have been watching the sales of trucks or the lack there of on a few of the truck listing sites, Why would W/S take $120K and buy a new 2011 Pete 387 when they can get two of them with less then 200K miles and run another 400K miles on them and push them in a hole? Or sell them to a foreign country who will run them in the ground, I think this thinking is stellar and that it is something I applaud in a big way, The money they save on these trucks can go to APUs and to helping us drivers get better home time and miles, Also these 200K mile trucks have had all the bugs worked out of them they have certainly been thru a few sets of tires the brakes have been redone and the factory installed fluids have been replaced for the most part, This is an excellent idea to buy these used trucks as they are ready to go, They have been up and down the hills and they are proven runners, They just got like 30 trucks from Crete because Crete was down sizing or something but these 30 trucks from my understanding were the cream of the crop the mechanics went and hand picked these 30 trucks out of I don't know how many, So W/S take excellent care of their equipment as they should a machine will run forever if it is well oiled and taken care of.

On the weight distribution thing I have read on other threads that there is always an old trucker standing by the scale when we roll acrossed and will answer any questions, This also like backing comes by experience, W/S is not going to put a driver in a truck who does not feel comfortable about going to the first stop and picking up a load, I'm sure they either will go easy on us the first few runs or try us by fire and see how we can handle it, By the way Desert1 and disneytrucker as well as myself will always be only an email, post, or a phone call away when we hit the road, Deserted1 is a prime example of this, I met him here in Phoenix and he cleared up a lot of my questions, Disneytrucker is headed out the next week or so and then I'm headed out about the first part of August depending on when the stork bring the baby boy we have on order... But all this stuff is new to all of us and they know that. I hope this helps. No comments from the DT about being long winded...lol

 

TD nice post I would like to know what you and Deserted1 talked about you never gave me a rundown of the questions you asked. I think Watkins is the best choice. LDS is doing a bunch of research, good for him hopefully he will make the right decision for him and his family. Like you said at Watkins it appears every driver is there to help one another. I look forward to chatting with soon2be and Warped as well as deserted1 S2B has been there about 2 years and the other 2 I think 6 months and 2 months, so they are still getting their feet wet.