Tape drives and methods for reading/writing on first and second surfaces of a tape include a pair of read/write heads for reading/writing on the surfaces at the same time in synchronism as the tape moves across the heads. A controller determines if the heads are reading corresponding portions of the surfaces of the tape at the same time. The controller also determines if the heads are moving to corresponding portions of the surfaces of the tape in the same time period. The controller further determines if the heads are moving to corresponding tracks on the surfaces of the tape at the same time.