When Matthew Marchand left his Ottawa home on New Year’s Day, the long-haul trucker for Premier Bulk Systems expected to make a routine run.
His route took him down the East Coast of the United States to Auburndale in central Florida. Fortified by strong coffee, he climbed into his tanker truck, never anticipating anything unusual about the journey.
He drove 530 miles before stopping overnight in York Springs, Pennsylvania. The next leg of the trip was even longer, so on Jan. 3, Marchand made sure to top off his fluid levels when he did his engine check before setting out for his destination.
Marchand listened to the weather report predicting snow, but to a Canuck trucker, snow was no big deal. Around Baltimore, conditions on I-95 began to look dicey. He noticed cars already skidding off the interstate. He helped several motorists dig their cars out of snowdrifts on the interstate.
Conditions worsened once Marchand crossed the Virginia border. More motorists (and even a city bus) wound up stuck in highway snowdrifts. The trucker again helped drivers get back on the road. He observed that the Virginia DOT did not appear to be prepared for the wintry conditions.
The afternoon sun came out, melting the snow into a mixture of slush and ice. Downed trees and limbs made traveling even more treacherous. After sundown, the low temperatures caused even more ice to form on the interstate lanes. It took Marchand six hours to drive six miles.
There were cars and semitrucks backed up for miles and stationary on the road. No one was going to move anytime soon. Marchand prepared his evening meal in the cab and tried to get some rest.
But the idea of sleeping in his rig on a highway lane was very unsettling. He remarked, “”You try sleeping in a live lane of traffic, you won’t do it.”
Marchand attempted to get some sleep but heard knocking on the cab door. The Tesla driver outside asked if the semitruck had a power source to charge his battery. It did not.
Because the driver had a carful of kids but no cold weather gear or supplies, Marchand gave them water, a Mylar wrap and a blanket to help warm them through the long, cold night.
Shortly after dawn, the traffic jam unclogged, allowing drivers to move. As he crossed the Florida line, the trucker reflected on the drivers he helped during the 18 hours spent deadlocked in traffic. Although Marchand was a day late making his delivery, he was grateful for the opportunity to help other motorists stranded by the snowy weather.
Source: businessinsider.com
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