Truck driving allows you the luxury to work alone or with a partner. The former is solo truck driving, and it puts the total control of the truck in your hands. But the latter is team truck driving, which offers you companionship on those long-haul trips and a higher earning potential. If you’re looking to pivot to team truck driving from solo truck driving, or you intend to start your truck driving career in a team, you’re in the right place.
Team truck driving involves two drivers working together in the same truck to cover long-haul routes and maintain continuous operation. By sharing driving responsibilities, team drivers can ensure faster deliveries, increased productivity, and reduced downtime. Explore the advantages and considerations of team truck driving to optimize efficiency in the transportation industry.
Here, we take you through what team truck driving is, the benefits you stand to gain, and some disadvantages. And since team truck driving is fraught with myths and misconceptions, we also deemed it fit to address some of the most common misconceptions about the job.
Let’s dig in.
What Is Team Truck Driving?
Team truck driving is a driving system that pairs truck drivers to a truck so that one driver can rest while the other drives. They then switch positions at agreed-upon intervals until they get to their final destination. Team truck drivers do all these without any down-time which results in more miles driven and more revenue for the trucking company.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has a set of regulations it calls the Hours of Service Regulations. These rules restrict truck drivers from spending too much time on duty. It forces them to take time off truck driving for too long in order to protect their lives and the lives of others sharing the road with them. For instance, a property truck driver can only be on the road for a maximum of 14 consecutive hours when they’ve had 10 consecutive hours of rest.
While these regulations help keep truck drivers from overworking themselves, they are a nightmare for trucking companies. That’s a whole 10 hours of idleness for the truck! The only way around this is team truck driving, as it allows one trucker to take their 10 hours of rest while the other trucker puts in their 14 hours shift. After all, it’s the truck drivers that need to rest, not the truck itself.
Team truck driving helps trucking companies extract as much value as they can from the 24 hours in a day. Loads are more quickly hauled from one point to another with team truck driving. It’s no wonder trucking companies prefer team truck drivers to solo truck drivers for long-haul trips without minding the extra costs of compensating them.
Is Team Truck Driving Hard?
Team truck driving has it's unique challenges when compared to solo truck driving. Team truck driving is no different than going solo but some drivers may find it a challenge to sit in closed quarters. with a co-worker for long periods of time. These are some more challenges you might encounter driving with a team.
Limited Personal Space and Privacy: Sharing the confined space of a truck cab for extended periods can be challenging, especially when it comes to personal space and privacy. The lack of privacy can be particularly taxing during rest periods or when personal matters need to be addressed. Maintaining open communication and setting boundaries can help alleviate some of these challenges.
Differences in Sleep Schedules: Due to the nature of team truck driving, drivers often need to alternate shifts to maintain continuous operation. This can lead to differences in sleep schedules, making it challenging to synchronize rest times effectively. Adjusting to irregular sleep patterns and finding ways to prioritize restorative sleep can be crucial for both drivers' well-being and overall safety.
Compatibility and Communication: Effective teamwork requires compatibility and strong communication between team drivers. It's essential to have similar work ethics, driving styles, and expectations to ensure a harmonious working relationship. Differences in personality or communication styles can lead to conflicts and hinder smooth operations. Establishing clear communication protocols and resolving conflicts promptly can help mitigate these challenges.
Limited Flexibility and Independence: Team truck driving often requires a higher level of coordination and compromise compared to solo driving. Drivers must align their schedules and make decisions collectively, reducing individual flexibility and independence. This can be challenging for drivers accustomed to the autonomy of solo driving. Open and respectful communication, along with a shared understanding of goals and responsibilities, can help address these challenges.
Potential for Fatigue and Burnout: While team driving allows for continuous operation, it can still lead to fatigue and burnout if drivers do not prioritize proper rest and self-care. Managing sleep schedules, maintaining a healthy diet, and engaging in regular exercise can help mitigate the risks associated with extended periods on the road.
By acknowledging these challenges, team truck drivers can proactively address them and find strategies to overcome difficulties. Open communication, mutual respect, and a shared commitment to safety and well-being can contribute to a successful team driving partnership.
Who Can Make a Truck Driving Team?
Any two experienced truck drivers can make a truck driving team as long as they are willing to work together.
However, many trucking companies don’t just randomly pick two drivers and hope they get along on the road. They prefer to hire couples, friends, siblings, parent-and-child, or any other two people that have a preexisting relationship with each other. The assumption is that the pair will work better together than a pair of randomly picked strangers.
Many companies also have matching programs where they pick two drivers who they believe are most compatible with each other. But in all cases, the employers mostly expect the drivers to be professional and work well together, whether or not they have pre-existing relationships.
Benefits of Team Truck Driving
Team truck driving holds a lot of benefits for truckers. From consistent workflow to increased potential earnings. Here are the things you stand to gain when you sign up to be a team truck driver:
1. Consistent Workflow
Most times, team truck drivers are the choice of trucking companies for long-haul deliveries. Because the faster they can handle the delivery, the earlier they can assign the trucks to other hauls.
Team truck driving puts you at the sweet spot of truck driving because whenever there are long-haul trips, you and your partner are the first set of people trucking companies are turning to. And on priority loads that have to be delivered quickly, there’s no way a trucking company is going for a solo driver if it has team truck drivers as an option.
2. Better Compensation
Team truck drivers get to spend most of the time on the move. Their breaks are limited to quick restroom visits and any other immediate businesses. This truck always being on the road makes deliveries faster. As a result, the truckers attract more compensation. The best part is that companies don’t even mind paying the pair more because of the high level of efficiency team truck driving promises.
