team Driving

I've done it a couple of different times because it was a chance to be with a couple of ladies for awhile. They were both great ladies, but we eventually had to part ways. I only did it to be with them, wouldn't be my cup of tea if I was in it for just the money. I'm too set in my road ways and I don't like to share. I can't ride shotgun, I gotta drive.

 

My hat is off to you guys and gals that can do the "team" thing.

Me...I barely made it through my 2 weeks with a trainer when I started. I CANNOT be around anybody that much. Not even my wife and kids...I am a loner, and I like it that way.

Peaceful, safer, cleaner, and easier to be solo.

 

My husband and I run team and are owner-operators. We only go home once every 6 - 8 wks.

There are several factors that impact team driving:

1) Quality of equipment

2) Type of freight being hauled

3) Traffic corridors that are being traveled

4) Time required to be out and on the road.

5) Planning and coordination, ie; dispatch

6) Last but not least.....Temperament. I firmly believe one driver must be a Saint.....and I'm not it. My husband is. We have both learned each other's strong points and weaknesses and plan accordingly.

 

I've been running team with the same lady for 25 years. I asked her if she'd like to do this gig, I trained her (so I have no problem sleeping) and we've been together since. We are not married....we aren't stupid in a truck for 24/7 we both look forward to home time.

I think the number one reason teams don't work....you don't trust the person behind the wheel. You have to trust the other person or it will never work.

 

I believe you are right. That is the primary reason for problems. But certainly not the ONLY reason. Things such as smoking and other personal habits run a close second.

One idiot I teamed with thought it would be cute to crank up Rap Crap on the radio. Even though the sleeper speakers were turned off, it brought me wide awake. Needless to say, he did NOT do it a second time.

 

I team drive now, and we run between 5000 and 7000 miles a week running 10 hour swaps and we're home every other day for around 10 hours, then back out again. Almost every one of our loads goes from Phoenix to Denver or Salt Lake City, back empty, and we get paid for each stop as well.

For us, it's great. Much better than sitting at some truck stop solo, and we make more than we would otherwise. We both ran solo before doing this as well, so we were able to see what both situations were like.

As far as trust, if I didn't trust the guy, he wouldn't be in my truck. It's as simple as that. I had problems with his shifting when he came onto the truck, but we've worked them out, so now we are running just fine.

 

The day I got my CDL, I packed and headed to orientation with my roommate, co-driver, business partner, best friend in the world. He trained me while we drove team for the next 21 months. We got along great 99% of the time. Only times we had any problems were when he was tired or hungry, or if I was tired or needed a shower (I get really cranky when my hair starts to get oily). We learned not to take any remarks personally and throroughly enjoyed our time on the road together. We had the opportunity to get a second truck and since they were only averaging 4,000 -4,500 miles a week, we decided to run 2 trucks. We are doing better with 2 truck notes and expenses than we did as a team. We miss each other and talk about 4 or 5 times a day, but so far we've been able to run across each other on the road once or twice a month. Team driving has its good points and its bad points, but so does solo driving. We have adjusted pretty well, but the dog still really misses him. I would never drive team with anyone else -- I don't think I could stand any one else 24/7. Of course, that's not because I am difficult to get along with or anything LOL.

 

I run solo now,But,am about to start running team with my wife of 29 years,We drove together before,a long time ago.(before the kids).Really looking foreword to it. Things have really changed out here since she was out here last.I hope it don't make her regret moving back in.

 

I have always said,the worst thing a person can hear from the lips of another,besides "I have found someone else", or "I had sex with your brother" is hearing your team driver say to you in the sleeper "Hold on,We're gonna ......."

 

The ONLY person I'd team with would be my brother. Just because he taught me how to drive and I have total trust in him. BUT we better not be togather for more than a week TOPS. We'd kill each other.