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http://roundtable.truck.net/viiewt.php?t=46703&highlight=
Above is the link to my previous thread on how I got started.
Just passed my 3 year anniversary and got my card in the mail congratulating me from the owner. I'm still running team with the same partner I started with. We are still on a scheduled run although we changed destinations. We are now running a shorter run and leave 3 times one week and 2 the next so we sleep at home every other night. It has it's pluses and minuses like everything else. The plus obviously is that you are never very far from home and you come home every other night. It also helped take the no split sleeper part of the HOS from being a big factor. The minus is you have to commute back and forth and have breaks in the middle instead of just going out and staying out and getting it done and then having all of your time off in a larger block.
We've gotten COL raises and we're at 50.5 per mile with increases in 401K match and some added benefits. The past year was another 60k year and we had a fair amount of time off. Our schedule was never delayed or cancelled as business has been good.
Teaming has worked out OK for me but I could see how it doesn't work out for many. In my location teaming allows me to run a schedule and not have to stay gone as much which is a benefit. Unfortunately since the new HOS with the elimination of split sleeper time teaming has become a little more difficult. It takes away all of your options and forces you to run 10 and 10. We always ran 5 and 5 and we were very comfortable with that and felt very safe. Trying to sleep in a moving truck is not a natural thing for most and can be the major reason people don't like to run team.
Some observations of mine after 3 years. The turnover rate in the business is amazing and just seems to be an accepted thing. This job can easily be the major factor in your life span, It can easily cause many health problems and weight gain from the inactivity alone if you let it. It's also a job that can be lost easily by making a mistake or having an accident. You are truly out there on your own and responsible for everything.

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Hello Beeman, Fellow OD driver here.. celebrating over 2 months of service so far. I'm on the West Coast here and believe that this is a really great outfit. I do P&D (it's a countryside run) during the week and run linehaul on the weekend if I desire. Though I came to this outfit with experience, they do hire newbies to do the same work I'm doing if you're not interested in Long Haul.

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Jobs available varies tremendously from terminal to terminal. My terminal has over 400 linehaul drivers plus all of the P&D drivers.

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Damn, you are blowing my a$$ out of the water money wise. Um, which company do you work for because the link to the first year don't work.
Tell us much more on the actual job. I mean isn't hard to sleep while the truck is moving---it's hard enough to sleep in a truck that is still.

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http://roundtable.truck.net/viiewt.php?t=17929&highlight=
Above is the link to my original post.
I work for Old Dominion Freight Line and as it shows I run team on a schedule.
Team drivers are always asked about being able to sleep in a moving truck and that is an important concern when doing it. I don't believe anyone sleeps "good" in a moving truck unless they are exhausted or taking something to aid sleeping, I don't like either method. I sleep pretty good but as expected there is almost no continual 8 hours of rest when sleeping in a moving truck, there are too many contributing factors. Now if asked this question 6 mos. ago I would have replied a little differently as before the HOS change we ran a 5 and 5 split, which was legal for the previous 66 years, and I slept well during my 5 hr. period and was well rested to drive my 5 hr. shift.
There are many factors to your sleeping that many don't realize. Obviously the fact that you are trusting your co-driver especially during bad weather to drive safely and to allow you to get the needed rest. You are constantly disturbed by the movements of the vehicle and the noise. A good example is something as simple as passing thru a scale. The other day I rolled thru a scale and had to stop on the scale at which time the scalehouse blared on the loudspeaker that it was OK to proceed. Needless to say the stopping and the loudspeaker woke my partner. Rough roads are definetly a factor and can wake you pretty abruptly. Any time you pass through a city between the stop and go traffic and the noise you can have your sleep interrupted. Just the truck stopping when your co-driver stops to eat or use a rest area will usually wake you. As i said when it was 5 and 5 much of this didn't matter. Usually the driver would drive his 4-5 hrs. without having to stop at all. We also ran to CA before which meant less cities and easier running. Now with the 10 and 10 we've gone to a 1,000mi run where we come home every other night to sleep in our own beds to recharge. We run this on a 3 and 2 schedule of 3 times one week and 2 the next.
Besides the sleep part of team driving you also have to be a much smoother driver to allow your partner to rest. You always have to think about your co-driver when making any manuvers. Obviously hitting the brakes just a little hard will roll him out of bed. You have to be aware that you aren't too close to thye back of another truck as the air shakes the cab and will wake them. Trying to choose the smoother part of the road helps them also. You have to make a very concious effort if you plan to stop and try to be quiet and smooth and don't slam the door.

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I still dont know how you team drivers run together in such tiny cabs without strangling eachother. When you did the Cali trips, was it just a bit crampt on space? There isn't much room to put a lot of luggage for 2 people although in the 03' Columbia I drove briefly they did have a spot for the tv!
Chad, didn't you work briefly for the OD?

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No, never. That's why i'm axking him.
But i do deliver their new tractors---which as u pointed out are very small which makes no sense for a team outfit.

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Maybe I'm missing something but I don't seem to understand your question about space. When we ran CA we were gone 80 hrs., how much luggage do you need? When I'm driving all I need is a seat and when I'm sleeping all I need is a bed. My entertainment is usually books or magazines, don't want or need a TV. We don't kill any time or spend any time in the truck when it isn't moving. If we have to lay over for any reason the company pays for a motel.

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I'm sorry, but I'm the type of person who couldn't be stuck in a 70" bunk condo with someone for more than a day. Does OD really get most of the teams back through the house atleast every week? I'm usually out on my peddle run all day, so I never have a chance to speak with any teams that come to our terminal. But one thing I have noticed whenever I do see a team truck in our yard it is more then likely just two guys rather than the usually hubby and wife set up. Seems as if a lot of friends go teaming together with this company or father and son's try it out.
The other day I learned that my terminal is one of the few who pay OT after 40 due to being in WA state. What a jip.

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Trust me team driving is not for everyone. If you run team for OD there are options depending on the terminal you run from and if there are schedules or if you only run wild. Wild teams can stay out 6 days and take 2 off or stay 10 days for 3 off or choose to stay out longer if they wish. Schedules are different depending on the terminal and what's available. As i said my schedule is a 3 and 2 where I am home every other night. Husband and wife teams were the norm for a long time until they changed the HOS to only 10 and 10, since then some wives have given it up. Seeing as how you are in WA I would say you mostly see wild teams since I don't know of any team schedules running to WA.
The OT thing is a beat, it's all of the transportation industry. I worked as an auto tech and they didn't pay OT either because of it being transportation industry.

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Actually, you are right; I did temp for O.D. for one day. I couldn't stand the junky a$$ equipment, run down terminal and just overall low classness and depressingness of the whole outfit. So i asked not to be sent back there.
It was a pretty easy gig though.
P.S,. i deliver tractors to white pine.

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Equipment must be rougher out East. I drive a 05' daycab Columbia and have my own super single dollie. Both are only used by me Most of the terminals from WA to CA are running FL's from 98-06.

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I'm sure they use up the day cabs in the city to get all of the good out of them before selling them. As far as linehaul goes I know the oldest team tractor we're using are 2002's and that's extra units usually used by meet and turn drivers to finish putting miles on them before they sell them. Assigned team tractors are usually 2003 and newer with a large quantity of 2006's being put into service, new ones not yet assigned on the lot.
Chad, when you deliver the trucks how do you get back to your home base? Surely you can't take much with you seeing as you have to empty out everything and carry it back with you.