Watkins & Shepard Company Review

Watkins & Shepard Trucking offers less-than-truckload (LTL) and truckload freight hauling throughout the US from about 20 terminals, mainly west of the Rockies. (LTL carriers consolidate cargo from multiple shippers into a single trailer.) The company's fleet consists of about 630 tractors and 1,600 trailers. Standard dry vans account for the majority of the company's trailers; Watkins & Shepard also uses flatbed trailers.

In addition, the company arranges intermodal transportation, which involves hauling freight by multiple methods, such as road and rail. CEO Ray Kuntz and president Steve Williamson own Watkins & Shepard, which was founded in 1974 as Stan Watkins Trucking.

• Must be 23 years old or older by date of hire.
• Must be able to read, speak and understand the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public, to understand highway traffic signs and signals, to report and respond to officials and to make entries on reports and records.
• Must be able (by reason of experience, training, or both) to safely operate the type of commercial motor vehicle you are asked to drive in your driving position.
• Must be physically qualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle in accordance with the rules of the FMCSR and maintain such qualification.
• Must be able to sit for extended periods of time in the commercial motor vehicle you are asked to drive in your driving position.
• Must be able to operate the commercial motor vehicle you are asked to drive in your driving position in all types of weather conditions and on all types of terrain including steep mountainous areas.
• Must be able to walk, bend, reach, push, pull, stoop, squat, climb, grasp, lift, and handle heavy equipment as necessary.
• Must be able to read a road map and complete daily logs and all necessary trip reports, fuel reports, damage reports, and other paperwork required by the Company.
• Must be able to work every day of the week and at any time of the day or night.
• Long haul OTR drivers - must be able to be away from place of residence at least three consecutive weeks.

Watkins Shepard hires from all 48 contiguous states

• Solo starting pay scale:

  • $.32 - No experience
  • $.34 - 3 months
  • $.39 - 1 year
  • $.40 - 2 years
  • $.41 - 3 years
  • $.42 - 4 years
  • $.43 - 5 years

• Team starting pay scale:

  • $.35 - No experience
  • $.40 - 6 months
  • $.44 - 1 year
  • $.46 - 3 years
  • $.42 - 4 years
  • $.50 - 5 years

Mileage and safety bonus

Stop pay

• We offer Blue Cross and Blue Shield health insurance after 90 days.
• Our Health insurance also includes a dental and vision plan at no additional charge.
• We offer a company funded HRA and employee funded FSA.
• Company provided life insurance.
• 401(k) retirement savings plan.
• Employee wellness plans
• Paid vacation

Watkins Shepard operates all 48 contiguous states

• Helena, MT
• Denver, CO
• Phoenix, AZ
• Indianapolis, IN
• Berea, KY
• Vancouver, WA
• Sayreville, NJ
• Myrtle, MS
• Dalton, GA
• Billings, MT
• Conover, NC
• Lakewood, WA
• Taylor, MI
• Salt Lake City, UT
• Las Vegas, NV
• Austintown, OH
• Modesto, CA
• Santa Fe Springs, CA
• Spokane, WA
• Missoula, MT
• Fontana, CA

As long as you have a CDL-A Watkins-Shepard can get you working without private sector driving experience. They pay their drivers on a sliding scale depending on their years of driving experience and your recent verifiable driving experience with the Military counts towards that time.

Watkins Shepard has automatic transmissions

• Standards

  • K & B
  • Covenant
  • May
  • SRT
  • Crete
  • Schaffer

• Automatics

  • Dillon
  • Millis
  • Averitt
  • Koch
  • AAA Cooper
  • Carter

• Mix Of Both

  • Melton
  • Jim Palmer
  • Trimac
  • Schneider
  • CRST
  • Dart

Watkins Shepard does not have trucks equipped with APU's

• APU Equipped

  • Trimac
  • Stevens
  • Ozark
  • Maverick
  • Jim Palmer
  • Koch

• Without APU's

  • Rush
  • J.B. Hunt
  • XPO
  • Wilson
  • PGT
  • ODFL

• Mix Of Both

  • TMC
  • K & B