Team Driving for swift.

Which only goes to show you that you can get told differing things even at the same terminal. LOL



Thanks D.S.

 

Yes we have a laptop. LOL In fact we have two, his and mine. I don't like his operating system and browser plus I write so I like to have my own files handy. He's a computer geek. I'm not a computer geek I'm just weird. We charge them in the truck just like you would in your car. If you don't know what type of thingie you need to do this you can tell me what laptop you have and I'll ask my husband what thingie you need. (did I mention I'm not the computer geek? LOL)

You can't run 5 and 5. You see DOT regulations require that a driver be off duty for 10 hours after every 11 hours of driving or 14 hours of "working". (That's the 14 hour window you hear talked about) You'll learn what you need to about this and all about logging in school but there's some great threads on this forum about it.

You'll find the best rhythm for you and your partner as you go but I'll describe a great schedule that someone suggested to me and then I'll describe exactly what my drive time looks like.

The suggested schedule: drive 8.5 hours then post trip .5 hour and meal 1 hour This is mirrored by your partner sleeping 8.5 hours getting ready .5 hour and meal 1 hour. During the meal you'll discuss roads, weather, trip plan, customer info and anything esle you need to share with each other.

Here's what we have found that works for us: I have to take a long break in the middle of my driving. We plan for it. I drive 10 with a short potty break and a big meal break that gets me out of the truck and out of the sitting position. Even if you walk around the truck you MUST get out, we women retain water otherwise. Then another short potty break in the second half of my ten so my shift looks like this 15-30 mins pretrip, 2.5-3 hrs driving, 15 min potty break, 2.5-3 hrs driving, 1 hr meal break, 2-2.5 hrs driving, 15 mins potty, 1.5 -2 hrs driving, 15 min post trip.

You probably notice my driving times shorten through the shift. That's what works for me. Now my husband drives for 4-6 hrs without a break then a short potty break then 4-5 hrs driving. Not me! no way no how. LOL

A team truck means the truck is suppose to not stop running during a trip. So you don't stop until you make your delivery other than short breaks. The reality is that sometimes your trip has you sitting on that load waiting for an appointment time so you may actually have extra time in your trip. I realize this is hard to understand because I'm doing a really bad job explaining it.

There's just such a HUGE variety in loads. You might have a "hot" load that you are trying to get delivered as fast as you can. Or you have a high value load and you don't stop AT ALL for the first 2-3 hours and you don't stop for long periods until it's delivered to the customer. Or if you've got a Fed-ex load .......well they don't even like potty breaks......*mumbles harsh and vulgar terms about no potty breaks*. And then sometimes you get loads that have a set appointment time to deliver and others that well it's almost as if "get it there when you get it there". There is no ONE type of load and no one type of trip.

Showers and truck stops: Grab them when you can. Seriously, I've showered 3 times a day at times when at a terminal. LOL And then there's been a load that we got late and had to get it to the customer on time so there was NO stopping at all except potty. Trust me.......I headed for the shower immediately after delivery. Baby wipes are my best friend on runs like that. It's the worst part of driving for me.

If you team then accept the fact that your sleep will be when your partner is driving. Otherwise you're running the truck like a solo and you'll make no money.

Others will have their own opinions and you'll do well to listen to them as they have MUCH more experience and knowledge than I do.

Otherhalf use to be a mentor for Swift and he's got a wealth of knowledge and wonderful information. He's also very willing to help new drivers.

 

OK..you scared me for a bit there...and the length restriction for CA is 65' not 60'....can't believe I put 60' in there...brain phart!

 

Thank you Nana for the "atta boy", appreciate it!

Hey James...Nana is telling you right on her posts..team driving can be balls to the wall one week and slower the next, when it does slow down..drivers should take advantage of the rest time and get personal issues taken care of...laundry, family contacts, sight-seeing...all that non-trucking stuff.

Now Nana and Hubby are driving hard, for whatever reason, and so doing this right off the bat, they showed Swift they could be considered a "hot team". Always on time, load and scoot, get it delivered, and whatever loads the company sends they deliver. This can backfire on a husband/wife team, when the day comes they want to slow down and enjoy the scenery, mingle with the squirrels, or chase a marmaduke sometime..the planners have them on their priority list and will push to get them moving at top speed..(well Swift top speed anyway...LOL) so they have set the pattern and are reaping the benefits from their performance.

Depending on your situation with your significant other, if you two are going to unload all (or most) of your belongings and store the rest...and live in the truck (many are doing this these days, as the expenses of maintaining a residence is costly, and truckers, especially newbies, don't exactly get rich). But the biggest thing to keep in mind is your relationship with each other. These trucks, at first seem roomy and fun, but as time and miles go by, the once roomy, becomes confining. And being side by side 24-7 can test a relationship to the point of separating or just giving up altogether. The two of you need to understand that in the truck it isn't just the female that has "periods", us guys get moody and need space some times, and the space just isn't available while teaming. So you need to be aware of this and have a good, close to the bone, talk about the future when considering team trucking.

In Nana's post she mentioned the 8.5 drive, .5 post trip, and then a meal..this alternating between drivers and time in seat. What she left out, was the fact that if you are not going to drive "hot", if you both drive 8 hrs each day, that leaves you some "quality time" together every evening. This is, in my opinion, IMPERATIVE, to maintaining your relationship. You are young I see, and I am guessing your significant other is also, so the two of you havn't had a lot of time building your relationship..where Nana and Hubby have been together for quite some time..( I heard Moses was the best man, and Helen of Troy the maid of honor)..JUST KIDDING NANA!!!!!...anyway, teaming is trying, so be wary of signs when moods start showing.

One more thing..remember you two are a team...so you need to let her do her almost equal share of the work..backing, city, and of course she is in full charge of laundry...otherwise you will end up with PINK underwear!

Good luck to you, both of you...and be safe!

 

How have things been going Nana ? What kind of miles you get this week and whats your length of haul been like lately

 

the thing I'm worried about with team driving UNLESS im confused is... 32CPM / 2 = 16 CPM! thats about 6,076.1 ft per mile.. That to me = bad... Am I doing the math right or what?

 

? huh... 5280 feet in a mile, not sure what kind of math you're trying to do there.

 

Hey Nana- saw ur post-- alot of what u said reminded me of my husbands team driving---except the miles you get from swift-
I know that the S L O W time was just a month or so back, but,
The most, and only once, did we have over 4000 miles
And NO, we didnt turn down loads- maybe 4 loads in 8 months.
We got around 2,500 miles..... no kidding/ we were always always on time- no service failures etc.....
Do you have a better DM than us--- better terminal????
We were always ""gona get our hazmat"" but never did.. was that the difference?? We were out of Lancaster.
Let me know and THANX

ps...my hamburger helper counts as homemade too----lmao