Question:
Has any one ever known of a team where Driver drives full hours in log book and wife only drives part time maybe 4 to 6 hours a day?
I ask because my wife would like to go with me but not full team. She is more interested in just helping out on driving and making half of what one team driver would make.
Are their any companys that do this or is it even legal?
Also, I read and hear that driving Reefer is a pain in the butt with long delays, some times up to 12 or 16 hours at loading sites. If this is the case how does a driver get in the miles to make a living?
Why not just go Van or Flatbed?
Is Reefer any better then Van or Flat, or are they pretty much all the same?
Any Drivers for FFE have info about FFE good or bad I would like to hear about it.
Last, Thanks to everyone who has posted to my messages on the board. Everyones knowledge and advice has been very helpful. Drive safe.

Answer:
company hiring a company team where one only drove "part time" as you suggested. The whole point to putting a team on a truck is to double the productivity of the unit.
As far as the long waits in regards to reefer operations. I have never waited any longer or any less pulling a reefer than a dry van, and my second longest wait ever to load came while yanking a flatbed. How long you have to wait to load and or unload depends on how well the shipper or reciever has it together, not what you pull.
There are advantages and disadvantages to whatever type of trailer you pull. In the end it really boild down to personal preferences.
Only two things I know of are infinite. The universe and human stupidity, and I am not real sure about the universe.
Answer:
Maybe some of the smaller outfits will accomodate you on the wife part/time thing. Just be real careful in checking them out. Some of the small outfits are "here today and gone with the wind tomorrow".
Most of my trucking has been reefer. There are long waits and there are times when I am in and out before my appointment. The main thing OOIDA is going to try to remedy is unpaid detention time. If the shippers and receivers have to pay us for our waiting time, they will put a little more effort into getting us loaded or unloaded quickly.
Some of the longest waiting times I have ever experienced was when I was bull racking. Sale barns are not fun places to lay up.
"We have met the enemy, and he is us." pogo

Answer:
The waiting time might occur occasionaly, but the key to refrigerated freight is that you are going to be pretty much steady year round. People always eat, that is why I haul it, dry van freight gets slow after the holidays, flatbeds have there slow time as well, but with a reefer you are always going to stay busy.

Answer:
As far as it being legal. As long as niether driver violated the HOS rules there wouldn't be anything illegal about it.
Only two things I know of are infinite. The universe and human stupidity, and I am not real sure about the universe.
Answer:
If you signed on with a smaller company you and your wife would most likely be welcomed. A few more miles a day is a plus in that case. Larger companies may also welcome it. Who knows maybe no one has ever asked them. Give it a try and see, it might work out.
Alot of drivers will say that reefers are a big pain with to much waisted time. For me pulling a reefer is all I have done. I know that reefer rates are higher so I always have made a little more. Another point I should make is I have sat and waited next to every big and many small dry van companies. Every grocery store warehouse I have ever ben to has had Swift, werner, Sneider, Jb and others parked waiting to be loaded or unloaded. not sure what benefit a dry box would be. I do know there are alot of places like South Florida I wouldn't want to end up at without a reefer. not much else leaves the area most of the time.
I also pulled a flat bed for a very short time and also found my self waiting or spending time securing and removing tarps. That wasn't fun either. there are tradeoffs to each type of trucking. You'll have to decide what sparks your interest.
"Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of all who threaten it"

Answer:
Personally I have driven vans and reefers, and I strongly prefer the reefer.
1) The wait as said in previous reply is generally no longer than with a van.
2) You are more versatile especially when freight is generally slow you can pull dry or cold or heated freight with same trailer.
3) The reefers of today are also more user friendly, and most are so quiet you can hardly hear them when you are sleeping.
4) The reefer divisions (if company has both) or reefer companies usually pay more per mile than a dry van company.
5) The freight you pull thats temperature controlled usually is more critical at other end meaning customer needs / wants it more so you will get better appointments lots of times....if you have load of steak the dates are important so they want it to their warehouse sooner and out to the store versus load of toilet paper might sit in warehouse for weeks.
.....Hope that helps some, my company Shaffer pulls reefers and I'm very happy so far.
Best of luck.
"Hakuna Matata".....Greg
All for the love of a good woman.