Experienced driver w/inexperienced team driver,Where do we go??

truckrnnr · Jan 21, 2009

I have been Expediting solo for 12 years. I find myself facing a dilema,.....add a team driver or get out of the business. My problem is this: I found a team driver who lives very close to me,he's a nice person and we get along, Here's the issue. He is fresh out of driving school w/CDL A ,but no real experience. I have no problem teaching him the business,but the carrier I'm leased to will not even consider him. I have no problem changing carriers as I'm not happy with the one I have (have never been happy with them)
Does anyone know what carriers (if any) will let an experienced team driver,train a rookie?
Thank You,
P.S. My truck is a D unit 33000 gvw
TRUCKRNNR

10-4 on the TRUCKRNNR EXPRESS,........Not sure I'm ready to take that step at this point in time.

My carrier used to not require any experience for a D unit,now they say 6 month verifiable OTR. and they will not budge.

jaminjim · Jan 21, 2009

Dang near all but the one your with. PII, FedEx are two that come to mind.

Tennesseahawk · Jan 21, 2009

Truckrnnr Express would.

bassasom1 · Jan 24, 2009

Panther will not touch your co driver until he has at least 6 months experience. Fed Ex CC will take you on as a team. However there are a few conditions: Co driver cannot drive truck without you on truck for 6 months. Your trainee must take a road test given by an approved Fed Ex CC approved school. Other than that that's all there is to it.

bassasom1 · Jan 24, 2009

Class A Tracter Panther will not touch your co driver until he has at least 6 months experience. Fed Ex CC will take you on as a team. However there are a few conditions: Co driver cannot drive truck without you on truck for 6 months. Your trainee must take a road test given by an approved Fed Ex CC approved school. Other than that that's all there is to it.

Humble2drive · Jan 25, 2009

truckrnnr said:
I have been Expediting solo for 12 years. I find myself facing a dilema,.....add a team driver or get out of the business.

I just have to ask why? Curiosity is killing me. Why would a 12 year veteran have to change his business and lifestyle.
I have read posts by other solo drivers that refuse to add a non significant other. They say the increase in revenue is not enough to justify splitting the profit in two unless it stays in the same houshold.

I see this post is a couple of days old, but it would be interesting to know why this drastic step is necessary if you are still checking the post. In the future, will there be no more solo opportunities left??

nightcreacher · Jan 25, 2009

The people that tell you that a solo will do better than a team,just dont want to run team.The HOS rules will dictate how much money a solo operator can make.What you have to realize,expedite freight is just that,pick it up and get it to delivery as fast as possible.Sometimes you will be there before the company actually opens,but they need the product right away,and you wont have time to take a 10 hour break to get your log book straight,and getting cought at a scale can cost you dearly,even shut a factory down.The advantage of the 1 family income,H/W team,is,along with the long runs,they can also do the short runs,as the income doesnt have to be split

truckrnnr · Jan 25, 2009

As far as what others say they will or will not do,...........this would be up to them and I respect their decisions whatever they may be. I can only speak for me. My situation is this: more trucks coming into the industry,less freight,rates being cut,less opportunities,..........when I go out and get one run from PA to MI ($484.00) sit for 3 days,get a load from MI. to Cleveland ($197.00) then sit for 6 days, then a load from Richfield,OH. to Mentor,OH. ($150.00),then sit for another 6 days before heading for the house,..........this makes it kinda tough to justify being out on the road.(I was about 100 miles from home)
This is what the month of January has been for me. A grand total of $831.00 Gross thus far this month. (kinda makes you wonder why the company is boasting tremendous growth,and exceptional earning opportunities)

The question regarding "splitting the profit" All I can say in responce to that is that any prospective team I would be a part of would be me and another driver working in MY truck (paid for) Not a team splitting 40% of what a fleet owners truck makes.

I think that is what you were thinking as far as not being enough money to support a truck owner and then two non related team drivers. This is totally NOT the case in my situation and really doesn't apply to me,or a prospective team driver I would hire.

The sad truth to the matter is that solo drivers are slowly getting squeezed out of the industry. You can put a solo load on a team truck,but you cannot put a team load on a solo truck. If I were a big company, I would want trucks that I could put ANY load on.
I don't mean to ruffle anyones feathers. It comes down to this for me,........I will either add a team driver and hit the road, or the truck will stay in the garage and I'll work local until the industry and economy turn around. My finances are solid,my bills are paid,and I'll be fine.
I guess to sum it all up,.....If all I'm going to make is $831.00 gross a month, I would be better off flipping burgers,or packing bags at Wallyworld.

Thank You,
TRUCKRNNR
A.K.A. Rob.

nightcreacher · Jan 25, 2009

Rob
You went to mich ohio and so forth and had to sit.First off,running solo had you sitting,and being in michigan didnt help either,as the economy tells you the auto industry is way down and that less loads out of michigan.you wont find a team sitting that much,but you do have something correct,teams take short runs but solos cant do long ones,except on week ends.Now if your with a regular truck load carrier,you can do long loads,you will have more time to deliver

truckrnnr · Jan 25, 2009

You know, I LOVE this industry. lots of great people,I just love it and don't want to leave it. This is why I want to add a team driver,to open up more potential freight for my truck. This all got started by me asking what is a fair percentage to pay a team driver in my truck. I didn't want to offer to little or to much,but the fact remains that my trucks operating costs are relatively low,thus making it possible to pay a better rate to the RIGHT person.
I have invested well over the years and have other business interests that are thriving. I just don't want (or need) to be involved in the day to day operations. I want to drive.
I feel that if I find the right team driver, We can both make out very well. One thing I will say is that I am leaving the carrier I'm with currently.I'll actaully be packing up the satellite equipment and shipping it out in the morning.