Questions about Truck Driving (mostly Teams)

Maybe @Nahbrown ( I tagged them) can chime in and give you some solid information when they have time.
They are somewhat new husband and wife team drivers and by the sounds of things are very happy.

Personally I don’t have any experience running teams but, if I did it would only be with my wife.

Wouldn’t want to run full on nonstop either. My perfect delusion would be running as a super single (I think that’s the correct term). Essentially running a little harder than a solo could do but not pushing the limits. More time to enjoy, explore vs possible marriage counseling after 6 months

 

OK ...

So you are not even a driver. Got it!

Stop watching them. Please.

OK, the market for drivers is really soft and it is a carrier's market for them.

No, not all the time

That's a bad mentality, it isn't about miles, it is about time with teams.

It all depends, I have teams where a lot of their work is short haul but the load and unload times are long so teams is the only way to get it done and they make good money. While on the other hand, I have a few teams where I have to schedule time off so they don't get burned out, have two right now which are "forced" into a vacation - they are not happy but they understand.

Not all the time

You will learn two things, the first is how to live in your clothes for a week or two at a time, how to wear flip flops and how to look your worst at a shipper, this is a very good super trucker skill.

SERIOUS ANSWER >>>>>> The second is when you get your own truck, you will learn how to time everything to your advantage, laundry, food and so on.

Go back to my first answer of your first question - exercise, what is it and how it isn't done.

Seriously again when you get your own truck, it will make sense to you what and when you can do.

I would think like some of my teams, they will fit it into their schedule every day or every other day.

The same, but this is a sticky thing, a lot of places won't have truck access, this is where you have kroger or walmart or ubre deliver them for you or you use Uber.

The other and more important question is this - can you even use an electric skillet? You may not have enough power to run one.

 

As with the Navy; "It's not just a job, it's an adventure."
`

 

You will get very creative with your "30 minute" break. Showers can be taken in the morning or late nights. Yes that interrupts one drivers sleep but trading off is just one more compromise that will be needed. We parked behind grocery stores ran in did our shopping and got outta there before we jambed things up around the docks. As for laundry letting one driver off at the laundry mat or the truck stop while the other unloaded worked for us as well. Google will become a best bud for finding needed businesses and the overhead shots will be a lifesaver.

 

It all depends on how your load is dispatched. You have to be opportunistic to accomplish all of those things if you're with a company that runs you non stop. I'm a solo driver, but some loads I have more time than others. Indo my laundry during the week because that minimizes delays. Everyone does laundry on the weekends because most are on 34 hour resets. I try to keep my laundry to a load each week. I have just enough pants and just enough shirts etc. As far as cooking, I've heard that with teams, while one drives the other cooks. Showers, the way I do it, I try to fuel and shower all at once. Grocery shopping can be done en route, but if you go to Walmart, you need to make sure it's truck accessible. You look at your load info, and plan accordingly.

Example, if they give you California to North Carolina, and it's 2000 miles, it'll take 2 days tops. If they give you 3 days because it's an appt load, then you have time to take care of business with that extra day.

 

Winner.

 

Arguably your BIGGEST problem: as suggested above -- the demand for new drivers right now is really soft. For teams, it is better -- but mainly for those with experience already.

Suggestion: given certain economic forecasts -- start out with a "trainer" carrier that has A LOT of freight -- like Schneider, or maybe Werner.

The washout rate for new drivers is REALLY high.

Many find later they don't like the job -- & the lifestyle that comes with it.

-- L

 

Hi @OkieDokie405 and welcome to the forum!

my wife (of 28yrs) and I attended training March 2023. Our circumstances and goals may be different from yours.
For instance my wife’s hard red line was that we never separate overnight. We could train all day apart if needed but we sleep together.
For me miles and FIRST YEAR pay was not the top priority. I'm retired military and we had zero debt. We needed flatbed and dry van experience so that we could eventually drive where we really wanted to.

All of the above dictated even where we went to CDL school.

What I suggest you figure out is
1). What kind of driving do you two really want to do eventually. (Regional, OTR, High end auto transport, arms ammunition & explosives, gasses, heavy haul). are just a few examples.
2). What companies do that ?
3) call them and ask what their hiring requirements are and where they like to hire from?


Let that guide your initial actions.

as far as your original post and questions

at first you will barely find time for those things. Each week gets a little easier because you learn to schedule your stops & breaks , learn your routes, and actually sleep while the truck is moving.

the last one is a massive hurdle some teams never get used to. There are things that you can do to help you sleep though.

Some days things may pop up that derail your day however most days You can find time for those things if you plan to do so.