[choperbob]

am considering running as a team. anyone have exp to share regarding teaming with opposite sex? what to look out for and beware of, pros and cons.

[GMAN]

It could be a little awkward if you are not married. You really need to be in tune with one another. That truck can get mighty small if you don't like one another. I have known of some who feel like they want to kill one another after a time in the same truck. I have also known some who would not travel any other way. They give one another some room, and may take turns getting out of the truck for some personal time alone. I don't think there is a cookie cutter approach you can use for everyone. I would say having open communication, preferably before a major blow up would help. It is always better to resolve problems before they get out of hand.

[Syncrosonix]

i teamed with a female before. she was expecting me to do all the work while she sat in the passenger seat or sleeper berth leeching off of my paycheck. i put my foot down real quick that she was going to pull her fair amount of weight and that i was NOT going to pay for everything. she's an adult and can take care of herself. needless to say, she was off my truck within three weeks.

i hate it when i see desperate dudes putting up with all kinds of crap because the woman is semi-cute. cuteness isn't an instant pass when dealing with me. i don't believe in special treatment. are you going to be one of those guys?

[DDCavi]

I couldnt imagine trying to sleep in a truck thats moving.

[Sabine]

So you don't get the wrong idea, there are bad co-drivers, both male and female, and also good ones of either gender.

We are pulling flatbed now, and with the exception of draping the tarp, I do everything he does, so, not all women fall into the lazy category.

I do my share of the work, but that does not mean we split everything 50/50. I do all the paperwork, he will do the "guy" stuff, like adjusting brakes or things like that. It works for us. I don't like to get dirty, he hates paperwork.

But, I tell you, the truck can get mighty small, even if you drive with someone you love. I could not imagine doing it with just a friend, or even worse, a stranger.

I hope you figure it out. I have driven team, then by myself, and now team again, and I love not being alone out here. But it is not for everyone.

[Useless]

Even under the best of circumstances, team driving is difficult. I drove teams with a couple of good drivers. For the most part, we got along very well.

Still, no matter how comaptable two people may be, that truck gets might small; two people living, sleeping, and working in a space about the size of a walk-in closet. You are going to get on each other's nerves; that's a given.

The real key is how well, and how quickly the two of you can set aside your differences, get over the spats (and, they WILL happen!!) and put them behind you.

I teamed up for my first winter's driving. being that I live in South Texas, where we have deen no real snow since the mid 1980's, I wasn't about to try to teach myself to drive a 40 ton missle through snow or ice. I'm glad that I didn't; my co-driver was an excellent coach, and I have to believe that he probably saved me from putting the truck on it's side, especially while I was negotiating some tight hair-pin turns on black ice!!

My last co-driver and I had a pretty good rhythmm going; then, I got pretty sick with the flu, amd a respiratory infection. As I was getting over it, he came down with it.

During that time, we each soloed while the other driver was down. After we had both recovered, we teamed back up...... but by then, we'd lost that rhythmm that we had before. Each one of us reached a point where we just could no longer sleep while the truck was moving.

One night, while we were driving through Kingman, AZ., I started to fall asleep behind the wheel. I was approaching the exit where I was going to refuel us at the truck stop. When I looked up, everything that I was seeing was in a "freeze-frame" mode. That scared the living hell out of me.

That was my last trip as a team driver; we both mutually agreed that we were going to go our seperate ways, and we each went back to solo driving. We still remained good friends though.

For me, driving teams helprd me to better progress from being a steering wheel hilder to becoming a real driver. For other drivers like me, the kind who were NOT born with a steering wheel in one hand, and a gearshift in another, it can be a good way to start out.

[tweety bird]

I've only ever teamed with my husband and I can't imagine teaming with anyone else. You have to trust the person driving when you're sleeping- if you don't, you won't sleep very well. That goes for you, too. The other person has to trust your driving as well.

We've both gone out solo before, too. And that's a nice change. If I ever wind up driving without my husband, it will be solo. Period. I could see teaming with someone for a short period- a week or two- for some oddball reason. But I can't see doing it for the long term. Doesn't matter to me what the sex is.

I have known women who were good friends who teamed and that seemed to work out okay. I would think that would put a real strain on the friendship, though. It puts a strain on the marriage, that's for sure. But I think you have a similar strain on a marriage when the husband (or wife) is on the road and the wife (or husband) is home and they hardly see eachother, too.

I'm starting to ramble now.

Your question specifically had to things to watch out for and pros/cons. I think I covered my opinion on the cons.

I'd trust your instincts. If the person you team with gives you the heebie geebies, I'd trust that and not go off with him/her. You're safer to just stay at the truck stop and refuse to get in the truck- call the company and tell them you feel threatened or whatever.

Make sure you have a supply of cash/credit cards with you and NEVER LEAVE IT UNATTENDED. You don't know this other person. You don't know if he/she will go through your things when you run in to use the potty. This is your emergency stash in case the situation turns bad and your company refuses to help you and you need to get the hell out of there.

Have your own cell phone. That seems obvious but I can't assume you've got one. Keep it charged and keep it with you. Make sure you've got a plan with good coverage so you can count on having a signal when you need it. Again, you don't know this person.

Maybe take a course in self defense- just having the right attitude can put some people in their place.

Obviously these things come from a "worst case scenerio" standpoint. For all we know, you could wind up teaming with a person with a very good heart and strong morals. But you have to be prepared for the creeps. They are, after all, out there (as you probably know if you ever turn on the cb-lol).

[Useless]

Excellent advice, Tweety Bird!! 8)
:rock:

You deserve band for that!!

I particularly liked your advice about guarding your cash, credit cards, etc. ........guess I was one of the lucky ones. I had an excellent trainer, and a good co-driver.

That could be a serious problem, though!!

[tweety bird]

Originally Posted by Useless

Excellent advice, Tweety Bird!! 8)
:rock:

You deserve band for that!!

I particularly liked your advice about guarding your cash, credit cards, etc. ........guess I was one of the lucky ones. I had an excellent trainer, and a good co-driver.

That could be a serious problem, though!!

I watch CSI a lot so I'm a little paranoid lol.
Thanks for the flowers... er... music