I Really Really Really Hate Team Driving

I'm stuck waiting for a new appointment becuase my moron of a co driver blindly followed the GPS and drove the truck back to the shipper. My truck has no chains becuase this idiot forgot to take them off and they ended up all over I70 and took the tractor mudflaps. I am being woken up repeatedly with stupid questions that he could figure out himself and if I didn't remind him to do a tug test the other day he would have dropped the trailer and got us both fired, he is always getting lost etc. My first co driver was schizophrenic and repeatedly talked about hearing voices and wanting to kill himself, yeah imagine trying to sleep with someone like that behind the wheel, and repeatedly screwimg up too. How do I keep getting stuck with these people, and why are they getting away with so much crap but yet my DM harrases me and threatens to fire me over every little thing I do wrong and i get screamed at for there mistakes. The way things have been going since I came on the road I am going to have grey hair before I'm even 30 lol.

Why are you still teaming??? You asked advise about how to handle it, and it sounds like your still teaming but with someone else. You seem to have fault with everyone. Time for you to make some serious decisons for yourself there young sir.

These forums are proffessional always have been and always will be. They are to educate new drivers and potential new drivers. Proffessionals don’t go on social media talking the way you choose to. I highly encourage this type of post be on a different platform.

Yea I'm having a REALLY hard time understanding how you haven't at least been able to get a solo truck. The situation you're dealing with sounds nothing like many of the positive experiences folks on here have had with Western Express.

Yea I'm having a REALLY hard time understanding how you haven't at least been able to get a solo truck. The situation you're dealing with sounds nothing like many of the positive experiences folks on here have had with Western Express.

I've tried going solo but my DM likes to drivers to team since he gets paid on commission for freight

Why are you still teaming??? You asked advise about how to handle it, and it sounds like your still teaming but with someone else. You seem to have fault with everyone. Time for you to make some serious decisons for yourself there young sir.

These forums are proffessional always have been and always will be. They are to educate new drivers and potential new drivers. Proffessionals don’t go on social media talking the way you choose to. I highly encourage this type of post be on a different platform.

As I've said before, I've tried to go solo but the only person with the power to get me my own truck is my DM. I like how in most people's eyes I'm always wrong and everyone else is right. You guys go ahead and side with a company that let's schizophrenic people behind the wheel of an 80,000 pound death machine that could take out a whole family. I've begged not to make me team anymore and it doesn't matter to them, like I've said before my complaints fall on def ears it is what it is.

I really really really hate team driving

So, what are you going to do about it Zach? You are really really good at finding fault and complaining, but solutions evade you with uncanny repetition . That creates a big problem for you.

The ball is in your court. I think that is your biggest problem. You don't know how to play ball.

I think you actually like having someone to tell you what to do. That way you don't have to accept any responsibility. I remember G-Town calling it like he saw it in one of your threads, and he caught some heat for it. I'm almost persuaded he was right. You are continuing to make a very convincing argument in his favor.

Play ball Zach! We want to see you stand up for yourself and get something accomplished. This team driving is way too easy for you. It gives you someone to blame all the time. Get out there and run a truck by yourself. You need that experience. Then you will have to quit or conquer. The spotlight will be on you.

Give us an update once you've gotten that solo gig going. We are looking forward to hearing about your success.

I really really really hate team driving

So, what are you going to do about it Zach? You are really really good at finding fault and complaining, but solutions evade you with uncanny repetition . That creates a big problem for you.

The ball is in your court. I think that is your biggest problem. You don't know how to play ball.

I think you actually like having someone to tell you what to do. That way you don't have to accept any responsibility. I remember G-Town calling it like he saw it in one of your threads, and he caught some heat for it. I'm almost persuaded he was right. You are continuing to make a very convincing argument in his favor.

Play ball Zach! We want to see you stand up for yourself and get something accomplished. This team driving is way too easy for you. It gives you someone to blame all the time. Get out there and run a truck by yourself. You need that experience. Then you will have to quit or conquer. The spotlight will be on you.

Give us an update once you've gotten that solo gig going. We are looking forward to hearing about your success.

I don't blame mistakes on other people, that's a cowardly thing to do, I own up to the mistakes I've made, I own up to it and take the ass chewing from my DM when I get held up at a shipper because I took too long trying to get the truck backed in to a dock, didnt budget my time good enough, missed my exit or did something else stupid. I own up the fact after 2 months out here I'm still struggling at backing, pre planning, I've never used an Atlas before so I'm still trying to learn the one i bought, I've been night driving since I got here and struggle fighting through fatigue thenlast few hours of my clock. What I don't like is being held responsible for other people's mistakes either, that isn't right. I don't remember giving G-Town any heat for what he said to me, but if I did i admit I was in the wrong for it. I feel like alot of my problems aren't my fault though, my co drivers mistakes shouldn't be pinned on me, my DM expects way too much out of someone that just got there CDL , and I came out here to be a solo OTR driver, I never wanted to be a regional team driver and that's what I got stuck with

I really really really hate team driving

So, what are you going to do about it Zach? You are really really good at finding fault and complaining, but solutions evade you with uncanny repetition . That creates a big problem for you.

