Thinking of going team with a buddy...

I wouldn't do it. It is a VERY good possibility you won't be good friends for long after teaming for a while, LOL. It is not easy to be in a truck with someone for that long. Plus, $60,000 ain't crap for teaming. Heck, I made over $60,000/yr with Heartland Express and didn't even have to run hard at all and was home EVERY weekend...I think I missed two weekends in over 3 years. Think REAL hard about this before you do it is all I'm saying...

 

I would hang on to a good local job like that,..Is there any way to pick up some cash side jobs to help with the bills??

 

Just guessing,..But doesn't your pay rate go up over time???
One thing I do know is there is no quick fix to financial problems,..I'm facing my own after a year of Independent O/O of a car hauler...I know it's going to take time to mend to things in my world...I
If your friendship goes south on the truck,..then what???....Would Sysco take you back???...where too then???
I will say I think you are very lucky to have a good local job,...I hope to find one like that here.....soon......lol......
Good luck with whatever yous decide to do....

 

Hmmmm. Sounds to me like your buddy has a plan.

Did he also mention you will be a low priority team? Married teams are high priority...because if you lose one driver, you've lost both. Singles tend to stay as a solo driver, if their co-driver quits or gets fired. Where married couples do not...

Did he also mention how soft freight was at the moment? And how many teams were sitting in Santa Fe Springs, CA waiting on loads the other week?

Many of those "team" loads could be driven by a competent solo driver, easily.

It's only a matter of time, before W&S along with a long list of other companies have to revert to having their teams deliver those loads...and other shorter loads. As solo drivers get tired of sitting....and quit.

It's already happening with other companies. I'm talking to teams who are in complete ##### and whine mode, as they start having to pick up the slack....from solo drivers who have quit after being neglected because of company attitude of "Teams First".

NOW teams are delivering, and they are taking SHORT runs. And they are sitting at docks waiting to load/unload.

Too much priority is being placed on teams, at all companies. And the chickens are coming home to roast.

But, the odds are. You'll hold a $60k average if the economy holds. Which it's not projected to take an upswing for another 12 months. This current downturn is projected to continue until about April, then remain flat until next fall.

Good Luck......

BTW...... A $60K OTR job. Is the equivalent of a $45k local job...after it's all said and done.

 

According to your bio your only 29 years old. I stopped food delivery at 49 years old. I had the same reason as you, getting old, blahh,blahh.. I went into management for the company. I drive around to five depots in Illinois and Wisconsin. Before I went on the truck I had a 42"waist. After 2 years I was down to a 38" and though a little sore sometime, felt great. My blood pressure was down to 122/80 first time in 20 years. After 6 months in this job, I'm back to a 42" waist, blood pressure is back up and feel like crap. Time to sign up to pay for a gym. You may actually live longer if you stay with Sysco!

 

Amen on that! I teamed once with a buddy, and it lasted about 2 months. I was ready to kill the guy by the end of it. Stay friends and stay out of the truck with him.

 

You're looking short term to resolve your financial woes, but you should look to the future and figure the cost of the bennies your going to lose quitting your union job. Also, forget about getting much sleep with the truck bouncing your rack like a trampoline.