Team driving — which involves assigning two drivers in the same truck and having them take shifts to cover longer distances — has become a popular model in the trucking world. This isn’t really surprising since team driving allows companies and operators to save time and meet deadlines while still complying with the FMCSA’s rule of having truckers drive a maximum of eleven hours after ten consecutive off-duty hours. So, when you see companies applying for trip and fuel trucking permits nowadays, you can bet that they’re applying team driving in some form or another.
However, before you start teaming up with other truckers or adopting team driving into your company, you’ll want to research and learn as much as possible about this strategy. Doing so is essential since you’ll probably hear (or have already heard) many myths about team driving, such as the following:
Myth #1: Team driving is stressful.
The truth: Team driving definitely isn’t easy since there are many challenges that you’ll have to face, such as sharing the space with another person and not having complete control over your schedule. However, many factors will make the experience more bearable, like being teamed up with a veteran and helpful driver. The key here is finding a teammate with whom you can easily get along and has a personality that complements yours.
Myth #2: Team driving pays less money.
The truth: Many truckers believe they’ll earn less in team driving since they’ll have to split up the payments between two people instead of taking everything home. However, in many cases, team drivers still earn more since they can run around the clock and get to destinations faster than solo drivers, which leads to more work opportunities. It’s also important to note that team drivers usually get priority and high-value loads due to their speed and efficiency.
Myth #3: Team driving prepares drivers to engage in solo work.
The truth: Many new drivers start out in the trucking world as part of a driving team since it lets them learn the ropes with ease and get helpful tips from more experienced drivers. However, this doesn’t mean that switching to being a solo driver will be easy. For one thing, they’ll have to learn how to manage their own schedule, which can be difficult, especially if they’re used to having their veteran take care of this aspect. They also have to adjust to the fact that their lead times will differ since their truck stops when they rest. This doesn’t mean you cannot go solo after driving in a team, but you have to be prepared to deal with numerous challenges.
If you’d like to know more about obtaining trucking permits, feel free to call Reliable Permit Solutions, LLC. We have a team of dependable permit specialists who can assist you with getting oversize load transportation permits, trip and fuel permits, and many more. We also offer route consulting solutions, assist you with load bidding through our rate quotes, and help you find the right pilot car companies to work with. Get in touch with us today!