Co-DRIVER Needed For A TEAM Out Of AZ (Seeking A “needle In A Haystack” Here At The T.T. “magnet”)

Yes, I've considered the factor of mutual driver trust a LOT. Depends who it is... Since I’ve been getting plenty of push-back here and elsewhere, so I want to try to clear some stuff up.

I’m SO far from knowing everything I need to know about teaming that I do know I’m not close to qualified to hold up my end of an informed debate. I’m not trying to impress anyone with how many 4-wheeled miles I’ve driven and ridden, but that and some big rig rides, plus cross-country bus and train rides is enough to at least qualify me to have some major clues as to how much trouble sleeping I might have. All I’m pointing out about the sleep factor aside from that is that I’ve heard and read from truckers that some of em CAN sleep ok while someone else is driving, and some cannot. So whether my co-driver and I can get enough quality rest will make it or break it and we won’t know till we try. That and of course how compatible we are in other ways. If those two huge factors work, it can work, is what I hear and makes sense. If not, well, it won’t be worth it and I’ll give it up. I’m not looking for the "perfect" co-driver, cuz that feels like playing the lottery, which I don’t do for obvious reason. Clearly the odds are against finding even a “right” teammate, but I do feel guided to give it a try.

It no longer looks like I’ll be going with a company which would require me to already have that partner lined up. The company I’m close go signing on with now promises to help match us up. But plenty of teaming time with the trainer (yes we'd both drive) in the meantime in which to test most of the concept. So we’ll see, but it's not that I "EXPECT it" to work.

Gotta ask . . . who DID you decide to go with?

Prime, in fact, has SO much teaming in training . . . . I'd figure that to be a great match!

Just, IMHO. I, personally, am NOT against teaming . . . at all. Just NOT w/ my hubby~! I'm almost dreading his 4 days off this Xmas/weekend, LoL!

Are you looking for a co-driver in the sense of being in a relationship with them as well, like how it is with husband/wife teams, or just a colleague that you happen to work with?

Since I'm looking at starting out in a team rig I reckon I'll chime in.

It's been 30+ years since I had to bunk in the barracks, and as I recall I wasn't fond of it then. 1st sgt was a real sob and scrapped the rim of the toilet on room inspection so roommates who didn't clean well were not appreciated. I can imagine having a co-driver who smells bad could bring back long dead resentments. Nevertheless, companies are offering nice incentives to give it a shot.

I might be just starting down the trucker's route, but I'm not new to the road of life. I've got grown up bills to pay so teaming is really about the increased income potential. With team driving and a hazmat endorsement I have offers of $.48/mi after an almost too short training period. Then there's the $5k sign on bonus if I agree to keep it up for a year. This year has been tough but there comes a time you gotta fill that hole you've been digging.

The washer is screaming "REPLACE ME" as I write this so income is on my mind.

I'm not afraid of who the company might pair me with, reckon I can complain if needed. I only hope its not a novice like myself.

I'm not a total novice. When FL had a chauffeurs lic (before the feds set the rules on CDLs) I got a job driving a dump truck. Got a 10 min lesson on the split gears and they gave me the keys and a map. That was a fun day. Got a better job offer the next day, but in hindsight... what coulda been.

Have you spoken to Laura? How far IS Idaho from AZ, anyway ?!?!? ;) J/K, IDMtnGal ~!!

Seriously . . . she may KNOW people. The next person she actually TEAMS with, however.. might just be me . . . ~!!! (We can all dream, right? Hubby's one and done, haha!)

WHAT???!!???

I teamed from 88 to 93 and that is all I ever knew. When I came back to driving in 2014, I was hired by this small company that had four trucks and then the husband died. So I ended up waiting three weeks to get things done and they hired my brother. When I was ready to start, they told me the insurance company said I had to team with him...which I thought was okay cuz that's all I ever knew.

