Need Honest answer on running team....Please

Teams are where it's at, especially when first starting out. The pay is much better. Pay depends on the company. Being from Florida your options might be limited but shop around for the best pay. Also keep in mind that companies do change their hiring areas. When I started, the company I work for now was not hiring in my area.

I live in South Florida and we have no problems getting out. Who cares if you leave empty. You are still paid as a company driver. Heck, I've been deadheaded from Ft Lauderdale to Atlanta before.

Yes, start as a company driver. You will have to put up with the BS but you will learn the business with little risk to yourself financially.

 

Oh man I could never see myself sharing a truck with anybody, pay be ######.

 

Want to make really good money, run as a team, be home lots and live in FL? Sounds like a trick question huh?! Give Armellini a call. They take newbies. They are in FL. They run all teams. They pay per mile and per stop and usually have lots of stops! They are typically out 5-7 days because they are a floral carrier so once they deliver their flowers and empty out they grab a load and come back to FL.

 

You have to drive 6 months as a 2nd seat driver/team with one of their first seat drivers before you can team with your friend. This is regardless of having experience driving, at least one year experience as i found out when I called about running team with my brother in-law for them. Just FYI.

 

Remember it is two jobs, not the two of you on a road trip.
One drives while the other sleeps.

Doubtful you'll find a company to put both of you in one truck with no experience.

Buy a truck with no experience and at least you'll have experience living together in small spaces. This will come in handy when you are forced to share a cardboard box under a bridge after going broke.

 

They do need to consider that . Eight hours consecutive minimum sleeper berth time . At least the new HOS will allow 2 hours off duty in the passenger seat .
I don't agree with the great pay . You're only getting paid half the miles . I bet there are a lot more solos getting 3,000 miles than teams getting 6,000 miles and the solos get better sleep in a parked truck.

 

3000 a week as a solo driver doesn't sound that realistic for most guys, at least not routinely. I suppose if you ran nothing but drop/hook freight between long distances across fast interstates you could average 500+ miles a day until you burnt your 70 up in 6 days, but who has has gig that easy as a solo driver? They usually tailor the low-bs/high-mile runs to the team trucks first so they can feed their families and keep them happy. Nobody would run team if they didn't get the easy miles. So there are upsides to teaming I guess.

 

So says the student ...I guarantee team drivers for starter companies don't get twice the miles of solos . I also guarantee starter companies are not concerned with keeping drivers happy and their families fed .
My carrier has no teams . We have a lot of drop and hooks that are 1200 - 1500 miles round trip . We easily do 2 a week .

 

Can time in the jump seat be off duty?

Don't play well with others so have only ever run one trip as a team and never thought about it.