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mapleleaf_1
Joined: 13 Nov 2006
Posts: 379
Location: Wisconsin
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| Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 7:50 pm Post subject: Considering Team Driving...Pros & Cons |
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| o.k. people here's the thing. I'm considering trying team driving. I've never done it before. I've been OTR on my own for 6 years. I'd appreciate input from all you drivers. Pros & cons about teaming. No BS please. Thanks. Drive safe everyone. |
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nightprwlr
Joined: 22 Dec 2006
Posts: 41
Location: ILLINOIS
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| Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 7:01 pm Post subject: Teaming |
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It depends who you team with,how long you can be around them. Respect each others sleep time and try and drive "softly". Driving techniques matter tome anyhow if it's your truck and you have to pay to fix it.
I think I could never team with anyone other than a significant other. Sharing showers and sleeping together that means a lot seriously. Unless you're look ing for someone to team up with to make money then it might be different. I always ran team w/wife(now ex) or my g/f,which I taught them both how to drive and that alone was a nightmare j/k. We pulled flats so it made adifference as far as both loading etc. made it a "team" effort. Plus getting home wasn't a priority when you're together you can stop and "vacation" anywhere. Making money was the most important thing.
The worse part of it all is getting adjusted to sleeping going while the truck is moving. Trying to find husband/wife showers at some places was a bear sometimes.
I hope some of this might help.
Good Luck! |
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mapleleaf_1
Joined: 13 Nov 2006
Posts: 379
Location: Wisconsin
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| Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 7:31 pm Post subject: |
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| Yes I realize nightprwlr that I can't just take any person to team with. There needs to be a connection with the other person. I don't mean a romantic connection either. LOL My hubby wouldn't like it. I wouldn't be showering with them either. Got my own showermate thanks. :) I just wanted some input from those who have or are now teaming. See what they have to say about it. I really do appreciate your reply and welcome any others from you or others. Drive safe everyone. :) |
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whynot
Joined: 15 Jan 2007
Posts: 1
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| Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 12:48 am Post subject: Teaming |
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| Mapleleaf, I sent you a private message. Please get back to me ASAP if you are interested and have any questions. My e:mail is purserphil@yahoo.com |
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mapleleaf_1
Joined: 13 Nov 2006
Posts: 379
Location: Wisconsin
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| Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 8:28 am Post subject: |
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| Sorry Whynot I hadn't had the chance to read it. Been busy with driving and unloading this morning. Will get to it shortly. Thanks for the message. Drive safe everyone. :) |
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Lewis friend
Joined: 18 Jan 2007
Posts: 245
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| Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 10:49 pm Post subject: |
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OK, i just came off a team (teamed unwillingly by company).
First off, DON'T DO IT.
Pros:
Possibility of more consistent frieght and mileage because they (dispatchers/shippers etc) like the efficiency and expediency of teams. This translates to the possibility of a higher paycheck. My personal experiences did not nessesarily reflect this. Actually, they didn't reflect this. But i have seen teams that get 9000+ miles per week. I don't know what their logbooks look like, but they can get 9000+ miles per week!!!
I can't think of any other pros at this time; This should tell you something.
Cons:
Sleep in a moving truck=not good quality sleep regardless of what anyone says.
Sleep in a moving truck=high noise levels which=low quality sleep regardless of what anyone says.
Sleep in a moving truck=too much vibration which=low quality sleep regardless of what anyone says or thinks.
Now because your sleep is screwed up, you are probably going to be very tired.
And if the other idiot you're teaming with wants to listen to the radio while you're sleeping...........
YOu can't nessesarily stop when/where you want to.
I would recommend that you don't do it unless the numbers add up, which, in a lot of cases, they don't |
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mapleleaf_1
Joined: 13 Nov 2006
Posts: 379
Location: Wisconsin
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| Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 11:54 pm Post subject: |
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| Thanks for replying Lewis. I appreciate your input. Drive safe everyone. :) |
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Lewis friend
Joined: 18 Jan 2007
Posts: 245
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| Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2007 10:47 pm Post subject: |
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Oh yeah, one other thing:
If you're teamate is sick and/or has a cold, you too will soon be sick.