Then I drove with him! I drove 2.5 months with him and was ready to quit! I love my brother dearly and we talk all the time. However, when he starts being a butthead, I can disconnect and then say "Oh I must have went down a hill or must have swapped cell towers". But would I ever drive with him again? Not only no, but HECK NO! He is an aggressive driver that tailgates and he doesn't know how to run down mountains...Illinois doesn't have any of them. His driving in slushy, icy snow on the 2 lane stretch of US 6 was scary. I know the smell of overheated brakes and it woke me up. He was tailgating and wanting to go past all this traffic and was tailgating. Another trip we were coming down from Bozeman MT to Idaho Falls ID. There was a fair amount of snow although the roads were fairly clean. Uphill in the mountains have two lanes because of trucks pulling pretty slow. You can pass if there is no traffic coming at you. He wanted to run faster, so going downhill and not seeing anything he pulls out and starts to pass another truck. However, there was a bend in the road and there were two trucks coming at us. Fortunately he did get back in behind where he was, but that was stupid.

When we got out of the mountainous stretch and had cell service, the boss called. He wanted to know if I wanted to run solo. You betcha! I had only run solo twice when I drove those five years, but that was 22 years previous. But I was done running with my brother! Since that time, I have run solo and now I don't think I could run team. I'm old and cranky ;-) and have weird sleep habits. Monty is a cute dog, but he could be annoying.

As a driver that ran nothing but team, I feel it stunted my learning. Physically, yes I knew how to drive and picked it back up easily. However trying to learn to manage my time as a solo person was a steep learning curve. There were a couple times I was late because I was running illegal and being tired would catch up to me. I remembered using 50 mph to figure drive time and I did use that but putting it in practice took some doing as a solo person. It really took me a year or a bit more to learn to run solo and be on time with pickup/deliveries and managing my drive days in between. Looking back now, I think the quicker you can go solo, the quicker you will learn. As for backing, if you see drivers sitting there watching you, either ignore them and make many maneuvers to put your trailer where you want it or go up to them and ask them to help because you're new. There are old cranky people out there that won't help, but most of them will.

Twin Falls to Phoenix is 800 miles. Ran milk protein down there many times.

Laura

As others have elaborated...

Some companies are ALL TEAM (CRST comes to mind) - so you don't get a choice, if that's where you end up.

Teaming with a spouse or S.O. - may be as taxing to the relationship as being away for a month at a time. Do you really want to be in a rolling walk-in closet, that never stops moving - with NO ESCAPE.

Team trucks tend to run the same miles (X2 drivers) as solo. Will sometimes get the "more time sensitive" runs. Pay is TO THE TRUCK - so unless both drivers are running THE SAME EXACT MILES - someone is going to get screwed (and get resentful, eventually). And in the long run - the pay in YOUR OWN POCKET - is going to be the same as solo (or negligibly more).

In my estimation - unless the person you're teaming with - is SOMEONE YOU WANT TO SPEND EVERY WAKING/SLEEPING MINUTE WITH - I don't see how it's going to work in the long term.

Have a close friend that also has a CDL - we were considering going out as a team to get into a truck (he has past OTR experience). We decided we VALUED OUR FRIENDSHIP to much to risk it doing business together.

If you want to destroy a friendship - throw MONEY into the equation.

For me (personally) - the sacrifices of teaming (privacy, rest, being able to be somewhere that is NOT IN MOTION for 10 hours a day minimum), negates and perceived (and minimal) income benefit. And I'm a loner anyways - HATE PEOPLE (for the most part). The notion of being in a mobile prison cell - even with someone I LOVE (and am sleeping with) - makes me want to throw up. I'm nauseous just thinking about it.

My $.02 (which is, admittedly, worth a lot less that OS's).

Rick

I'm not afraid of who the company might pair me with, reckon I can complain if needed. I only hope its not a novice like myself.

you definitely wouldn't be the first, truckers are notorious complainers. The only time most drivers aren't complaining is when their mouth is shut. scratch that, they're still doing it just silently (if you're lucky). I'm curious with how you think you'll earn more running 48 cpm split.

I'd be willing to bet $100 that your co-driver will be another new driver. Most experienced drivers have no interest in teaming, and they certainly wouldn't be interested in teaming with a new driver. I really hope Million Miler comes out of the shadows and shares how things are going for him teaming. I had his number from when we met up a while back but that phone crapped out on me and I lost his number.

