Team driving is when two CDL holders share a single truck, taking turns driving and sleeping in the sleeper berth. While one drives, the other rests in the back. The truck moves nearly 24 hours a day, covering long-haul routes in roughly half the time of a solo driver.
How team pay works
Team pay is typically structured as a per-mile rate split between the two drivers. A team running expedited freight at $0.78/mile total ($0.39 each) covering 5,500 miles per week generates $2,145 per driver per week, or roughly $111,000 per driver per year — nearly double what a solo OTR driver typically earns. Many team operations include performance bonuses ($1,500 to $5,000 quarterly) and fuel-economy incentives.
Hours of service for teams
Each driver still must individually comply with HOS rules — 11-hour driving limit, 14-hour duty limit, 30-minute break, 60/70-hour weekly cap. The advantage of teams is that one driver can be in the sleeper berth (off-duty, with the clock paused) while the other drives. Federal sleeper-berth provisions allow flexible splits, and most teams use a 8/2 or 7/3 split to cycle through 24-hour periods.
Choosing a team partner
Team success depends almost entirely on partner compatibility. The two drivers share a cab — about 80 square feet of living space — for weeks at a time. Sleep schedules, hygiene, food preferences, music tolerance, and conflict resolution all matter enormously. Most successful teams are spouses, long-time friends, or drivers who have ridden together as trainee/trainer before forming a team.
Equipment
Team trucks are typically high-spec sleeper cabs with double bunks, larger refrigerators, microwave/inverter combinations, and APUs. Many carriers reserve their newest equipment for teams because team trucks generate the most revenue per asset.
Is it right for you?
If you have a willing partner (especially a spouse) and want maximum income from a single truck, team driving is the highest-paid OTR category in trucking. If you can't find a compatible partner, solo OTR or regional is a better fit. Most carriers will pair you with another solo driver for a "carrier-assigned team" arrangement — these have a high failure rate due to incompatibility.