Team Driving - is it a way to start?

I don't work well with others. So I did it solo.
But getting started, I got a friend of mine who had a truck who taught me for a few weeks. Then rented a guys truck for $300 to take my test in. Then lied my butt off on every application til one picked me up. After a year, I had had it with the big company ionisphere, but had enough legitimate experience to apply legally.
That was 8 years ago. Now I'm an O/O. I taught my girlfriend, who now teams with me. It's still a struggle sometimes.

But I have seen the best and worst of this country. The North east in the Fall. North West in the winter. Skinny dipped on the east and west coast oceans and a few rivers in between. I've sat on a south florida beach and watched the sun come up and go down over the same waters. I seen New York City on 9/11. I've seen a bald eagle catch a fish in the Columbian River. I've given rides to every thing from broken down ###### from LA, to old ranch hands from Montana. I've heard alot of stories and seen alot of things on this road. And it's only been 8 years. I can just imagine what the next 20 years is going to be like.

I can honestly say, do what ever it takes to get in the drivers seat and make the best of it. Make as much money as you can. And don't take the loads so serious that you forget who YOU are. Sleep when your sleepy, and drive when you can. Most dispatchers will treat you like a number, even if you treat them like a mother.
When it comes to the DOT, you've got to play their game. But, no one says you can't play it YOUR way.

Good luck in your ventures.

PS, and never pass a truck on the shoulder without picking up that CB and trying to make contact. You never know if he needs a screw driver or an ambulance.

 

Welll, most of them keep your application on file for 6 months, if not longer. Problem is they get so many applications that when they start looking for drivers, they dont have to go over old ones. They just start hiring off new ones. Unless you have experience, then, and only if you dont want to work there, they start calling you and calling you LOL....

Oh, theres something out there, but theres always a time when there is *nothing* at *all* in an area. Michigan goes several months at a time where none of the bottom feeders are hiring experienced drivers. Michigan is not a good freight area whatsoever with the way the economy is going,, and smart drivers from michigan do not quit unless they have a job lined up....and if they do quit without one lined up, they will be unemployed for a while.

And even then, this is only southern michigan. Live north of detroit and most of the time you'll get turned away by everyone. Hiring lines differ by company, but they are VERY VERY strict. For example, I live near the indiana border. for a while, companies were telling me "we're only hiring students in your area". I said...well, what about indiana. "We're hiring there but you dont live there.". could not be talked into it. I dont remember who it was, but i gave one recruiter the name of the village i live in, and i could HEAR them give me a funny look, and they said...Is that south of detroit?! I said...kinda....it's on the other side of the state though. They're like, YOURE IN! LOL. I thought that was pretty funny, they're just going to take my word for it? I'm almost directly west of detroit, just a few miles south.

Never heard of this before. Did they give you the choice of that or staying in training until something solo opened up? Anyhow, teaming sucks and i completely understand all of your frustrations.


All this said, im thinking about teaming up. ROFL. With a friend that i've driven with before, however.