Ice and snow falling off of vehicles on the highway can be hazardous to other drivers. This week in New Hampshire, State Police conducted an enforcement blitz targeting truckers who hadn’t cleaned off their tractor-trailers. Once they were pulled over, troopers told drivers to climb up on to their rigs and shovel off the snow.
New Hampshire State Police say that the goal was to enforce and spread awareness of ‘Jessica’s Law.’ It was named in honor of Jessica Smith, who died when ice from a moving truck fell, causing a fatal accident.
Jessica’s Law makes failing to clear off snow and ice the same as “Negligent Driving.” Offenders can be fined up to $500 on a first offense, and up to $1,000 for subsequent offences.
“It takes not even five minutes to clean off your car,” said Jessica Smith’s mother, Linda. “It can take three seconds to kill somebody.”
NH State Police are pulling truckers off the highway and making them clear the snow off their roofs and trailers. #wmur @WMUR9 pic.twitter.com/pZDpnNZNY4
— Ray Brewer (@RayBrewerWMUR) March 4, 2019
But cleaning off the top of a truck and trailer presents a greater challenge than getting some snow off a car. Truckers are still required by law to make sure their vehicles are clean of debris, but there isn’t always an easy or safe way to get it done.
When NHSP officers started pulling over trucks this past Monday, they issued citations to truckers for violating the law. And then they told them to climb up on their trailers and shovel the snow off.
“Trucks are definitely a more unique situation because they’re not as easy to clear,” said Lt. Andrew Player according to WMUR. “So oftentimes, drivers don’t have the tools readily available to them, so we do try to make sure these vehicles get stopped so the snow does get removed in a safe fashion.”
Marion D. Hunt says
So when a driver is injured or killed after being forced to climb on top of their truck, who exactly at that office do they sue?
Michael Page says
Not sure, but with your name on the side of your truck, I’ll know who to sue if I get hurt by debris from your trailer.
Stingray1963 says
And I’ll be sure to write the license plate on your vehicle when snow or ice falls off it and give it to my insurance agent.
Gary says
So how you gonna prove the ice came from the truck that you got the name off the side of the truck. Did the ice have Identifcation?
Sara says
It’s got DNA
John says
My dash cam over your lie wins every time.
Turdontherun says
Won’t work in nh. Try it.
M r y says
“Fake News”
David says
If ypur smart you stay away from semis if you do the the ice amd snow will hit the road not you think about it ..the truck driver will be protected by the large truck right or wrong you will be. The one who gets hurt…
Amy says
Not true, my car was hit by a large piece of ice that flew off the top of a vehicle, the piece was so large and it was so windy that it stayed in the air for quite some time before falling onto the hood of my car causing a severe dent. I could not avoid it as the wind was blowing it around so much that I could tell where it would land. The care was going in the opposite direction so it was not due to following too close.
Randy says
Dont follow so close or better yet pass and stay away
Chucky says
So please tell us your name so we can sue you when debris comes off your car.
We’re “GLAD” you “CARE” so much about our SAFETY!
Les J says
First off, when was the last time you saw a standard 53′ van equipt with a ladder and furthermore, how do you get up on the roof in the first place?! Some of you people don’t have a clue as what is involved with trying to make a living operating a tractor/trailer. Truck Driving is listed as one of the most dangerous jobs in the world! And now they want you to climb up and clear the snow & ice from the roof of the trailer 14′ in the air?! THAT WILL BE THE DAY! Oh, and BTW, I drove for a short period of time in my life, both van & flatbed, so I respect the job. So, if you have never operated a tractor/trailer, you need to keep you opinions to yourself, because you do not have a clue as to what your talking about.
M r y says
But Americans sure love all the benefits of the goods we deliver, I guess they just magically appear on the store shelves.
Carrie Russell says
Missy who pays for the damage when lazy automobiles don’t clear snow and ice and when it flies off and breaks a window or worse.
Ellen Driscoll says
The law applies to everyone, not just trucks. And while I understand that it is tough to be a truck driver, it doesn’t mean that you get to leave your truck in a situation that can and does kill people. And for the record, not “following too closely” doesn’t help at all. I’ve been two cars behind tractor-trailers and been hit by ice and snow chunks coming off the top. The debris is carried a distance before it falls. I get that it isn’t easy to get on top and take care of it, but hurting someone can’t be ignored so that it is easier on the trucker. And also for the record, my son drives a tractor-trailer so I hear the complaints on the other end too.
Big Booblyboo says
Not if you’re behind him and no name on the doors.
Ronnie Peck says
It’s not debris it’s snow or ice. Debris would be gators or even rocks k ?
Sheriff John says
File suit against the State of New Hampshire.
Chucky says
Sue the New Zhampshire State Police or the particular state/city agency that forced you to engage is such a hazardous activity.
Come to think of it, it may be illegal for hem to force you to engage in such a dangerous activity as climbing on top of a slippery trailer.
It is NOT safe!
