Team driving is the fastest way to raise weekly earnings in this industry, because the truck keeps moving while one driver sleeps. Six to seven thousand miles a week is normal for a working team, roughly double a solo operation. That is the appeal. The conditions attached to it are what people underestimate.
The miles have to actually be there
Team pay only works if the carrier has team freight. A team on a solo freight board earns team headaches and solo money. Ask what percentage of their loads are team runs, and whether teams sit waiting for the right load.
Sleeping while the truck moves
Some people never adapt to it. Before committing, be honest about whether you can sleep in a moving truck, because a team where one driver cannot rest properly becomes a safety problem quickly.
Pick the partner carefully
You will share a cab for weeks. Established teams and married couples generally outlast randomly paired drivers, which is why carriers prefer them. If you are being paired by the company, ask how the match is made and what happens if it does not work.
Questions worth asking
- Is pay split evenly, or per driver?
- What happens to the run if one driver has to go home?
- Are both drivers on the same home time schedule?
- Is the freight no touch?
- What is the sleeper configuration on the assigned truck?
Our team positions pay 82 to 90 CPM per driver on 6,000-plus weekly miles. Established teams and husband and wife teams stay together. Details are on the team driver jobs page.