Can a new Husband/Wife Team make any $ in Trucking?

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Blue Screen, Jan 31, 2010.

  1. Blue Screen

    Blue Screen Light Load Member

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    Jan 29, 2010
    Atlanta,GA
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    Before I tell my story, Too all the Old Hands who helped a poor frustrated kid earn his CDL ( :biggrin_25514:I Thank You:biggrin_25514: )


    10 years ago I steeped out of the truck. (8-years driving, 5-years OTR Box, Hazmat, Low-Boy/Over Size Load) I saved enough money to turn my hobby "Computers" into a job. Earned my A+ certification a became a PC Field Tech. Over the past 10 years I have gone from making about 40k (Good Techs Are Hard to Find) to 20k (Teens disguised as Techs sell merchandise and have to call a over-seas Tech line for help with real computer repairs, Company Car, Min. Wage w/Sales Bonus, Make Big Money, Become a Geek.:biggrin_2554:) My Wife Pixel lost her job over a year ago. The graphic design department was outsourced to a New Delhi firm for cheap. The Market is full of laid off senior IT Staff willing to work $10 a hour just to pay the bills. Yes, Hindsight is always 20/20.


    I know OTR work is hard work, You need 2+ years blood miles to move up from the bottom feeders, Until you find a niche you will never see home, Hard time relearning how to speed shift :biggrin_25525: My wife who is sick of job hunting wants to go through CDL training, & Give Husband/Wife Team a shot.



    1. Are company's still looking for good teams?
    2. What kind of money can we make? (making dirt now)
    3. Any starting off tips? (saving money on training)
    4. Do we have a better chance as a team than a solo driver?
    5. Team friendly company to keep on radar :biggrin_25515:
    Thank You For Any & All Help, And Stay Safe Out There Friend!
     
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  3. JustT2OfUs

    JustT2OfUs Bobtail Member

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    Jan 21, 2010
    Philadelphia, Pa
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    My wife and I are in the same boat. I have my cdl, she needs hers. We have no kids and don"t own a house. We are renting right now but when we do go otr, we'll be set up out of the in-laws house. We've been searching long and hard and from what I've learned, stay away from CR England. We're currently looking at SWIFT and CRST. Melton is another that we're looking at as well. Right now is a slow time for trucking, but it should be picking back up around springtime or so. We have very little exspenses and can be out for long periods of time so it'll work for us (hopefully). All these "starter" companies are fishy and they all, in one way or another, are looking to screw you. But I ask, can anyone show me any large corporation in any profession that isn't trying to make a living off of your blood? They all have they're bad points and decent points, but just make the best of it, get experience, and move on. That's our plan. This may or may not have helped but I thought I'd share anyway.

    Best of luck to the both of you.
     
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  4. jtrnr1951

    jtrnr1951 Road Train Member

    You're in a Great Area for team freight. Go for it, run produce.........

    East-West
    Kennesaw
    Both good outfits.
     
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  5. JustSonny

    JustSonny Big Dummy

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    Oct 22, 2009
    Troutman NC
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    I'm a wannabe so please wait for more responses from experienced members, but, here's my $0.02 worth. I emailed Con-Way recruiting and asked for some general info. I'm single and not looking to team once I get out there. I rec'd an email in response which said, basically, that Con-Way (Truckload Division) was only hiring husband/wife teams at that time. That was about a month ago. Things might have changed but at least at that time they were really "high" on husband/wife teams.
     
  6. southernpride

    southernpride Gone But Never Forgotten

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    orlando,fl
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    now my friends there are a lot of companys that are looking for team drivers as for the money you can make that is up to you and it varies quite a bit anywhere from 20.000 to 80.000 plus.

    and your right all trucking companys are out to put the screwes to you if you let them , no companys i dont care how good they are will look out for your interest you can forget that right from the start.

    however if your planning on running team with your wife you do have an advantage you can make some good money in this nusiness simply because you can run more and delliver faster then a singel driver and whats more you can do it legally.

    as far as the good money if you start as a team you can make some real money hauling produce why? because it is parisabel it has to go no time to smell the roses you got to run it just about non stop which is well suited for a team although it is seasonal when it runs out in one area it comes in in another and it all pays well. but it is addictive once you start it and get use to it you find you dnt want to do anything else.

    and most produce companys will hire you because they like team drivers , a singel driver will burn out a lot quicker .

    as far as the expeirence required well its true DOT regs require 3 yrs current and 7 yrs prior expeirence why who the hell knows but it is a requirement but there are ways around all that in perticular when it come to unregulated carriers which is the produce busines.

    also produce pays a percentag of the load not milage most avoid milage pay like the plague but you still make some excellany money because produce pays so well.

