I Really Really Really Hate Team Driving

Zach, I feel your pain. That's a crappy situation to be in. Personally I don't think there's anything wrong with some venting about it, but then again this isn't my forum so I can't say what's appropriate here and what's not. Anyway, there's an obvious advantage to teams for a company, so I'm sure that's why some people get forced into it even if they asked to be solo. This seems to me like a job where you shouldn't have to team with anyone you aren't comfortable with. It's too dangerous to be forced to be with someone you don't trust. Anyway, I hope you stick it out. Even if you can't figure out how to get them to let you go solo, you'll eventually have other options.

BTW, in another thread I expressed some surprise because you were told by G-Town and I think another moderator that they didn't think you were cut out for trucking. I guess that's the "heat" that was mentioned above? First, I think it's a little thin-skinned to consider it "heat" because someone doesn't completely agree with you. Second, I didn't even disagree with what was said, I only thought that basically saying "just quit now" was bad advice and not in line with what I usually see on this forum. But again, not my forum.

Bro your dm is not in charge of you driving solo or teams!!! He’s your teammate !!! You’ve already been told this if you really want to go solo you go over his head and tell them ! Ask them!! Whatever you don’t want to driv teams I know they just started a team division for dry van and freight but unless you!! Only you!! Signed a contract agreeing to drive teams!!! That can not make you if you got qaulcom showing you and your dm is not getting along they will assign you a new 1 I know that terminal can be a pain but you’ve got to take control of your situation or your never gonna make it!!! Call Nashville tell them you need a new dm and your not wanting to drive teams!! Don’t call your dm I widh you the best of luck man I’ve tried to help you but you’ve got to handle this on your own man they can’t make you do nothing!!! Call Nashville talk to h.r or learn how to team!!!

Yea I'm having a REALLY hard time understanding how you haven't at least been able to get a solo truck. The situation you're dealing with sounds nothing like many of the positive experiences folks on here have had with Western Express.

I've tried going solo but my DM likes to drivers to team since he gets paid on commission for freight

I've tried to get this squared away but everyone I've talked to is no help whatsoever and just passes me over to someone else

SMH...

KH wrote...

BTW, in another thread I expressed some surprise because you were told by G-Town and I think another moderator that they didn't think you were cut out for trucking. I guess that's the "heat" that was mentioned above? First, I think it's a little thin-skinned to consider it "heat" because someone doesn't completely agree with you. Second, I didn't even disagree with what was said, I only thought that basically saying "just quit now" was bad advice and not in line with what I usually see on this forum. But again, not my forum.

This is what I wrote:

To be perfectly blunt here Zach... you do not strike me as trucker material. Sorry...I call it like I see it. And what I see here is a no win situation for you.

I’d encourage you to look elsewhere...this is not a job, it’s a lifestyle. Love it or hate it...has very little to do with the company name on your truck’s door.

It’s not for you.

Zach do you honestly think Trucking is “for you”? Do you have the mental toughness required to succeed at this?

You have received tons of great advice here... yet somehow continue relentless focus on the problem, and not the solution...

I challenged you to prove me wrong, thus far you haven’t Do your job Zach. Just do it...

As far as taking heat for this (from only you KH) ... not the first time, won’t be the last time...I call it like I see it. It’s rare that I encourage a driver to quit.

In my mind, in many ways Zach already has.

Zach, I wish you well and no hard feelings, but I’m starting to feel like you don’t want help and just want to come on here to complain.

I’ve watched people give you solutions for weeks now, and the next time you post, it’s always a bunch of reasons why they won’t work.

What exactly do you want us to do to help you here?

Zach doesn't want help. He wants an excuse to b****, moan, cry, and complain.

Drama drama drama.

To actually take on a problem head on would be too much work. It's instead easier to search for validation, to find a sympathetic shoulder on which to cry.

We offer solutions, but solutions aren't what he is looking for.

Man up Zach. Grow a set and handle your business. We can't do it for you.

Zach, you are where you are (company, trucking, team, etc) for many reasons. Maybe this is just the excrement sandwich you’ve got to deal with to get to the other side.

Everything in trucking is about the setup. Want a good company? Set yourself up as an attractive candidate for the best companies. Want to drive solo? Set yourself up by either going there or positioning yourself to be an attractive candidate (in twelve months) for a company that’ll put you solo.

