Pros and Cons of teaming with someone you dont know as a new driver.

If by teaming with someone you don't know, you mean a trainer/mentor then it's probably a good thing. You can learn from the more experienced driver, and get valuable on the job training. Learning the ins and outs of the company you have chosen to work for as well.

If you mean two rookies, well that's another story, and one I wouldn't recommend. You will have to sleep behind this person while they are driving down the road. A person with little or no experience is not someone I would want to sleep behind.

Now if you mean run with an experienced driver as a team. Well that would depend on the driver. Do you trust his/her driving skills enough to put your life in their hands. Are they willing to do the same while your driving?

Other than what is above it seems to come down to personalities, habits, and hygiene. Make sure you can get along with the person for long periods of time. Hopefully they will have the same level of hygiene as you, and no habits you just can't stand. (chewing, smoking, ect.)

 

Not too sure about that. 8 months with them and you might think otherwise.

 

Don't do it !!

As an experienced driver I went through 4 "experienced" drivers before finding one I could sleep behind.

#1 You don't know this persons driving habits. Do they tailgate? If so, expect to wake up in the floor after a "close call".

#2 How will you define your shifts? 12 and 12, 10 and 10 ???? If you set those shifts and they don't work, will your teammate be willing to change?

#3 Does you co-driver think that an early arrival means "free" time to go get laid/drunk/party? Or do they want to get the load off and get another?

#4 Who will have what on the truck? X-box, TV, Lap top, etc etc etc..
IMHO teams don't need tv's or x-box....when your down...it's your time to sleep, so you can drive, when it's my time to sleep.

#5 Who will stay up at shipper/receiver? Remember, one of you will be driving, the other will be sleeping. If you both are sleeping....somebody is going to be very tired in 20 hours, when it's their turn to drive and they've been up chatting with you, cause they slept so much earlier

#6 Does your co-driver like LOAD music while they drive? It's gonna be a long 8 months if so.

While many companies will team you "with" someone. It's the most unhealthy situation you can be put in. If not the most dangerous.

 

Unless you can sleep in a moving truck, driving either day or not, other than money teaming just sounds like.

 

Have you considered Roehl?. With them it is only 12 months and or milage based meaning if you only make it 6 or 8 months and have put said amount of milage on you will only owe them half or so of the schooling which I believe is still around 2200.00

 

I know what you mean about tailgating. I once trained a guy who was terrifying to ride with. First two days on the road, he got two moving violations. Third day, he almost creamed the boss by hot-rodding a forklift around the dock. Yeah, that was also his final day.


On a positive note:

I guess it's usual that the one behind the wheel gets to pick the music, or in general, what if anything is playing.
In my case, many trainees hated my taste in NewsTalk, so I started bringing along a little AM/FM radio with headsets, so they could blast their ears to their heart's content. (This was before iPods, but I think it'd be the same.)