Owner Operator, Team Driver Refrigerated Over the Road

**Owner Operators**

The information below provides insight into how working as an Owner Operator (also referred to as an Independent Contractor) may meet your expected lifestyle, work into your long-term career plans, and provide the working environment you seek.

At its most basic level, an owner-operator (OO) is exactly as it sounds a driver who owns the truck he or she operates as an independent business. For many truck drivers, becoming an OO means you have reached the pinnacle of the truck driving industry. You own, or have financed, the costs of your own truck in your own name. You decide who you will contract with, when you will contract, where you will drive, and the cargo you are willing to carry.

An OO is a "free and clear" small business owner. Likewise, those searching for freight shipment often prefer to deal with OOs and will pay more when the opportunity is exists. The fact that an OO, by definition, means the truck's owner and driver are one in the same removes the financial burden of a carrier or company hiring, training and maintaining extra drivers when demand sinks to normal or below normal levels.

Aside from the personal characteristics needed to be a good truck driver, an OO needs to have the knowledge and ability to operate within the industry and maintain mutually-beneficial relationships with clients. These client relationships must be developed to a level beyond that of any other type of driver. As an OO, you have reached the top of the heap when it comes to truck driving. There are no shortcuts, and through experience, you need to know how to react in virtually all situations ranging from personal interactions to truck repairs to working with your accountant if you are subject to an audit.

For additional information about Owner Operators, including what is a Owner Operator, pathways to securing a driving job, financial investment requirements, personal characteristics, average salaries and compensation structures of Owner Operators, visit .

**Team Drivers**

The information below provides insight into how working as a Team Driver may meet your expected lifestyle, work into your long-term career plans, and provide the working environment you seek.

A team driver is a driver operating with a partner who shares driving duties and other tasks with the other partner. Delivery is much faster than utilizing a single driver, as Hours of Service regulations can be met for one driver while the other is resting. Team drivers often consist of spouses driving together or partners in an owner-operator situation. Likewise, an owner-operator may hire on another driver for the sole purpose of serving as part of a two-man team.

In some cases, a team can be formed by two individuals who may own a truck together or when one works for the other driver. But more frequently team drivers are the result of carrier or company programs that pair up drivers to provide the benefits a team arrangement offers. Of course, these teams must be carefully selected and monitored. People do not get along for a variety of reasons. A team that gets along well, communicates, and has similar goals and expectations of the job is going to be far more efficient and productive than a team that does not like driving together.

There is nothing as important to team driving as the personal relationships built between the partners. Aside from the personal characteristics needed to be a good truck driver, a Team Driver must be able to work day-in and day-out with a partner. Youll likely recognize that a team driving arrangement complicates and trumps any other issue you may run into in terms of personal characteristics.

For additional information about Team Drivers, including what is a Team Driver, pathways to securing a driving job, financial investment requirements, personal characteristics, average salaries and compensation structures of Team Drivers, visit .

Different types of materials require different types of trailers, and each type of trailer offers drivers its own challenges. Therefore, it is important to understand what is required to not only drive your truck and your freight, but the trailer you are pulling as well.

Refrigerated trailers are those most often hauling food products that must be kept at low temperatures to prevent perishing. Drivers of reefers may operation within a region, or they may travel cross-country routes in performing their jobs. Driving a reefer, as opposed to a dry van, requires additional skills and responsibilities. Monitoring temperatures within the trailer is a vital task of reefer drivers, as if they vary from a specific range as determined by the product carried. Drivers should be skilled in identifying problems with equipment and making minor repairs as well as calling and waiting for repair help. A reefer driver may make several stops along a route to offload products at grocery stores, convenience stores, and other retail locations.

Along with the personality traits need for most driving positions, reefer drivers need to realize and accept the level of responsibility involved in hauling refrigerated products. Depending on the product, a reefer may carry products with a total value of hundreds of thousands of dollars to retailers that rely on a steady supply of refrigerated items to meet consumer demand. Delays in shipments hurt the carriers as well as the retailers.

Often, reefer drivers will be responsible for offloading a certain number of boxes or cargo at various locations. A level of strength and endurance is necessary, as is a conscious effort to protect the product from breaking, being crush, or otherwise damaged.

Reefer drivers can typically perform their jobs with a CDL appropriate for the truck being driven. No specific endorsements are normally required unless the trailers use atypical refrigeration systems involving hazardous materials. For more information about Reefer/Refrigerated Hauling, including what type of companies hire, job requirements, compensation structures, what endorsements are needed, visit .

Truck driving route type vary within the industry and are dependent on several factors including interstate trucking requirements, route planning, type of cargo hauled, frequency, hazardous materials restrictions, driver experience, etc.

**Over the Road (OTR) Routes** are likely those that most people with minimal knowledge of the trucking industry envision drivers working. OTR routes can be regional with occasional outside of region assignments or they may be cross-country to make one delivery or several along the way. OTR drivers are generally paid by the mile and are on the road for much of the year with limited home time.

Driving experience* Trailer Experience* Job Overview Owner Operator, Team Driver

Refrigerated

Over the Road

Grand Island, NE

$180,000

Required endorsement:

None

Required experience:

Less than 6 months

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