The ball is in your court. I think that is your biggest problem. You don't know how to play ball.

I think you actually like having someone to tell you what to do. That way you don't have to accept any responsibility. I remember G-Town calling it like he saw it in one of your threads, and he caught some heat for it. I'm almost persuaded he was right. You are continuing to make a very convincing argument in his favor.

Play ball Zach! We want to see you stand up for yourself and get something accomplished. This team driving is way too easy for you. It gives you someone to blame all the time. Get out there and run a truck by yourself. You need that experience. Then you will have to quit or conquer. The spotlight will be on you.

Give us an update once you've gotten that solo gig going. We are looking forward to hearing about your success.

I don't blame mistakes on other people, that's a cowardly thing to do, I own up to the mistakes I've made, I own up to it and take the ass chewing from my DM when I get held up at a shipper because I took too long trying to get the truck backed in to a dock, didnt budget my time good enough, missed my exit or did something else stupid. I own up the fact after 2 months out here I'm still struggling at backing, pre planning, I've never used an Atlas before so I'm still trying to learn the one i bought, I've been night driving since I got here and struggle fighting through fatigue thenlast few hours of my clock. What I don't like is being held responsible for other people's mistakes either, that isn't right. I don't remember giving G-Town any heat for what he said to me, but if I did i admit I was in the wrong for it. I feel like alot of my problems aren't my fault though, my co drivers mistakes shouldn't be pinned on me, my DM expects way too much out of someone that just got there CDL , and I came out here to be a solo OTR driver, I never wanted to be a regional team driver and that's what I got stuck with

Zach, I'm just a driver's wife so.. what I say probably will have no reason, no bearing, no resonance.. but, here goes.

FWIW, I dunno if I could team with my own husband, God love him.

I DO feel you got stuck with the short straw, out the gate. I believe that. It's kind of been my life. I have a kiddo your age. Please just try to hang in and hang on... for a bit. And then, one MORE small bit. Bits turn into bytes. << look at what the MEGABYTES have done & can do.

To y'all vets, I'm not coddling by any means; I just see Zach's end of the issue. Must be the mom in me. IMHO, I think 3 months down the road, we will all chuckle at this conundrum, and I sure hope & pray so!

I don't know how else to help, I would if I could do anything more. I just have faith in you. I do. At least you got the 'psycho' switched out, right? Try to see 'some' light .. at the end of the tunnel. ALL TUNNELS COME TO AN END..... if you manage to drive that far. Think on that, for awhile. Have you ever driven tunnels in a rig? I rode with my husband once .. and wanted dropped off to WALK ... somewhere in the middle. I WAS TERRIFIED. This analogy kinda reminds me of you, FWIW.

Keep on keeping on, son. Easier said than done, ikr. My husbands 1st year, he had to endure my whining, whilst I was home alone with our 4 y/o daughter and newborn son. I kept the whining to a minimum, and it was hell on ME, too. You don't HAVE distractions of a family to feed at home. . . so, focus on ZACH... (In retrospect, husband Tom said I had it tougher (at home) than he did OTR.) << Hindsight.

Always pulling for you, man. Truly. Hang. IN. and ON. I'm really 'mirroring' O/S's post .. in a motherly way. We do care.

~ Anne ~

Bro your dm is not in charge of you driving solo or teams!!! He’s your teammate !!! You’ve already been told this if you really want to go solo you go over his head and tell them ! Ask them!! Whatever you don’t want to driv teams I know they just started a team division for dry van and freight but unless you!! Only you!! Signed a contract agreeing to drive teams!!! That can not make you if you got qaulcom showing you and your dm is not getting along they will assign you a new 1 I know that terminal can be a pain but you’ve got to take control of your situation or your never gonna make it!!! Call Nashville tell them you need a new dm and your not wanting to drive teams!! Don’t call your dm I widh you the best of luck man I’ve tried to help you but you’ve got to handle this on your own man they can’t make you do nothing!!! Call Nashville talk to h.r or learn how to team!!!

Yea I'm having a REALLY hard time understanding how you haven't at least been able to get a solo truck. The situation you're dealing with sounds nothing like many of the positive experiences folks on here have had with Western Express.

I've tried going solo but my DM likes to drivers to team since he gets paid on commission for freight

The way I see it is your best and possibly ONLY answer is to go over your DMs head. He has bosses to answer to as well.

Qualcom should have a macro for " macro to management" on mine its Macro 19. I used it a month or so ago. I needed a better answer to a tax issue my DM kinda skirted around. I knew it went to his bosses and it DID get me answers within 5 minutes!! I played it off, that I thought it went to my DM and I didn't wanna get him in hot water. Because minutes after hitting "send" he was calling me asking what was up because they were asking him why he never fully explained things lol.

He was cool bout it all just said go to him direct next time. I said, I did but you never explained it duhhhh.