Getting along with a Co-driver

Best way for me to get along with a co-driver is to leave them behind.

 

I have teamed two times - the first time was luck (my trainer) the second by choice (my husband). I've been lucky both times thank goodness. It is seriously like living in a moving walk in closet - and if you don't get along with whom ever you are in there with, it would be MISERABLE!! I would think communication, tolorence and trust would be the key componants. Especially trust!! Once that is gone, there is no getting it back...

Good Luck to you and I hope you will be as lucky in your next team mate as I have been with mine!!

 

One important thing I learned back when I teamed is to be extremely cautious on what you tell to management about another driver. I had a situation where this other driver really screwed up and it effected my co-driver so I told the dispatcher what really happened. The guy didn't get fired but came close to it. What he said to me still has an effect on what I do. He was very calm and came up to me and just asked me what he should do if he gets fired and can not feed his 6 kids? If it doesn't effect me directly or no one asks I just keep my month shut.

 

Call me an ahole if you will, and in a lot of ways I am one, but this just irks me. If it was a safety issue my response would have been (and has been in other careers) "Then learn to not put others at risk, and also learn what a condom is!" I could care less he has 8 kids, that's not my problem.
In the previous career it was someone horsing around in the warehouse. I know I would feel worse if his antics woulds have crushed someone (who also has kids likely) because he wasn't stopped because I said nothing.

Of course on the same token is it's procedure stuff like paperwork, not my problem.

-Steven

 

I hope that when safety is a concern common sense would play a major factor on what is said and who it is said to. However, a conflict in personalities does not justify running to the higher ups and airing the dirty laundry without first trying to fix the problem with the other driver. Even with safety issues, common curtsey and restitution should be the goal. If the problem can be solved by talking with the individual then that's the best way. If the problem is so huge and people are in immediate danage then of course management needs to get involved. I wouldn't call you an ahole, maybe a little over zealous but never the other.

 

Pneumatic passengers and co-drivers have a few drawbacks. They lean forward on cold mornings, they never stop squeaking (unless you lube them down with WD-40, then the seat gets wet), and they're SO SARCASTIC.

They like to change the radio stations when you're not looking, too.

My co-driver would NOT stop staring at me with her mouth open.

And then there was the dog thing. My male poodle kept latching onto her leg. (I think she liked it, she NEVER asked him to stop doing it). It wasn't long before he put holes in her and I had to wrap up both legs in duct tape. I didn't mind until it was time for a shower. People would not stop gawking at us! HOW EMBARRASSING. I told everyone she had to cover up a bad rash. Eventually it looked like I was taking a shower with "The Mummy".

The last straw was when she kept feeding people food to my poodle. Now that I think about it, something funny was going on behind my back. Anyway, I left a piece of pizza on the dash to cool while I did a pre-trip. Getting back in the cab, the pizza was gone and my dog was hiding in the corner with pizza sauce on his face.

I'm not proud of what happened next, but I guess I lost it. Instead of admitting she fed pizza to my poodle, she just stared at me with that open mouth like she always does. So I beat her until I couldn't lift my arm any more. She just pushed me too far and I snapped.

Well, that was a couple of years ago and it's still kind of hard to talk about. In a way I sort of miss her. (Usually when the styrofoam cooler starts squeaking).

So does my dog, he looks lonely.

 

I see a business opportunity here guys. I will steal E-harmonys technology and pair co-drivers based on 25 points of compatability. If I pair you up with someone you are not compatible with you may redeem your violence voucher good for one punch to the eye. Extra vouchers may be purchased for the introductory price of $19.95. I will shamelessly call my company E-harm money dot com. Yeah, that's the ticket.

 

I ran team when I first started trucking with a guy I met in truck driving school. We had similar likes and dislike and were, most important, both non smokers. I knew he could drive without hitting things, which helped as well. When he quit, my dispatcher had me meet and greet a few others looking for teammates at the terminal, and I quickly figured out why when speaking with them. I told my dispatcher I'd go solo until I found someone else myself, as I was on a team reefer board. Never found anyone, but I did have 4,000+ mile weeks
I ran team for one trip when I had a driver quitting a few years ago. I was supposed to drop him up in PA but a high revenue team load from FL to Seattle popped up on the board. He'd never been, so we went. I dropped him back in PA on the way back. I definitely prefer solo driving.

 

wow thats funny i dont care who u are lol