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Do team owner/operators make decent money?

My brother (experienced driver 10+ years) has offered to go in business with me OTR. I'm changing career fields and am considering entering the trucking field (0 experience). What are the pros and cons of owner/operator teams and how much could I expect to make?

Comments for Do team owner/operators make decent money?

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Apr 17, 2012
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JOB
by: Anonymous

Hi,
We are currently searching for a truck driver who owns a truck to do small local deliveries for us in New York throughout the week. We pay toll and approx. $35 per stop. Please advise if this would be of interest.
Thanks,
Lori
loripacking@gmail.com

Aug 25, 2011
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Team Driving
by: NickV

Hervy is right I just wanted to add. Does he have a truck or are you thinking of going through a driving school and becoming an owner op?

Not sure if you said that or not but here are some things you need to think about.

Team driving is very, very, strenuous. You are literally (if you have the freight) running all the time.

No matter if you have the freight or not there will be breaks between loads most of the time. BUT during these breaks you will be together all the time. Eating, sleeping, and sharing a small confined area together.

You will be sleeping in a moving vehicle which at first isn't fun at all but you get use to it and then you cant sleep at home in your own bed without a diesel runnin and someone shaking your bed.

You need to consider if he is a clean person, it doesn't take long for 1 person to trash a rig much less 2 people. And you have to know and he needs to know that when your under a load there is no time for bs.

Ive worked for a team driving company and if you work with someone who just wakes up all cranky and doesn't want to get on it, things get tricky.

Good things about having someone with you especially your family is you have someone to talk to. Most people dont need their full 10 hours rest so you can stay up for 2 hours and talk till the other person feels comfortable of where they are and where they are goin.

You have to understand what a shock it is to wake up from 10 hours sleep and you quite possibly could be 2 or maybe even 3 states away from where you went to sleep so getting back into the swing is not only weird its pretty tough cause you wake up lost for a lack of better words.

Like Hervy said you can make money if the freight is there. Companies are more likely to hand over freight to a team truck and reasons are obvious why.

Some companies will try and say that teams make twice as much which is just a bait and hook trick cause if you cut twice in half...well you get the picture.

Just make sure you know what your getting in to. The last thing you want is to get out on the road and come back home hating your family members guts.

I hope you can take the advice given and relate it to your scenario. Team driving can be really great or the worst thing in the world.

Aug 25, 2011
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team owner operator
by: hervy

I using the phone as a modem, so this will be brief..

Number 1 thing...consider the type of person your brother is. How does he treat people? Is there any chance he will not follow through with his promises to you?

Yes, its possible. Even if not likely.

Do not take for granted what to expect. Which is what happens often when friends or family deal with each other in business.

Write out exactly what is expected by each of you. The terms, including pay, time out, time off or what ever else is important to you. Discuss it and see if you are on the same page. This may end the idea dead in it's tracks which would indicate a fundamental incompatibility.

Now can you make money? Is it a good opportunity for you?

Yeah, the money is there if the freight is there. Ask your brother if they are busy enough with long hauls so that you can actually MAKE the money. You need to be able to run the miles to get the money. However, is the money more than a single operation? Not necessarily, but it could be.

Do the match if it is available for average teams salary and average driver salary.

Next thing is.....his/your attitude and the relationship. Do you get along well? If your personalities conflict its going to be a problem in that truck 24hrs a day.

If you two get along well and enjoy each other's company, it should be a blast.

Good luck!

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