Husbands and wives team up to make more money by driving a tractor-trailer.
But how does this team driving work?
You may suppose that a team in trucking is a setting of two drivers delivering one load. This team setting is more efficient because it allows to cover longer distances in shorter period of time.
So, if you are interested in making more money as a truck driver, look into team driving.
Keep reading.
Define team driving
Team driving is when two drivers work together to transport freight.
How team driving works
- The driver perspective
Team drivers are more efficient than solo because teams may reach more driving miles, which translates into more earning potential for both drivers.
That happens because team drivers stop fewer times than solo drivers do.
- Customer perspective
Customers or carriers like working with teams because they provide on-time deliveries and 24h customer service.
Trucking companies like hiring teams because they increase the efficiency of their trucking business operation and cover more miles in a shorter amount of time.
The characteristics of successful team driving
To make team driving work, drivers have to respect and trust each other.
This rule applies to professional driving teams or spouse teams.
- Professional teams of drivers are drivers that team up without having any family or personal connection.
They team up purely based on their professional driving skills and with someone they can get along with. - Spouse teams are among the most popular ones because they can comfortably share and enjoy each other's company inside a tractor-trailer.
You have to have respect and trust for each other to make a driving teamwork.
Trust - the important factor for team driving
While being on the road, team drivers rely on each other.
When one driver is on-duty, the other one is in the sleeper berth getting his resting time.
To ensure that the on-duty driver is alert, he needs enough good-quality resting time without interruptions.
At the same time, the driver who rests needs to trust his partner that he drives safely.
How are team drivers paid?
Team drivers are paid for their combined mileage, which averages a higher amount than a solo driver
Then the trucking company splits the total driven miles per driver.
The team driving pay per mile may range between $0.40 to $0.75. Remember that the total amount that you get is divided by 2.
This pay range can change from company to company.
Benefits of team driving
1. Team make more money
Compared to solo drivers, team drivers can usually earn more money because they can run more miles.
On average, driving teams log anywhere from 4,500 miles to 5,000 miles per week. Solo drivers, on the other hand, log on average between 2,400 and 2,800 miles per week.
2. Teams have more jobs
Team drivers see more priority loads.
If freight needs to get somewhere fast, teams are typically considered before solo drivers.
Carriers love teams because they provide efficient on-time deliveries and maximize the company's profit by keeping their trucks rolling. At the same time, teams deliver freight faster than solos.
3. Team driving provides better security for the load
Team truck driving provides better security for the load because the load is not left alone. Someone stays with it while the other driver grabs food or takes a shower.
Disadvantages of team driving
1. Not having complete control of living in a tractor-trailer
If you are the kind of person who needs to have alone time, team driving might be an issue for you because you won't have the entire cab to your complete control.
You'll have to plan your breaks and sleeping schedules with your co-driver.
You'll have to get accustomed your co-driver eating and cleanliness habits.
You'll have get used to whether a quite ambiance or a noisy one depending on your co-driver's character.
2. Poor quality of sleep
In an ideal world, truck drivers need to rest and sleep well to be focused on the road during the on-duty time.
In reality, you can't get a good quality sleep in a moving truck. You always hear noises and see disturbing lights. This kind of sleep is not of best quality. Agree?
Very often, truck drivers endure sleep deprivation and the truck driver is forced to start driving while being tired.
3. Long time away from home
OTR truck drivers spend over 2 to 3 weeks on the road or even more.
With such lifestyle is difficult to have a normal family life.