I've ran a team load twice with my current company. Had too many drivers and a couple long routes. Both times it was with a friend and even just after those couple days (going home after our return each day) I was ready to strangle him. I ended up driving a majority of the day with him getting us back when my clock ran out. We both got paid the same for him to nap in the sleeper while I'm driving. He's a relatively safe driver but I still couldn't sleep when he took over. Every bump, the radio, phone calls, and CB all made it difficult to sleep for me. Plus the thought of getting in an accident and not be restrained other than the safety net made me thankful I'm not stuck with teaming.

If either of you guys do team id love to hear how your experience is

Laura makes a good point. I teamed with my guy friend for a few months then I kicked him off. Then I brought my friend of 2 years on the truck...that lasted 5 days. I have since lost that friend. She got on my truck after splitting up with her boyfriend ..and their teaming lasted only 3 months

I considered my brother but he is a terribly aggressive driver.

I wonder how long non relationship team normally lasts?

I'm curious with how you think you'll earn more running 48 cpm split.

I'm pretty good at math and don't understand the question. If the truck is getting 48 cpm, and each driver gets half the miles, isn't that 48 cpm straight up for that half? Assuming the truck is rolling 5-6kish/week, that's same as a solo gig at 48cpm doing 2.5-3k/week. Problem is, Pam doesn't pay solo 48cpm, it's 30 with slow raises to 40 and that 48 becomes 50 at 3 months. Plus there's the stipend of $5k for teaming for a year. I've yet to speak with anyone who competes, but I'm still entertaining offers if you know of one.

I don't know how to make the math for (1st year) solo and team even close to equal.

all that aside, the company isn't exclusively teams so I'll know pretty quick if the money is worth it, and if not i don't have to quit the company. Least that's my perspective from talking to them.

As for teaming with a friend, I used to have a rule when I was running a remodeling business not to work for friends, family, or neighbors (unless I'm volunteering). It's hard to have a business relationship with a friend or family. Marriage can be different because that business is a true partnership since all the money goes to the same goal, but money kills friendships and sometimes bonds strangers into one. Teaming with someone I've never met means holding and living up to standards of professionalism. In theory anyway.

Teaming isn't popular and unpopular jobs pay better. It's simple economics. It may take hunting for that better pay, but it's out there guaranteed. Of course poor performance will eliminate any benefit quickly.

I'm certain I'll be rubbing someone wrong along the way, all I can do is give it a run and see.

I don't know how to make the math for (1st year) solo and team even close to equal.

It seems to me you understand the math pretty well. The way you described it is accurate, but what it means is that the .48/mile is paid to the truck. The two drivers split that pay. Now if you drive 3,000 mile and your buddy only manages 1,800 miles you guys will get paid .48/mile split between the two of you. That equals 2,304 dollars gross split down the middle. Your buddy grosses $1,152 and so do you. Let's see now... You buddy got paid .64/mile - that's pretty nice compared to the .38/mile you got. You both got paid an equal amount of money but you did most of the work. Does that sound like you would like that scenario?

The math seems to work really well if you are using the formula that you used.

Assuming the truck is rolling 5-6kish/week,

I can promise you that two greenhorns in a rig cannot sustain that kind of schedule. Maybe after six months you will be able to do it, but that kind of miles is some pretty heavy lifting for 2 rookies.

Some of us discourage teaming at the beginning simply because we've watched so many people try it. Very seldom does it work out the way they think it will. I remember one fellow who kept challenging me on this whole idea. He always wanted to use the math as his argument. He just couldn't see my logical reasoning when he could "run the numbers" and see how much better he would be doing as a team driver. It's the variables that he didn't understand. He actually lasted about three months, and then he came back and admitted that we were right on every aspect of our argument. He finally conceded after he failed in his attempts. He got himself a solo gig and started actually making some decent money and learning how to make a go of it out here.

We are happy for you guys to jump into this as a team driver, but we are going to do out best at helping you understand the problems associated with that path. My personal opinion is that teams are always better off being experienced drivers. It is just a special niche that requires two good hands that both know what they are doing. It's a tough way to get started. I don't recommend it.