Team Driving???

It coud have its advantages and disadvantages.....

Pro's:

• Easier to get high mileage on-time freight
• when being paid by the mile the more miles you can run the better
• long distance freight gives you fewer stops at destinations per week which = less time to be rolling

Con's:

• You will be crammed in a truck with someone for very long periods of time. You may know this person dearly but you each will find little quirks which will start to get on your last nerves. This will usually put you at a truck stop watching a movie or playing video games rather than getting to your destination early for a chance to re-load early...
• As a company driver it becomes harder to get time at home when on team freight (not as easy to get a load that has some delay built in that you could use to stop at your house etc.).
• For some it is harder to sleep while the truck is in motion as some will lay in bed worrying what the other driver is doing.

These are some issues I dealt with myself, I did overcome them in time (when I was a newbie) and I am now heading back to OTR as a team and am bringing a friend to team with. I will only be a company driver for a short time because I have been away for a while but as soon as I am cleared to lease I will be doing just that. This way when I want some time home, one or the other can be dropped off while the other can keep rolling on a solo load etc. This will give us time with our wives and kids as well as give us some personal time to ourselves. It will also keep us in good standing as the company we will lease too will alwaysbe sending us freight. We do not plan on stopping the truck except for 1 week a year when we both go hunting at our lease, which is usually when freight starts to slow so it should work out.....

 

3 to 4 weeks??? I have run the numbers etc. and to be able to pull a solid week off (before the company gives us 1 week truck payment) to go hunting we will have to stay 5 to 6 weeks out. After our 1 year anniv. and we get the week off we will be able to avg 4 to 5 weeks and send good cash home. Keep in mind you may get a night or a few hours here and there as you can go through your home (if time allows). That scenario just didn't happen a lot back 10 years ago. I will be heading out in 3 weeks for orientation so I will try and keep an update.

This all is based on living in a state that is not ideal to freight such as Fl. Plenty of freight going in , not so much going out..... Better states to live in and have a good shot at frequent stops by the house are OK, MO, AK, etc. TX and FL are not so hot... I live in FL

 

Make sure you won't kill each other. If you can't handle how the other person drives, you're going to have problems. IF they split your pay you can make more, since you're getting paid for all miles, just less per mile. Make sure wherever you go can handle team freight. If you're looking to run without going home, you might want to see if you're near a major route, so you can stop by your house from time to time. I've known a number of teams who do that instead of taking time off. They'll get a load through their hometown and stop for an overnight.

 

I agree, I may be on the trainer truck still but, I find that team will be the best way for me get my first year or Two down.