Team Driving with Swift? Can you make good money?

No APU but you get unlimited idle, the numbers are accurate

 

've been a team driver off and on over my whole career......just like everything in this industry, there are pros and cons.

Yes, you have to have a good teammate who is safe, reliable, you get along with. Yes, you have to sleep in a moving truck, but you get used to it eventually.

Now regardless of what some others have said, there is always time for a shower. What most teams fail to do is set up a schedule with each other. 12 hours shifts, the same 12 hours every day, if you are sitting, moving, or whatever. I and my current teammate are on a 3-3 shift...I am in the front seat from 3 am to 3 pm every day....if we are sitting, I am up and ready to roll during those times, if we are rolling, I find a place to stop around 230 and we start our switch. we keep it in EST time zone, so if we are in California I am up and ready at midnight local, 1 is in mountain, 2 am in central......

The truck can only legally roll 22 out of every 24 hours, so there is usually time for showers and what not.

Now, I do need to say, I am on the expedite side of the trucking world so things are a bit different over here in regards to pay and loads and a bunch of other stuff....... but I bring home on average 11-1200 bucks a week before taxes....is paid on a 1099 so I take care of my own taxes.......yes some weeks are leaner , some more robust, but we do well out here.........In the last couple years never made less than 800 on a slow full week (nonhometime week), super busy weeks I am bringing home 1500 plus......that's my cut, my codriver has an identical check, so the team makes double that.

But you have to hustle, work the system ( we choose our loads so we are always planning ahead).

Teaming isn't for most people, I hated it when I first did it, but once you get to do it, you can see the benefits .........my company also has solo expediters, but they don't get the loads and miles the teams do.

 

Personally, I am not planned by my DM. I am also not planned out of my terminal.
As OTR I am planned by the planners in which area I fall under at any given time.

My DM and terminal have nothing to do with how many miles I run, or the loads I get.

 

I very much loved time pressure because it meant I was making money. I know you have stated that you’ll gladly turn down a load if there’s a doubt you can make it or it’s not the type of pace you like to move. Which is fine. But a team does need a dm who will plan them if the planners at swift are slacking, which in my experience they almost always are lol. Dm isn’t supposed to plan, but if they see your ### ain’t got a load and none in sight, or you’re getting screwed... they should step in and put a decent load on you.