Team Driving (Husband & Wife) Questions??

[GQ Team]

What is a reasonable income for a "husband & wife" team to make the first year they are on the road?

What tips can you give to us for the first year on the road?

What are the most difficult issues for the "female" team driver while on the road (pre-menopause years?) I am only 40 and will be driving with my husband next year.

What wisdom can you give to a husband and wife team for their first year in driving? What companies should we look at?

Thanks, Jackie & Chuck

[Evinrude]

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[color=orange][b]What wisdom can you give to a husband and wife team for their first year in driving?

Get a good divorce lawyer. lol. Its about 10-14 buc's per hour each.

[Uturn2001]

What is a reasonable income for a "husband & wife" team to make the first year they are on the road?

You should gross at least 60,000 for the two of you and 70,000 would not be out of the question that first year.

What tips can you give to us for the first year on the road?

Learn to plan your trips well. Watch your expenses. Learn how your company does things and where their good freight lanes are.

What wisdom can you give to a husband and wife team for their first year in driving?

Learn how to communicate with each other. Respect how each of you do things. Take some time for yourselves, even if it is only 20 minutes a day while you grab a shower.

What companies should we look at?

That may depend on where you call home.

[mtdewr]

What is a reasonable income for a "husband & wife" team to make the first year they are on the road? Around $60,000

What tips can you give to us for the first year on the road? Have patience with your spouse, take time to be by yourself, even a few minutes a day! The cab gets pretty small at times.

What are the most difficult issues for the "female" team driver while on the road (pre-menopause years?) I am only 40 and will be driving with my husband next year. Mine was being away from home at first but after a few months it was ok.

What wisdom can you give to a husband and wife team for their first year in driving? What companies should we look at?

Thanks, Jackie & Chuck

You can pm or im me for more info

[tweety bird]

WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T GET SUCKERED INTO A LEASE-OP SCAM!!!!

Anyway, that said, I'd suggest US Xpress. We've never worked for them, but that's who we would go with if we went back to being company drivers. We worked for Digby (green) for 3 years before we bought our truck and we did well with them. They got bought by... Celadon? I think. But we got a good reputation with our dispatcher early on and he ran us well.

No company is perfect, but for a husband and wife team, I say US Xpress.

I would suggest that you stay away from refer companies- that's companies that pull refrigerated trailers. It's been quite a few years, but I have strong memories of grocer receivers and those memories are not good. I think the cold affects the brain- those are some unhappy people.

I would strongly suggest a company that caters to teams and does drop and hook. You can make a killing doing that.

Some companies that I have a low opinion of are Swift, USA, Prime, CRST. I'm not saying you couldn't make a lot of money (as company drivers) there. But I have a very low opinion of their quality as far as training, drivers and equipment go. No offense to anyone who works there, but if you're honest, you'll at least see why I have this opinion.

Prime and Swift, btw, have the whole lease-op scam down to a science. Many other companies are doing the same thing. But these two companies have perfected the art of screwing drivers.

[t+t]

Well, GQ Team, in answer to what it's like for a woman on the road during "those" years, I'm 46 and in the same boat. Try talking with your doctor for any suggestions for relief from symptoms - let him/her know you are planning to be on the road. Avlimil works for me and it's over the counter. I buy it on ebay and it helps with night-sweats, irritablitly, etc. You will need help on a truck with these symptoms! Being on the road together can be awesome, seeing the sights and experiencing so many new things that non-drivers can't even imagine.

It's not a glamorous life for a woman. Be sure to learn to give each other space and alone time. Remember, you will be living in an 8'x8' home for weeks and even months straight. Backing down on arguements is important - save it for when the anger subsides - there's nowhere to go to get away from each other most of the time and a job/delivery to get done! You'll be showering and doing any other "personal" things in a different place each day, or hour! Where you are at the time may not be clean, or even sanitary. Shower shoes and an inverter for your truck are important items. We've found that showering and getting whatever we need done at a truck stop, then heading to a rest area for any down time is nice. There is usually grass and trees and picnic tables and room to get out and walk at rest areas.

Just remember your safety as a woman in rest areas at night. I've found that when I need to stop at night, and hubby is sleeping, I stop in a well-lit fuel island at a truck stop vs. walking alone at a rest area into a rest-room that could have an unwanted someone "lurking". Women get ogled constantly on the road. Sometimes it's even degrading to myself and my husband-other times it's respectful. It can go beyond ogling and to rudeness at times. Remain professional and ignore the rudeness, and hopefully your husband can do the same. Dress appropriately for your job, and show confidence, always. If your husband is the jealous type, it can be rough on him.

As time goes on, you'll both probably have "systems" that work for you both, and your safety... and sanity in the truck! Keep an open mind and don't hesitate to ask questions on here. I'm always looking for teams/women who share the same concerns as I do. Everyone seems to have wonderful ideas and solutions.

Good luck to you both. It's a big decision to become drivers... but to us... so far worth it. :wink:

[allan5oh]

GQ team, where are you from?