What Type Of Driving Is Best

Topic 16564 | Page 1

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Ben C.'s Comment
member avatar

So have been wondering for a while what type of driving job is the best? I would like to do otr but once I get my cdl is solo or team driving best? I've been kind of leaning towards solo, but I wanted to get some advice from guys that have actually done both. Thank you so much for your help.

CDL:

Commercial Driver's License (CDL)

A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:

  • Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
  • Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.

OTR:

Over The Road

OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.

Dan E.'s Comment
member avatar

I have 0 experience but this is something that I have thought about as well. If I had to drive team I would have to feel comfortable around my teammate and trust that he was a safe driver. Seems it would be easier learning the job your first year with a partner but if you didn't connect with him or her it would be a nightmare. I hope you get some good replies to this question.

So have been wondering for a while what type of driving job is the best? I would like to do otr but once I get my cdl is solo or team driving best? I've been kind of leaning towards solo, but I wanted to get some advice from guys that have actually done both. Thank you so much for your help.

CDL:

Commercial Driver's License (CDL)

A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:

  • Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
  • Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
  • Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.

OTR:

Over The Road

OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.

G-Town's Comment
member avatar

Welcome Ben.

My personal preference is solo.

Several reasons:

1- For me sleeping in the bunk while the truck is moving; pitching, rolling and bumping was almost impossible while I was road training.

2- Trusting another driver I barely know to drive safe while I slept.

3- Work ethic; if paired with someone who doesn't want to run as hard as you, they are getting paid for your work and you are not if they are squandering hours.

My suggestion, once you go through your road training revisit your question. Experience is the best teacher. During road training once dispatched as a team with your trainer, will give you a preview of what it's like to drive team.

Old School's Comment
member avatar

Ben, I really enjoy being solo. One common misconception among folks new to this is that teams make more money. The only way that really works out is if you're married to your team partner, and all the money is realized by you as a couple.

Teaming has a lot of negatives to it. There is a total lack of pricacy, the problems that go along with sleeping in a moving vehicle, and the fact that your sleep gets interrupted every time your team partner needs your help. Living in a truck is just part of this job, and there is not a lot of room in these rigs. Trying to cram two strangers together and hoping they'll enjoy it together in a truck that barely ever stops moving is a real challenge.

We used to have a married lady in here who teamed with her husband and her tales of the fights they would get into were quite comical. She would complain that there wasn't even a door she could slam and go to a different room to get away from him. So she would jerk the bunk curtains closed and just sray behind them until she cooled off. Then when it was her time to drive she would slam on the brakes just to try and throw him out of his bunk!

Trucker Kearsey 's Comment
member avatar

For me solo gives me freedom and privacy. With a team you can't even make a personal phone call without the teammate hearing (while driving). You can't get a hotel room for the night.

Here's a thread where we discussed it. Its pretty good with the responses.

Team vs Solo

murderspolywog's Comment
member avatar

It really comes down to personal preference, g town has some good points. Here are some other points.

1. Freight is easier to come by as a team. 2. You have a second set of eyes when you need them. 3. You don't have to worry about hos so much. (I like to run hard me and my partner could hour out in 6 days. Take 24 hours off and hit the road Agen with full hours.) 4. If you need people around, you have someone there all the time. 5. Pay CAN be better.

Bad things about teams. Adding to gtown. 1. Lack of personal space. 2. Sometime the only time you get out of a truck is to fuel and bathroom. Shower at the end of loads if you have enough time. And eat a really meal.

Some advice if you decide to to team after training. Interview the driver you want to run with. If you can select a driver how has a few years of experience. They can teach you stuff and if your both smart keep you out of trouble. Stay a way from talking about politics and religion if your team driving...

In the end it really is about what you want to do. Because if you decide you don't want to team but go team anyways you will be miserable. If you decide you want to team and go solo you will not be happy either. There is no best answer just best for you.

HOS:

Hours Of Service

HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Mr M's Comment
member avatar

I drive team right now. Sometime when the tires hit the rumble strips while im sleeping ill briefly awake and think are these the last few seconds of my life. Then ill think ****it and go back to sleep ;p lol

Pianoman's Comment
member avatar
Then when it was her time to drive she would slam on the brakes just to try and throw him out of his bunk!

Hahahaha that's just...wow hahaha

Pianoman's Comment
member avatar

I like driving solo because I'm the boss of my day. I can run my butt off if I want to, or sleep in and take my time instead. I don't have to worry about whether I'm being fair to my partner.

I almost tried teaming with a friend of mine a little while ago. In this case I wasn't really worried about us getting along. I just like having my space. He said he didn't care about the hometime and that I could pick whenever we went home (we lived close). Given the way our dedicated account works and the CPM boost we would have gotten, we probably could have made some good money, but I think it's a lot different when you're teaming with someone you know. I wouldn't count on making great money if you're going to team with stranger.

CPM:

Cents Per Mile

Drivers are often paid by the mile and it's given in cents per mile, or cpm.

OOS:

When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.

Ben C.'s Comment
member avatar

Thank you all very much. Your info was very helpful and I'll use it while making my decision.

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