If there are things in your past, or choices you’ve made, that put you here, those things likely didn’t happen in a month or two. So, why would your path back be shorter?

I’ve had some pretty good jobs, but thought (at the time) they were horrible and that people were crapping all over me. That’s life, not just trucking.

Do your best to be the best.

I hope this helps.

Zach I have offered advice and encouragement in some of your other conversations. I've even told you that I believe you can do this. The biggest issue I see with you is a real lack of confidence. I gave you some advice on what information to get off your Qualcomm messages. I broke it down simple for you. I don't know if you are trying any of that or not. I hope you are. I designed my comments in those other threads to help you build some confidence in yourself.

Now you are still having issues with your co-driver. I understand that - it's part of putting two rookies in a team situation. Here's the deal... Trucking is all about creative solutions. I honestly don't understand why you can't get yourself in a solo truck, but you act like it's impossible. Okay, let's go with that scenario. If you are destined to be a team driver then you have got to learn to make it feasible. It may not be enjoyable, but it has to work for you somehow. Here's what I would do. I would start acting like a team player. I would devote some time to helping my team partner. Here's the two things you mentioned that your co-driver screwed up recently...

my moron of a co driver blindly followed the GPS and drove the truck back to the shipper. My truck has no chains becuase this idiot forgot to take them off and they ended up all over I70

Try to think of ways you can help make your truck profitable. I see great possibilities in what you have written. You seem to have some humility and understand that you don't know what you are doing. Try taking that approach with your partner. If you don't like your DM acting like you are a moron, well... maybe your partner doesn't enjoy you believing him to be a moron! Do something about your problems! That's what we do - we solve problems. Make sure your partner has the GPS destination set correctly. Surely you helped him get the chains on the tires. Most chain up areas are relatively short - stay awake and help him remove them when it is time. Those are simple solutions. I was scratching my head late last night when I read your latest complaints. I couldn't believe you were going on about having a moron of a co-driver when it frustrates the hell out of you for your DM to treat you that way.

You have no control over your DM. You have all the control over your truck and your situation. Make it better Zach, make it better. I worked at Western. I worked hard at improving my situation there. Everybody else I knew there took your same defeatist attitude. I actually had to walk away from conversations I had with other drivers just shaking my head. They couldn't or wouldn't put in the work that was required. They saw problems with no solutions. It was disappointing.

I am a problem solver. Truckers are problem solvers - we have to be. There are a lot of problems in this career. People that cave in to difficulties never come out well in this career. We have to take the bull by the horns. Some bulls are nastier than others, but they can still be conquered. Maybe you got dealt a few things that don't seem fair. I did too. That's how I ended up at Western Express in the first place. Guess what? It was the best way for me to start my trucking career. How is that? I learned to handle whatever trucking threw at me. I broke the chains of disillusionment and discouragement and determined that I would be the best trucker they had ever seen. I backed down at nothing. My approach was all about conquering problems as though they were enemies to my livelihood.

There is no reason you can't do the same. Try to be a problem solver Zach. When you see a problem don't go to throwing blame. That is the easy way out. Be creative in your thinking and come up with solutions. You are a part of a team. Make that team a winning team.

Zach... If no one at the company listened to you, then go to safety. If you explain you are fatigued and cannot rest properly you can be a danger.... No way is Safety dept going to want you teaming.

But once solo, you probably wont be satisfied. Maybe you are struggling cause you are tired, but you have indeed complained about typical trucking issues. Its like a surgeon complaining that a nurse dropped some instruments. Frustrating, yet part of the job.

Oh brother. This new post. Frankly, I am starting to think you are just a whining crybaby. Always someone else's fault or excuses why you hasn't followed through. "My DM this, my DM that..." or "my co-driver this, my co-driver that." Oh, please! Stop blaming your DM! Even if he is a dipsh**, blaming him for your reasons for not fixing your issues is BS. You state he "doesn't want to get you solo because he likes teams"? Oh, give it a rest. Take responsibility for your own lack of actions in correcting your situation. Next thing we will read is: I sh**it my pants because my DM doesn't want me to stop to use a bathroom." You have been given great recommendations on how to correct your issues, but you refuse to heed them. I think you like to play the victim. That way, when you quit, it will be someone else's fault. I know women with bigger ba**s.