Well, sorry, but that's the way it is. May not be right in your eyes but you'll view it differently when you gain enough seniority to be "A" driver (if that's what you chose) and need to pick your "B" driver.
Other comments are true. When you're back there TRYING to sleep, you don't want somebody behind the wheel for 10+ hours that just won a bid and gets to go with you. You want somebody you know and trust.
I was "A" driver for 5 yrs. Picked same "B" driver for all those years. Trusted him. Careful, methodical, did pre-trips/post-trips, never lied on paperwork (yes, we had some that did), but he had already gained feeder seniority for some years before that.
In some cases before this, tho, that is, before ANYBODY wanted sleepers here, a couple "A" drivers picked their friends off the street. NOBODY wanted sleepers, feeder drivers, feeder-qualified package drivers, P/Ters qualified with CDLs...NOBODY. At that time, the only runs available were sleeper runs so when feeder school list went up, that probably meant you'd be in sleeper if you qualified. NOBODY wanted it.
It made me especially nervous, tho, when my "B" driver was, unexpectedly sick or off and sleeper cover driver was unavailable....the bottom senior driver without a run was FORCED to go with me. Now, THAT'S scary. Somebody hops on, kicking and screaming and now, you're supposed to sleep? Try it.
