Harry
01-07-2007, 02:40 PM
The lure of the open road and the independence that goes with it draw a lot of people to trucking. Still, some potential drivers who like the idea of traveling the country don't want to go it alone. Others who have spent years on their own start thinking that it would be nice to share the experience with their spouse. That's where team drivers fit in, and plenty of fleets are actively recruiting them.
"We have made a conscious effort to increase the number of teams at Schneider National," says Todd Jadin, senior vice president of operations. "We look at it as a way to provide a distinct service to our customers, because two individuals driving a truck can cover a significant amount of miles in a shorter period of time than a solo driver. Customers want goods moved quickly and we want to offer them that expedited service."
Jeff Blank, director of recruiting at Barr-Nunn Transportation, also mentions the ever-increasing need for speedy delivery, as well as the changes in hours of service rules, as reasons for the demand for team drivers. "We can always use more teams," Blank says. "It allows us to service expedited accounts, which is a good portion of our business, and it increases our revenue."
Talk to team drivers and they'll let you know that they benefit from the arrangement too. Both Schneider and Barr-Nunn, like many other companies, pay a premium to teams and offer a variety of other incentives. The very nature of the set-up means that teams are likely to get higher mileage runs. "The average run for a team is 1,500 miles per load," says Joey Lynch, who has been driving with his wife Terri at Schneider for the past 14 years. "We've had a couple of 2,400 mile runs. When you're a team you can go from Los Angeles to New York in 48 hours. Those longer runs really help your sleep schedule and you don't spend much time waiting around."
It can take some adjustment to work as a team, though. "Everybody has their quirks," says Ginger Fisher, a Barr-Nunn driver out of Osceola, Iowa. She joined her husband Bob in his truck about 17 years ago. "Once you get in that truck, there's really no privacy, and there are probably tons of women who start driving with husbands who have been away on the road for years, and come to find out that they don't know them as well as they thought!"
Initially, team driving takes some adjustment - especially if a veteran driver pairs up with a rookie. The beginning driver, excited to see the country, will often stay awake to see the sights, when they should be resting up for their shift. Or the veteran won't have much tolerance for the rookie's learning process, or will try to impose their own way of handling driving situations on their partner. "It's not the easiest thing in the world, and we have our moments," says Bob. "But you have to be able to talk about any problems that come up. Communication is the number one thing to making a team succeed."
And then there are the details.
"One thing that I would suggest for drivers who are thinking about teaming is to discuss a few things right from the start," says Terri. "Are they both smokers or nonsmokers? Do they have the same set of goals? Do they have the same work ethic? We've seen that with nonrelated teams - all team miles are split equally and if one person is working more but still gets the same pay as their not working partner, that's trouble."
Successful teams figure out how to adjust to the small quarters and work out a team style that fits them best. And though alternating sleep schedules mean that teams actually spend a fairly small amount of time awake together, having company on the road can be nice. "Terri and I always have lunch together, and it's nice to have company when we do stop for a while," says Joey. "Plus, you have someone with you to help find the way when you're lost."
From: Road King
"We have made a conscious effort to increase the number of teams at Schneider National," says Todd Jadin, senior vice president of operations. "We look at it as a way to provide a distinct service to our customers, because two individuals driving a truck can cover a significant amount of miles in a shorter period of time than a solo driver. Customers want goods moved quickly and we want to offer them that expedited service."
Jeff Blank, director of recruiting at Barr-Nunn Transportation, also mentions the ever-increasing need for speedy delivery, as well as the changes in hours of service rules, as reasons for the demand for team drivers. "We can always use more teams," Blank says. "It allows us to service expedited accounts, which is a good portion of our business, and it increases our revenue."
Talk to team drivers and they'll let you know that they benefit from the arrangement too. Both Schneider and Barr-Nunn, like many other companies, pay a premium to teams and offer a variety of other incentives. The very nature of the set-up means that teams are likely to get higher mileage runs. "The average run for a team is 1,500 miles per load," says Joey Lynch, who has been driving with his wife Terri at Schneider for the past 14 years. "We've had a couple of 2,400 mile runs. When you're a team you can go from Los Angeles to New York in 48 hours. Those longer runs really help your sleep schedule and you don't spend much time waiting around."
It can take some adjustment to work as a team, though. "Everybody has their quirks," says Ginger Fisher, a Barr-Nunn driver out of Osceola, Iowa. She joined her husband Bob in his truck about 17 years ago. "Once you get in that truck, there's really no privacy, and there are probably tons of women who start driving with husbands who have been away on the road for years, and come to find out that they don't know them as well as they thought!"
Initially, team driving takes some adjustment - especially if a veteran driver pairs up with a rookie. The beginning driver, excited to see the country, will often stay awake to see the sights, when they should be resting up for their shift. Or the veteran won't have much tolerance for the rookie's learning process, or will try to impose their own way of handling driving situations on their partner. "It's not the easiest thing in the world, and we have our moments," says Bob. "But you have to be able to talk about any problems that come up. Communication is the number one thing to making a team succeed."
And then there are the details.
"One thing that I would suggest for drivers who are thinking about teaming is to discuss a few things right from the start," says Terri. "Are they both smokers or nonsmokers? Do they have the same set of goals? Do they have the same work ethic? We've seen that with nonrelated teams - all team miles are split equally and if one person is working more but still gets the same pay as their not working partner, that's trouble."
Successful teams figure out how to adjust to the small quarters and work out a team style that fits them best. And though alternating sleep schedules mean that teams actually spend a fairly small amount of time awake together, having company on the road can be nice. "Terri and I always have lunch together, and it's nice to have company when we do stop for a while," says Joey. "Plus, you have someone with you to help find the way when you're lost."
From: Road King