Do "real" teams ever shut down?

Teams can run, without shutting down.

Example: You start out in the truck (let's presume you've done a 34 hour restart, so you're starting out the clock fresh). Your boyfriend should legally be in the sleeper doing his Zzzz's. You drive for 11 hours, so your time is up, time for you to hit the hay. Boyfriend wakes up after doing a minimum of 10 hours in the sleeper, so his 11/14 hour clock has re-set, over-and-above the 34 hour restart when you began driving.

So you're now in the sleeper for your minimum of 10 (I'm skipping over split breaking, to keep it simple). Boyfriend drives his 11 hours, you're now awake, and ready, you're 11/14 hour clock has reset, and you're ready to start driving again.

Please notice I didn't use any references to the actual time of day, because that doesn't matter in this process. Once you get your 10 hours in the bunk, your clock is golden and ready for your next shift.

In this practice, you can indeed drive 11 hours in first shift + the first 2 hours of your second chance in the seat during the first day if you started driving at mid-nite (remember your bf's driving for 11 hours in that day too, so 11 hrs for you + 11 hrs for him + 2 hrs more for you = 24 hour day period.

You do have to watch your 70/80 hour rule by the end of the week.

Suppose for this example you get to your hours limit first (because you was the first one in the driver's seat. So you hit the bunk to begin your 34 hour reset at the end of your 70/80 hour clock. Boyfriend continues driving his 11 hours, then his clock has timed-out, so he needs the bunk too. You've already been sleeping 11 hours while he drove, so you only need another 23 hours off-duty status (34 - 11 = 23) before you can begin driving again.

So your 34 hour reset is done, boyfriend still needs 11 hours on his reset. So you start driving, while he finishes his 11 in the bunk (off-duty).

Okay, colleagues... how'd I do? Did I explain it correctly?

 

I have 4 teams that drive for me in our small company. Three of those teams average 23-24,000 miles a month and take a week off at the end of every month. The other team is what I call crazy, they run for 10 months straight averaging 30,000 miles a month and then take two straight months off in the summer. So the simple math says that all four teams are averaging right around 1000 miles a day. Considering that they have to unload and reload every second day and that eats some time, I honestly don't think they stop the truck much. As for what others teams do, I can't say. I can only speak to what I know as facts.

 

From my own experience of pulling dry van, expedited freight, we're 99% drop & hook. So yes, there is a 1/2 hour to 45 min. each day or so as we switch trailers. And I'll also agree with the refueling, shift switching, etc.

Somewhere on this friendly site, I read if team-mates each drive 8.75 hours per day, they'd never hit the need for a 34 hour reset.

I've also read elsewhere here the most miles you get is to run hard and fast, and take your 34 hour reset (24 hour reset if done properly on logs).

Hope it works for you!

 

Realistically, even with load/unload times (and most companies that are set up to REALLY runs teams try to have teams D+H as much as possible) you still either run hard and run out your hours, or each run your 8.75 hours a shift (remember that's a total of both lines 3 and 4) and run forever without needing a reset. And calmar is right, no matter WHAT the truck is doing (fueling,loading/unloading) the person who is supposed to be sleeping NEEDS to stay in the sleeper berth (at least on their logs).

That's how I used to run team, run your 11, switch, and get in the bunk.

 

That all sounds just like murder. I'll never run in a team if I can help it. No amount of money is worth giving up a life!

Suzi

 

"No amount of money is worth giving up a life!"

that happens anyway when you become a truck driver. it ain't no 9-5 job!

 

I know what I'm getting into. Provided I can handle that big rig I'll just be finding my life.

Suzi

 

It is up to the team drives of they shut down for a while each day or not, which is why you need to be teamed up with another driver that is compatible with you.

You still have to eat and shower. If it were me teaming with someone, we would be shutting down for these two things daily. There may be days that you have to run hard as a team, but realistically, you are each only going to be able to log 8-9 hours a day, otherwise you begin hitting your limit of 70. If each of you are driving an average of 8 - 8.5 hours a day, then the truck is moving 1000 miles per day, which is plenty.