Team drivers? How do you going about meeting ppl to team with?

I used to hop back in the sleeper and close the curtain when my shift was over. Otherwise I would be critical of every move my codriver made.

"You almost hit that car watch out!"
" you're merging too slow!"
"You're driving too slow!"

I learned to just say to myself "who gives a crap?" everything worked out with my newfound attitude.

Scary thought as well to not give a care about your codriver driving habits.

 

I ended up teaming with this particular codriver for over a year. So everything worked out in the end.

 

Winter is worse in Texas and in the midwest where a lot of the weather is right around freezing point and rather than snow you get a lot of ice storms. Snow is not that big of a deal, ice is way worse. Remember winter doesn't just start all of a sudden, slowly eases into it most years. Just take your time and never get complacent, but at the same time don't be scared, there are times when what feels like the wrong thing to do is actually the right thing to do. What I mean is there are times where trying to slow down or just coast along is NOT the move - instead steady easy on the fuel will get you there. You get a feel for it over time.

Traffic in cities and low bridges and tight turns are another thing. Use google maps for new places to you rather than follow the GPS directions and while the route may be a bit longer you will find it is well worth it if it is the more truck friendly way to go.

 

I used to work for Schneider and still have my 401k there. Would like to go back as a team driver because I heard it was 98% drop and hook, newer equipment and priority same day service in the shop. Is this true from your experience?

 

Are you still looking for a teammate? Do you have tanker & HAZMAT?

 

Forming a team is particularly challenging as you found out.

I have some simple rules relating to that tractor when it comes to team, example who is in the drivers seat for that shift gets to decide what is what with that truck. Certainly the other has a input provided it supports the overall getting down the road mission. With my spouse very rarely do I have to do something drastic. And I have had to a few times.

Ive had teams before a number of times and I think it was not that many people overall. Three I will never forget. But it is very hard to find a good team driver who has a way of driving you can sleep with.

Im sorry I cannot elaborate much more there are small thoughts that go along with making two people a team. And it will only work if both have a common set of rules, goals and a idea to keep that semi rolling. The semi is first. The drivers last.

One example is if for some stupid reason a team blows a stack (Losing temper etc) that person has to go into the sleeper and close the curtains. And stay in there until his or her mind is right again. It might be a while. Maybe two days even. But one way or another that peace and enforced quiet will eventually help both keep that thing rolling.

Occasionally I have had drivers hitched to me and it turns out that driver is a wild one. He's out. Doesnt take very long before we head back to dispatch and drop him off. What I do is hand the truck keys and tell him he gets to take her out. We gotta go.

Depending on how badly he does it wont take a hour to turn around and drop him off. If he does well, maybe we do get some sleep. But that is not a true sleep. You are constantly auditing that person through the steering, tires, traction and the shifting etc. That is one reason I can never sleep on greyhound unless that engine is at one rpm long enough to get to sleep. That's gone the moment the driver puts in something else to the vehicle.

And the control freaks? They have no place in a team situation. Get them into a solo truck and tell em "Git" They can control all they want for themselves.

 

Bars are a good place to look.