Teaming Questions

As I will be teaming by the end of next week, I had some inquires. What if I am sleeping, wake up and gotta lay a duece, and the driver is in the middle of his hours? Do we stop to eat, shower? Of do we just stop to fuel? Do we take the 34 hour restart together, or seperate? I am just trying to get an idea of how things will work in the truck when running team!

I run teams with my students. First of all, you will never be on such a tight schedule that you won't have time to stop for 10 minutes to use the restroom. If someone needs to use the restroom you simply stop at the next available facility.

Showers are taken either when you're switching drivers or on your 30 minute break. It's a good idea to get food during the driver switch or your break.

About the 34, it all depends on your load. If the truck is in the shop then you both take it, but if you get dispatched a solo load because there's no other freight you can elect to have a driver take the day off to get the reset while the other one does all the work. But it's most profitable to keep the hours as balanced as possible between you two.

What I do is I run a fixed schedule. My shift is 0000-1200 and my students shift is 1200-2400. You can do whatever you want during that time, as long as you do your required miles for the day. We split the miles as evenly as possible. Plus having a fixed schedule allows your body to adapt to a sleeping schedule and makes falling asleep a whole lot easier.

Honestly, it's really not ad barbaric as folks make it out to be. It's tougher than solo driving though.

If it is tougher than solo, then what is the upside? Do you get more miles from dispatch as a team? I hear that the cpm is not more than it would be individually, so there must be an upside to running a team. Do you have your own bed or do you have to share?

If it is tougher than solo, then what is the upside? Do you get more miles from dispatch as a team? I hear that the cpm is not more than it would be individually, so there must be an upside to running a team. Do you have your own bed or do you have to share?

There is more earning potential. Teaming isn't for most people and it's not something I recommend personally. Trucking is more enjoyable as a solo.

As far as the bed situation, you're supposed to only sleep on the bottom bed because it has the safety harness. That harness can and will safe your life, without it you would be flying around the truck in an accident. Heres my system, I have 3 beds, 1 for top bunk and 1 for bottom bunk. And I have 1 spare. My student sleeps on the bottom bunk because he's a lot bigger than me and he wouldn't fit comfortably on the top bunk, so whenever he drives I take my spare mattress and put it on top of his bed and sleep on the spare mattress. When I'm done I simply put it away and he gets his bed back and sleeps on it when I'm driving my shift.

If it is tougher than solo, then what is the upside? Do you get more miles from dispatch as a team? I hear that the cpm is not more than it would be individually, so there must be an upside to running a team. Do you have your own bed or do you have to share?

There is more earning potential. Teaming isn't for most people and it's not something I recommend personally. Trucking is more enjoyable as a solo.

As far as the bed situation, you're supposed to only sleep on the bottom bed because it has the safety harness. That harness can and will safe your life, without it you would be flying around the truck in an accident. Heres my system, I have 3 beds, 1 for top bunk and 1 for bottom bunk. And I have 1 spare. My student sleeps on the bottom bunk because he's a lot bigger than me and he wouldn't fit comfortably on the top bunk, so whenever he drives I take my spare mattress and put it on top of his bed and sleep on the spare mattress. When I'm done I simply put it away and he gets his bed back and sleeps on it when I'm driving my shift.

By 3 beds I meant 3 mattresses.

Daniel B., thank you. Glad to here. I like the advice of 3 mattresses. I do think however Schneider has a safety net and strap in for the top bunk as well. I could be wrong, according my wife I usually am😁

The reason I am going with teams is because I don't feel like Schneiders training was long enough for me. Having a second set of eyes, and perspective is going to be s big help I believe. Plus if we go through it and get frustrated we can hopefully encourage each other to tuff it out. After that first 6-12 months, I will probably be ready and feel safe enough for solo. Starting out though, I think the sacrifices outweigh the risks.

What if I am sleeping, wake up and gotta lay a duece, and the driver is in the middle of his hours?

Did you know that truck drivers don't poop?

I think this must just be another urban legend or myth or fear or something like that. If you gotta go, you gotta go. As Daniel stated, you should never have a time where you can't stop quickly to use the restroom. Also, always take advantage of the times you have a restroom like at shippers, receivers, or any time you stop.

What if I am sleeping, wake up and gotta lay a duece, and the driver is in the middle of his hours?

Did you know that truck drivers don't poop?

I think this must just be another urban legend or myth or fear or something like that. If you gotta go, you gotta go. As Daniel stated, you should never have a time where you can't stop quickly to use the restroom. Also, always take advantage of the times you have a restroom like at shippers, receivers, or any time you stop.

...and here I though I had to stick my butt out the window and poop, and wipe with my hand😂

...and here I though I had to stick my butt out the window and poop, and wipe with my hand😂

Ask your buddy (who is driving) to drift a bit toward the curb as you pass some trees. (This won't do in the winter, though.)

...and here I though I had to stick my butt out the window and poop, and wipe with my hand😂

Ask your buddy (who is driving) to drift a bit toward the curb as you pass some trees. (This won't do in the winter, though.)

I am almost died laughing thinking about that😂 Hey bro, I just went number two in your bunk, could you swing over by those trees so I can wipe without stopping...ROTFL