Commercial truck team driving is becoming more and more popular with truckers. They can earn more money because they can spend more time on the road. If they are struggling to drive, they can take a quick break while their partner drives. They also have someone to talk to, so that they aren’t lonely.
All in all, it can be a great thing for many drivers. However, you need to choose the right driver, or you may find out that you prefer to work on your own. So, how can you choose the right person to team up with? Here are some tips to help.
What about your partner or spouse? If you are married or in a long-term relationship, you may want to think about collaborating with him or her. Many husband and wife teams are quite successful on the road. Not only won’t you be separated for days or weeks at a time, which could hurt your relationship, you already know that you get along. You probably drive plenty of places together, so you know that you enjoy the same music and temperature in the car. What could be better?
If you are single or your partner doesn’t have a CDL license, you may be able to ask your company about finding someone to team up with. Many companies have options for those who prefer to work with someone else. They may have a waiting list of people who would prefer to drive with a team instead of being by themselves.
This is often commonly done for new drivers. Your company may pair a new driver with an experienced one to help him or her get the feel of the road (and the job).
You can also ask around. In this day and age, there are so many different ways to find out information. You may be able to ask some of your driving buddies if they know anyone who is looking for a team member. You may also ask around Facebook and other social media platforms. In fact, you may also find a group specifically for over the road truckers or even one where people are looking for team members.
You need to make sure that you know what you are looking for. Before you even start looking for someone to drive with, you need to have an idea of what you are looking for. Are you looking for someone to do the driving at night, so you can drive during the day? Would you prefer to drive for four hours at a time and then take a break for that long? Do you want someone who has their own truck (or do you have one that you want to use)?
If you don’t have any idea what you are looking for, you are going to struggle to find the right person to sit beside you on the road. Because of this, you really need to take the time to figure out how you expect team driving to work and what you want out of a person.
Once you find a few people, you need to make sure that you ask the right questions. You can’t just pick a name out of a hat and get right to work. You need to make sure that you are compatible and are able to spend days with each other (in a small confined space).
Don’t be afraid to ask the following questions:
- How long do you want to drive at a time?
- Do you prefer to drive during the day or night? Or would you prefer to take four hour (or something similar) shifts?
- How often do you want to be home? Do you want to stay out on the road for a few days or weeks?
- Any specific places you want or don’t want to drive? Do you want local routes or is a cross-country trip sound good?
- Will you haul anything? Do you want to drive a lowboy or a certain type of trailer? Are wide and heavy loads good for you?
- What do you listen to when you drive? Are your musical choices compatible?
- What temperature do you like your truck? Do you prefer windows or air conditioning?
- Do you have any allergies or trouble with smells? If the smell of perfume gives you a headache, you may not be able to drive with a woman who wears it.
If you find someone compatible, you may want to spend some time together before you hit the road (or take a trial run).
Just because it sounds good on paper, doesn’t mean that it will work in person. For this reason, you need to spend some time together before you start driving. Another good idea may be to take a short trial run to see how you two get along. Maybe you can do a day or two drive, just to figure out how it will work. This may lead to the start of something great, or let you see what else you may need, before you try again. You may realize that you didn’t ask some questions that you should have. You may realize that night driving isn’t for you, and you would prefer to find someone to drive at night.
It can be really hard to find the right team member. However, it is worth taking the extra time to make sure that you choose the right person. If you don’t, it may turn you off driving completely! You may want to start with your partner. You already know a lot about each other, and this will just give you an opportunity to grow your relationship! However, you can also ask around, until you find others who are looking for someone to drive with. Just make sure that you ask plenty of questions and spend some time together to make sure that you are truly compatible together.
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