Many people see truck driving as a solo job. But did you know that Team Truck driving could be a career option for you? While team driving is not as common as solo driving, it has gained more popularity within the trucking industry.
What is Team Truck Driving?
Team truck driving is when two drivers work together in the same truck by alternating driving time. This driving method increases the truck’s time on the road while still following the hours-of-service regulations set by the FMCSA. Teams of drivers can be any combination depending on each driver’s preference. Most commonly, teams are married couples or teams of friends. Team drivers split their pay 50/50, which is different from all other trucking jobs.
Why should you consider Team Driving?
Team truck drivers can stay on the road longer, making them perfect in the eyes of carriers to handle high-priority/time-sensitive truck loads. As a result, the pay for team drivers can be higher than the average truck driver. The average income for a team truck driver is $73,000 per driver. Other benefits of team trucking are that you are not alone when making cross-country drives, and your trips are safer and more efficient. Having someone else in the truck can help reduce accidents, allowing one driver to leave the truck to get food or shower, while the other keeps an eye on upcoming conditions during the trip.
Potential drawbacks of Team driving
One drawback of team driving is that you have to be comfortable sharing a space with another person for the majority of your work. Unlike a typical job where you can step away from your coworkers if needed, team drivers share the cabin space all day. Therefore, drivers need to get along, trust each other, and be willing to compromise.
However, most drivers can overcome these issues with good communication so when problems do arise, a compromise can be easily agreed upon. Drivers also need to trust their partners, who are both there to do the same job. If you can become a highly functioning team, you can see your wages increase rapidly.