Sounds scary/eerie but it's true. |
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Random_Facts
Joined: 06 Mar 2006
Posts: 558
Location: Northern California
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| Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 1:13 am Post subject: |
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wait woah there...you said 9,000 a week for a team. I don't think that can be right. that can't add up lol. you would have to pull off 1,285 miles a day.
that would be like driving to Ohio to Florida 1,000 miles. I did it in my car in 17 hours lol. but in a semi not sure if thats possible..sense you're going slower than everyone else. guess it would depend on you're speed. but still that seems a little high.
and then if they kept the 9,000 miles a week for every week thats doing 468,000 miles a year. 9,000 times 52. wow is that even possible? Lol sorry just had to repost saying that.
had to get that off my chest would have been up all night otherwise lol. |
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bigdaddyCCMJ
Joined: 02 Feb 2007
Posts: 22
Location: Missouri
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| Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 10:32 am Post subject: miles |
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| 9000 miles a week is do able if you really run your balls off. 9000 miles a week would mean you have to keep an average speed of 65 mph for a constant 140 hours. Thats each driver running there 11 hour shift and driving at 65 for 10 hours. thats give you an hour for fuel, inspection, food. There will not be any showers taken but with 9000 miles you are making enough money to buy something to cover it up. I am teaming right now and my partner and I have been running 7000 to 8250 miles a week steady. Which is making me before taxes 2030.00 up to 2392.50 which is very good I feel. We have one of the best team trucks in the fleet as well as a very good deleivery record. |
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Shebear
Joined: 12 Jun 2006
Posts: 103
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| Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 10:50 am Post subject: SLEEPY |
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| Sleeping in a moving truck was a real problem for me. I just lay there until the truck actually stopped around 4 a.m. How do BIG DADDY and his partner, or other teams, work this out? I'd like to make that good money also. Do you wear a special sleep helmet? Huh? |
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flood
Joined: 16 Jan 2007
Posts: 557
Location: tennesse
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| Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 11:54 am Post subject: |
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what we did was get a good foam mattress and put it on top of the one in the truck. now when sleeping you can't feel the road, but if you are being bounce around it may be the other driver not driving right (soft driving)..?
some drivers don't know how to drive so you can sleep (turning to fast, brakes to hard, change lane's to fast)
my wife is a good driver but one day (after we started driving team) when she was sleeping i drove like she did and every time she woke up i told her that is how she drives. i slept great after that. |
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century451
Joined: 05 Feb 2006
Posts: 202
Location: Sparta, MO
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| Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 10:34 pm Post subject: |
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| Trusting your partner to sleep behind them is the first hurdle. Carry sanitizing wipes for the wheel, gearshift and anything your partner may touch will cut down on a lot of passing germs to one another. You can burn some miles but if your not careful you can burn out pretty fast. I used to team with a guy and we were burning around 7500 a week and would stay out for a long time. Used to have to leave notes to remind each other what direction we was traveling.........That's not a safe way to team. No matter what you do, team or single you have to be safe and you have to get out of the truck once in a while. The money isn't worth your life or your health. |
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mapleleaf_1
Joined: 13 Nov 2006
Posts: 379
Location: Wisconsin
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| Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 11:17 pm Post subject: |
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| I agree with you totally Century. Just bought myself a new Volvo 780. Now I need to get it all paid off but I'm not going to run myself ragged in order to do that. Nothing's worth that. Drive safe everyone. :) |
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Piece Of Work
Joined: 28 Nov 2006
Posts: 267
Location: Columbus, OH
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| Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2007 12:09 pm Post subject: |
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Your team driver becomes the "Other Significant-Other".
It helps to live in the same town so hometime can be worked out. If you want home, the other driver has to agree to it. What if they want to stay out longer? |
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