    BUT before you start you and your wife have a set down and make yourself an emergency plan in case somthing happens and you find your self unemployed 3000 miles from home you have a way out plan your way and follow the plan if you do that you will do fine just a lot of running and hard work.
    hope this has helped you in some small way and the best of luck to you.

    southernpride :biggrin_25514:
     
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  7. Blue Screen

    Blue Screen Light Load Member

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    Jan 29, 2010
    Atlanta,GA
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    Thank You for the tip, Never thought about produce. Good Luck to you too JustT2OfUs. Any places to hunt down unregulated carriers? Will checkout Con-Way, East-West,& Kennesaw:biggrin_25524:
     
  8. Texas-Nana

    Texas-Nana Princess Drives-a-Lot

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    Apr 23, 2008
    Nana's empty nest
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    Hi. My husband and I team drive for Swift. Yes, it's a company that many bad mouth and yes they do train and hire new drivers so yes they have a higher percentage of new drivers.

    We too left other careers but not due to job loss. We left because we chose this new career in trucking for our lives.

    We make decent money. You're not going to make two 50K salaries in the current economy with a training company in my honest opinion. However together we'll see aprx 80K for our first 12 months. We run hard for two old geezers.

    When we went through the Swift academy in PHX last Dec (for my hubby) and late Feb (me) the cost was for him only. Only one spouse has to pay. I don't know if they still do this. But it was a real blessing for us.

    To team the answer is OTR yes but the best way is the transcon or a dedicated fleet for groceries. That simply is where the freight is.

    Yes you have a better chance as a team. Swift dispatches teams before anyone else so if there is any freight you've got the first chance. It's more cost effective for a company to run a team truck than a solo. A solo truck must shut down for a min of 10 hrs a day. A team truck can run 24/7. And sometimes that is exactly what you will do.

    There have been people on this forum that tell me I'm wrong but I drive this truck and so I know how it runs. An example is this week. We got on the truck Monday night and it's been running straight except for the time we've taken for showers. Frankly that's how we make money. We get off tonight due to our hours and I THINK we're getting 3 days off but the 3 days are special, usually it's just one day which is our 34 hr reset.


    It's not easy. It's a closet and two people live in it. You sleep while the other drives. However, we love it. We're on a great fleet and for us this is good money. I know for some on this forum they turn up their nose at this money. We don't.

    I think I answered your questions as far as Swift is concerned. I recommend Swift and despite what some think there is NO bonus for me for doing so.
     
  9. Rollover the Original

    Rollover the Original Road Train Member

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    Jul 1, 2009
    Springfield,MO
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    Where does it say DOT regs require 3 years experience to haul produce?

    DOT only requires you to be 18 to pass the CDL and 21 to drive OTR.

    It's the trucking COMPANIES that require so and so years of experience depending on their insurance. DOT says the companies must verify the past 10 years of YOUR WORK history. If you are a trainee you will not have "driving experience" but you still have some work history if you are older than 21 for OTR.

    southernpride got it screwed up with this phrase
    What he's saying is 10 years total (7+3=10). DOT doesn't control the produce section of trucking. Never will! Trucking is the most regulated, unregulated industry in America! But they have no control of who pulls produce or any freight except for Haz-Mat which has changed with the background checks and now the new "all drivers must have training every year" rules which is a good thing actually. But still DOT or FMCSA doesn't control anything except for the people who work for them!
     
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  10. jeepskate99

    jeepskate99 Road Train Member

    So he made an error. So did you saying the trucking companies decide based on their insurance. It should have said the insurance companies decide based on risk tables and rate expectations.
     
  11. Hubcap

    Hubcap Medium Load Member

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    Dec 29, 2009
    Rhome Texas
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    The man and wife team thing would be perfect IF freight were moving better right now. There is a reason why I am weathering this storm at a two bit concrete company. But a truck that you can keep rolling 24 hours is going to generate more profit than one that sits for 10 hours at a time. (Dumbest law they ever changed) I would imagine looking into time sensitive freight would be best. Reefers are a pain in the arse when it comes to wash outs but when people stop buying general freight items they will still be feeding themselves.

    Here is my suggestion if you can time it right. Take your CDL and go get the job while your wife is going through a school and try to arrange it so that the company has enough confidence in you to road train her yourself. Many of the couples who went through school together had to road train separately and there are so many complications involved with that that I would have to explain off the forum.

    I have about 12 total years in as a driving instructor and the Ladies are different to train than men. You have to gain their confidence first and most instructors are not willing to do that. All they do is start yelling the first time they scratch a gear or run over a curb. So you have to be selective with your instructor and having woman instructor doesn't have that much to with it. We once had to fire a female instructor after she started cussing one of her female students to tears. I wound up with 5 students that time! Bet there are still some old timers out there that know how to teach, but they are getting hard to find.

    I have taught many how to drive that had educations that you would think would be enough. Good luck to you and your wife and buy a trucker potty! They are handy.
     
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