Solo Driving: Worth it?

The only time I've ever had a "co-driver" was the 3 weeks I was out with a trainer when I first started driving. Once I went 1st seat, I never slept in a moving truck ever again.

The way I look at it, you can make the per mile running miles as a solo driver...

...or you can make half as much per mile running twice the miles, being paid for all miles the team truck travels.

Either way, you'll end up with around the same paycheck. The only real difference is if dispatch plays favorites to keep the teams rolling while the solo drivers sit...since the team truck has to roll twice as far to make the drivers the same paycheck, and those "hot" loads are less likely to need repowering since they have 2 logbooks to work from to find a way to keep the truck rolling.

If you want to run solo, run solo. If you would rather run as a team, run team. If you aren't happy doing what you are doing, I doubt there is enough money to be found driving a truck to make your misery worthwhile. Do what you need to do in order to enjoy your job.

 

Air, most drivers run solo! Must be worth it.

 

Solo is much better, except when the truck is moving while your sleeping

 

Most companies are like that, although they say they aren't. Fact is, a company could be by the book, first come, first served...but that may not go for each individual dispatcher. It all depends on who you get sending you your loads, and if they work for you in dealing with the load planners, or just dilly dally and wait for the LP to give them something for you.

Regarding your current co-driver...more than likely he is just lazy, mixed in with a little money hungry. More lazy tho...

 

Figure it this way:
What is your total team miles in a week? You get half of that number...
Solo averages 2,200 to 3,000 miles a week. Which is greater?
Do you do more driving than your partner? But still split the miles?
Do you like sleeping with the truck STOPPED?
I would rather be solo than training or team driving.

 

Never teamed never will. Life is too short to spend it cooped up with someone else in a truck. What happens when they sit you? Sounds a bit too cozy for me.

Companies sell team freight and solo freight. Too entirely different services. All I mean by this is the dispatcher works with what he's got. When it's slow I have heard of teams getting solo freight. Sure load at 8 am in Dallas and deliver at 8 am the next day in St Louis. So I guess their more versatile but solo driving has never left me hungry.

 

A lot of these bigger companies give preferential treatment too teams due to the fact the truck never stops...in theory. Usually more cpm, priority in truck service, and sometimes a little extra hometime. But like I was saying, solo and team freight are two entirely different services and a good solo driver will be more successful than a sub-par team.