Newbie needs teammate

Rocks · Mar 27, 2008

This may not be the best forum to post this question, but Im not sure where to go. Maybe someone has an idea. Where/ how can I find a teammate? Transport America accepted my application, so did Werner, and Covenant Transport. I would like to pick TA but dont want to start my career running solo, in 48 states and that's all they have right now. Problem is that I dont have a teammate. The co. does not set up teams. Does anybody have an idea that can help?

rookietrucker · Mar 27, 2008

Why do you want to run teams? I tried to send you a pm but you have them turned off.

islandboy_671 · Mar 27, 2008

Rocks said: ↑

This may not be the best forum to post this question, but Im not sure where to go. Maybe someone has an idea. Where/ how can I find a teammate? Transport America accepted my application, so did Werner, and Covenant Transport. I would like to pick TA but dont want to start my career running solo, in 48 states and that's all they have right now. Problem is that I dont have a teammate. The co. does not set up teams. Does anybody have an idea that can help?
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The only way you make money running teams is if your are husband/wife or other family member. My uncle tried that and it was a joke. I dont want to be paid half the miles in a week.

Rocks · Mar 27, 2008

rookietrucker said: ↑

Why do you want to run teams? I tried to send you a pm but you have them turned off.
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I turned that on now.

Maybe I am wrong. But I think that having a co-driver would be helpful with everything and I would not be by myself when going to some places (neighborhoods, shippers, dispatchers, truck stops, yards), finding addresses, especially at night. I say this because I have a female friend (I am a female), she is a newbie working with Covenant. She didn't want to team, but Covenant doesn't run solos during the first 6 months, so they teamed her up with another newbie. Now she and her co-driver are doing pretty well and enjoying the experience. They help each other out, the loads don't stop, and the truck keeps moving. Me, I don't want to go to Covenant because they don't pay well, their reputation is not very good, and they will team me up with whomever they have available during orientation (who lives in my area or something like that). I tried Schneider (they run solos and teams) but they are not hiring anybody in GA. Roehl and USXpress are off my list (long story). Anyway, TA has a terminal near my home, it's a good co. for beginners, and they accepted my application... So, if I can get someone to team up with at Transport America, I can stop this searching and move on.

rookietrucker · Mar 27, 2008

BTW, your pm's are still off. You might need to sign out and sign back into the forum. I would be interested in talking to you about teaming. Send me a pm.

Rocks · Mar 27, 2008

rookietrucker said: ↑

BTW, your pm's are still off. You might need to sign out and sign back into the forum. I would be interested in talking to you about teaming. Send me a pm.
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Ooops, sorry. It's on now.

dancnoone · Mar 27, 2008

I'm not singling you out, so don't take it personal. But I will state the facts as I know them.

The majority of people I've seen that look for co-drivers so early in their careers, are dangerous people. They lack confidence in their own abilities, and feel they need a team member to help them out through the rough spots.

It rarely works. Sooner or later, you or your co-driver are going to get tired of getting out of bed to handle an "emergency" check of the map. Or to assist in backing in an open dock, at a place you are the ONLY truck in the lot. Or doing all the night driving, or all the city driving, or all the east coast driving.

If NONE of that applies to your case...my apologies.

Of course, you still need to find someone who lives in the same area as you, and wants the same hometime as you.

I went through 4 co-drivers within 5 months. NONE could maintain the pace, nor did they have the skills that matched my former co-driver. So I stayed solo.

You MUST be on the same page every day. Period.

Rocks · Mar 27, 2008

danc694u said: ↑

I'm not singling you out, so don't take it personal. But I will state the facts as I know them.

The majority of people I've seen that look for co-drivers so early in their careers, are dangerous people. They lack confidence in their own abilities, and feel they need a team member to help them out through the rough spots.

It rarely works. Sooner or later, you or your co-driver are going to get tired of getting out of bed to handle an "emergency" check of the map. Or to assist in backing in an open dock, at a place you are the ONLY truck in the lot. Or doing all the night driving, or all the city driving, or all the east coast driving.

If NONE of that applies to your case...my apologies.

Of course, you still need to find someone who lives in the same area as you, and wants the same hometime as you.

I went through 4 co-drivers within 5 months. NONE could maintain the pace, nor did they have the skills that matched my former co-driver. So I stayed solo.

You MUST be on the same page every day. Period.
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Thank you, danc694u, for your valuable input and honest opinion. Everything you said makes a lot of sense. I'm still considering many things, trying to make my decision here. According to my former instructors and trainers, I am a safe driver. But my confidence level is not too high and that can be a problem sometimes.

Big Don · Mar 27, 2008

Honestly, the best way for you to build your self confidence is to just get in the truck and "do it." The more you do, the more you see that you CAN do, the better and more confident you become.

My question is, do you not have much driving experience, and if not, then how are you going to get on a bigger company without going through their driver training? If you do a training program, you should come out of that with plenty of self confidence. Of course this is assuming you get a decent trainer and you don't kill each other over little things first!

lost-in-montana · Mar 27, 2008

Big Don said: ↑

Honestly, the best way for you to build your self confidence is to just get in the truck and "do it." The more you do, the more you see that you CAN do, the better and more confident you become.

My question is, do you not have much driving experience, and if not, then how are you going to get on a bigger company without going through their driver training? If you do a training program, you should come out of that with plenty of self confidence. Of course this is assuming you get a decent trainer and you don't kill each other over little things first!
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well said! she needs confidence only way she can gain that is by doing things herself.

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