Two statistics from Zip Recruiter show the average earning potential for a solo truck driver and a team truck driver. The solo driver earns an average annual income of $56,000, while the team truck driver earns an average annual income of $80,000 in the US. These statistics further prove the point that team truck drivers have higher earning potentials.
3. Two Heads Are Better Than One
Well, wouldn’t it be easier for you if you didn’t have to back out of a parking lot without someone to scout for you?
The truck driving business requires that you do some heavy lifting. You may also need an extra hand as you load or unload your freight. Would you rather do them alone or with the help of a partner?
Wouldn’t it be great if you could have someone trustworthy watch the truck and the freight while you quickly get something to eat? Leaving the truck unattended could encourage some idiots with far from good intentions to try something stupid on your truck.
Also, truck stops would be much safer for you if you aren’t alone. Not like you would use truck stops very often anyway, since your partner is driving while you’re resting. But should you find yourself in a precarious situation, you can always count on your partner to help.
Ultimately, multitasking is made easier with two pairs of hands. Someone can grab a bite while the other fuels the truck. And the better you work with your partner, the faster your trips.
4. You Don’t Get Lonely
Boredom is a major problem for solo truck drivers who go most of the day without talking to anyone. But as opposed to solo truck driving, you have someone you can chat with while you drive. It keeps you from getting bored.
Team truck driving gives you the opportunity to explore the world with a partner and still have them to share experiences with. And if you’re on a trip with a friend or a spouse, team truck driving gives you more than enough opportunities to spend quality time together.
Disadvantages of Team Truck Driving
Team truck driving is not all sugar and honey. It has some drawbacks that you would need to know to decide whether or not you want to tread the team truck driver's career lane. The common disadvantages of team truck driving are:
- You’re Never Alone
One of the greatest advantages of team truck driving could easily become its greatest disadvantage. Having someone around you can be great until you need some time alone. This isn’t about you hating your partner. It’s simply about you needing some privacy, and this is something that is scarce in team truck driving.
There’s hardly a secret between team truck drivers. Your partner knows everything about you, including the details you would rather keep to yourself, like the fight you had with your spouse on a phone call.
For women who tend to use the restroom often in their period, it could be awkward asking their partners to pull over every 30 minutes or so for them to use the restroom.
Finally, there isn’t a lot of space in the truck's cab, making it easy to get overwhelmed and get choked when you’re unable to get some personal time for yourself. - You’re Not the Boss Anymore
There are a lot of things you might have to forgo if you’re transitioning from a solo truck driver to a team truck driver. One of such things is the autonomy of your decisions.
Simple decisions like what to listen to on the radio, when to eat, and where, no longer belong to you alone. You and your partner have to agree on every single thing.
Therefore, it is best that you partner with whomever you are very compatible with. Otherwise, gear up for a lot of quarrels about cab temperature preferences, break schedules, and sleeping frequencies. Trips with partners you don’t like seemingly last forever
With a partner you don’t enjoy working with, you’re in for an unending day. The already small cab space becomes even smaller and their every action irritates you. But since you can’t do the trip without them, you are stuck with them for the duration of the haul. Trips like this are never pleasant.
Common Myths About Team Truck Driving
There are some misconceptions about team truck driving. It is important that we share these misconceptions with you so that you don’t get into team truck driving and have your expectations cut short.
- The Company Will Always Match You With A Partner Your Compatible With
Although companies have an obligation to match you with drivers, they believe you are most compatible with, their first mission is to make money. This makes them pair team truck drivers for other reasons that may reduce their expenses or increase their earning potential.
Most companies would have you take a personality test, but there's only so much a personality test can reveal about a person. The real test comes when both drivers go on trips together.
So when they pair you up with a partner, they expect you both to work out your differences professionally. But this doesn’t always work out well.
- Team truck driving is less stressful.
Truck Driving is not easy and can be stressful. It can be boring at times, even with team truck drivers. Driving teams experience the same stresses that solo drivers have to overcome such as loneliness, disagreements, getting enough sleep, eating healthy and safely operating a truck.
With a team dynamic, stress can be more complicated as sometimes you and your partner will run out of things to discuss. There are even times when you both have disagreements that put you both in uncomfortable situations that can be described as anything but fun. There is nothing pleasant about wanting your privacy but not being able to get it.
Even if your partner is your closest friend, you both still have a lot of work to do to practically live together in the small cab space for hours and days. Whether or not you have a fun team truck driving experience depends on you and your partner.
- Team drivers make more money than solo drivers.
When compared to solo truck drivers, team drivers usually make more money. There are other factors that can effect team drivers income such as experience with both driving and running the business.
Also, the team is only as strong as the individuals in it. A team that constantly has frictions within itself would only find itself logging fewer miles and getting paid less. That is why it is always best that you team up with someone you already have a good relationship with. Someone who already knows and accepts your faults. Things would be a whole lot better for you this way. - Team truck drivers never have to stop.
Even while driving with a team, each individual driver must abide by all of the hours of service regulations. This means driver's still have a 14-hour on duty and 11 hour driving clock with a required 30 minute break during their shift.
Typically drivers will take their required 8 hour break while their partner drives and vice versa.
Conclusion
And that’s everything you need to know about team truck driving. By now, we hope you understand how team truck driving potentially fetches you more income and other enticing benefits. And while you look forward to all these benefits, we hope you’re not ignorant of the disadvantages if truck driving, such as the lack of privacy.
If you already know this much, you’re ready to be a team truck driver. But before you go, check out these useful tips on how to get along with your team truck driving partner.