Two Drivers In A Small Can

I'm spending the night at a Swift terminal. Another truck pulls up next to me with two Swift team drivers. One of them had a question about the Qualcomm so I went over to their truck to see what's going on.

"Driver A" had been in the sleeper during the day for eight and a half hours, then started driving. When I met them Driver A's time was an hour and a half over his 14. "Driver B" had over 24 hours in the sleeper berth!

I explained to them a DOT officer would not be happy if he saw that. They have an appointment about 6 hours drive away tomorrow morning. I told Driver A he needs to stop right now, and Driver B must drive tonight to make their appointment time. I think Driver B was not happy with that. It turns out one has been dr iving for 4 months and the other one for 3. I think they did not know each other until they got in the truck together. I don't know where either one of them got their training. Yes, they are Swift drivers. I'm sorry.

Errol- Are they some type of immigrants that have problems with English?

So what's your take on this? The 2 drivers are disobeying and ignoring Swifts Qualcomm instructions? They'll be a day of reckoning for these 2 when DOT or LEO tickets them or shuts them down?

Are they initiating communication with Swift?

Worse case is a wreck and if they live, severe fines, tickets and fired.

I'd say something positive, but i just see mostly negative, with disaster looming.

My take is that after four months OTR these guys still don't know their QC. I believe their DM can see the current drive & duty times, but had not spoken with them.

It's sad that neither one knew the importance and legal meaning of their HOS record.

In the 15 minutes I spent with them, I think their team days are numbered. BTW neither one seemed fatigued.

My take is that after four months OTR these guys still don't know their QC. I believe their DM can see the current drive & duty times, but had not spoken with them.

It's sad that neither one knew the importance and legal meaning of their HOS record.

In the 15 minutes I spent with them, I think their team days are numbered. BTW neither one seemed fatigued.

A few months ago, I just remembered the public news announcement from Swifts' president that they're going to stop hiring because their financial numbers have declined, so they can make changes at the company. It also said Swift hired around 850 new drivers each quarter.

Maybe this situation is part of or a big part of their problems.

I'm really not slamming Swift, nor do I hate Swift.

So, as a new driver, you would not recommend team driving? It seems like it would be a benefit as each driver can help each other with backing and trip planning.

sgtwilldog asks:

So, as a new driver, you would not recommend team driving? It seems like it would be a benefit as each driver can help each other with backing and trip planning.

Team driving is a different sort of animal. One person driver while the other sleeps, so the notion of "helping each other out" is typically not in the cards. I think the issue in this case is two very inexperienced drivers were paired together and the result is problematic.

My 2c's; if you can tolerate team driving (sleeping in a moving truck) I would recommend you try to team with a driver more experienced than you are (at least 6 months).

I agree with G-Town. You should pick your team mate first -someone you already know - then go for a team.

Besides my road training team, I've only bet solo. I've read about team on TT and the advertising by Swift. I think I'll pass. You do get the longer runs, but hey, you still do 11 hours a day. And you can also sleep quietly.

Now, about that "hiring freeze". I had to do a search for original information. I could only find an article from 2009 about "too many trucks". I think that's pretty much over with by now.

Errol, maybe they are a couple, and the one doing the majority of the driving is trying to get out of the doghouse for something he did.

The silent treatment you received could be indicative of a lovers spat that you interrupted.

Even if they are straight, when two people spend too much time together in a truck, it could have the same effect as astronauts spending too much time in orbit together. They just get weird, and take a long time to re-adjust when they finally get back.

Sounds like a situation where Driver B has cowed his codriver into doing all the driving, knowing that he gets paid for all miles on the truck regardless of who drives. Why work if you can lounge around and make money off the back of someone else? Sad and unfortunately more common than you might think in team driving, especially when two virtual strangers are thrown in a truck together.

As to how/why neither seemed to realize the gravity of an HOS violation (and drove off again while out of hours!) I can't begin to fathom. I cannot imagine that between them both, the seriousness of complying with the log rules was never impressed upon either of them.

I love teaming, but I do not think it suits the majority of people. I cringe when new drivers talk about teaming with someone they don't already know, because I think it is often a recipe for disaster that has little to no potential benefit for them. To be sure, the companies make it seem alluring (More Pay! More Miles! Longer Runs! Less Solitude!) but they don't ever talk about the sacrifices that need to be made in order to succeed as a team.

I have yet to know of a single team who started out as strangers that lasted together longer than eight months, and I think it's safe to say the average is far lower than that. Hopefully Driver A wises up and requests to get dispatched into a solo truck, because if the situation is as it appears then he's probably bringing home less money than he would solo.

Sounds like a situation where Driver B has cowed his codriver into doing all the driving, knowing that he gets paid for all miles on the truck regardless of who drives. Why work if you can lounge around and make money off the back of someone else? Sad and unfortunately more common than you might think in team driving, especially when two virtual strangers are thrown in a truck together.

As to how/why neither seemed to realize the gravity of an HOS violation (and drove off again while out of hours!) I can't begin to fathom. I cannot imagine that between them both, the seriousness of complying with the log rules was never impressed upon either of them.

I love teaming, but I do not think it suits the majority of people. I cringe when new drivers talk about teaming with someone they don't already know, because I think it is often a recipe for disaster that has little to no potential benefit for them. To be sure, the companies make it seem alluring (More Pay! More Miles! Longer Runs! Less Solitude!) but they don't ever talk about the sacrifices that need to be made in order to succeed as a team.

I have yet to know of a single team who started out as strangers that lasted together longer than eight months, and I think it's safe to say the average is far lower than that. Hopefully Driver A wises up and requests to get dispatched into a solo truck, because if the situation is as it appears then he's probably bringing home less money than he would solo.

Very soon, it's not going to matter one bit. Driver A will be placed on safety hold as soon as they do their empty call and/or are at a Swift terminal. Driver A risks a suspension or worse. Driver B will at the vey least be required to take a Log Class and may also go in safety hold.

When ever a Swift driver violates HOS driving rules, it triggers an automated alert to safety and either the terminal or fleet manager. The alert must be responded to with an action.

This is what gives me confidence being a new driver XD. Knowing that there are people who have been on the road a lot longer than I have been, yet they have no idea how to do many critical aspects of their jobs, and they STILL have one somehow!