David says
While you can not sue an office of the government, you can sue the person working for the government by name only (not as officer Smith, but Mr. John Smith.) In such a way that you can get millions of dollars by forcing a pay check deduction, suspension from the force, and up to premeditated murder, even though he was following orders he can go down hard, and if he plays his cards right can drag his force down with him.
Tony j says
Sure you can sue anyone you want a person or a government they are not exempt from being sued just because they are the government this is a bogus law and I will not ever climb on a trailer just to clear snow and ice if they want it cleared then they can put their lives at risk and climb on top of the trailer
Robert says
That is bull, state agencies are sued everyday! Particularly police agencies.
Deke says
David,
Someone gave you some bad legal info, you may want to google the term “Qualified immunity”, you will see that QI bars the exact lawsuits you are speaking of unless the officer or government official violates clearly established caselaw. Your sue by name idea is hilarious, doesn’t matter what you call him if he was working as a government offical at the time in question. Considering the officer in question is actually following clearly established law, the person you would most likley suceed in suing would be your trucking company, for failing to provide you with adequate equipment to follow all relivant trucking rules and regulations.
Kevin Ayers says
You can sue the company and most will just pay out. Then there are the ones that would tie it in courts for years and not worry about it. This issue needs more for pure safety reasons to the driver not falling off the trailer or truck. You need to stand next to one and look up its 13’6” standard box trailer.
Mike C. says
not only what you say but also putting your foot through the roof of the trailer, especially a fiberglass roof .
Luke Warm says
Which by OSHA standards requires a tie-off.
Richard says
Cops and their agencies get sued every single day. And HYUGE settlements are paid out. Not sure where you got your legal degree but you should sue them for screwing you. Hahahahahahahajajajajajaha
mousekiller says
The office that demanded it and the state police the person that is in charge and the governor.. Every body they can,
to be honest.
Bob says
Jessica
Kevin Larsen says
We can make a Tim’s law name after Timothy McTrucker after the fatal accident of falling from his trailer stating that you cant climb on your trailer
Deacon Blue says
All these bleeding heart libertarians who are charging us triple or quadruple the toll amounts compared to cars, they should build the little snow scrapers and have one at every single toll booth area (not directly in the lane but 1 at each tolling area for our use). It’s not that expensive to build these bolt down style I-beam with rubber scrapers hanging from chain. Way better than the potential danger of making someone climb up on the roof of a van. Crazy.
Charles Ball says
You mean liberals, not libertarians. Big difference.
LazyBastard says
You mean authoritarians, not liberals.
Huge difference
Blackfly says
LOL, I was going to say.
R.J. says
But the bureaucracies can FEEL good about themselves…they made a LAW
that MIGHT prevent another freak accident related to a car following too close to a truck.
Glenn Davis says
Exactly,
Mike C. says
years ago a chunk of ice flew off the roof of a car and crashed through the windshield of a truck causing that truck to swerve , due to reaction ,and crash through the guardrail of the Tappen Zee Bridge . Never found the driver and I think the truck is still down there . But I haven’t even heard one word from any safety group about this incident or any others like it . I drive a mack with a split windshield and A few years ago I had a chunk of ice fly of a trailer and crash right on the bridge between windows . Eyeopening experience but the guy was 150ft in front of me and I could contact him or catch him to say Hey you broke my windshield
Jack Hennessee says
Now now, that would involve common sense so it will NEVER WORK!
Mr.Peterbuilt777 says
Come on driver, that would be to easy. You know is this day and age most folks don’t like to work and so whoever or whatever they can find to make their job easier is all their worried about plus you know the state of nh is going to scream they don’t have the funds for that. So they would rather risk a driver killing themselves to remove some snow. Sure gonna add one more delay for on time delivery. But you have got a good idea
Bruce says
I was in truck recovery for one of the five top carriers in the country. The majority of incidents where drivers would abandon trucks were in the N.E. I found myself admiring the drivers who did that because I too would not enter the N.E. without an EZ. They could not give the driver and EZ Pass to deliver his freight yet I had one to go and get the load that they abandoned.
Blackfly says
Bruce how did ezy pass get into the roof snow discussion? Am I missing something?
Jjags says
That would be nice but it will not generate any revenue, so we can’t have it. Prove me wrong
gail morra says
Unfortunately it will take one stupid careless truck driver to damage scraper because he wasnt paying attention..
David Laverty says
If the state is that interested in safety place scraper at rest area and tolls booth, do something to help fix the problem. Seems like there more interested in the fine money than safety.
John says
They are after our money, not safety as they have proven! You will never see them endangering their lives climbing on a very thin roof that they will fall thru or slide off on the ice!
Andrew says
They are not worried about the trucker safety all about money & fines I know I a teenager fell off a 6 foot fence & died no way to climb on a trailer & you could fall & die also new hampsher should be sued for endangering a trucker life cars should stay back 200 feet would not that problem
Andrew says
They are not worried about the trucker safety all about money & fines I know I a teenager climb on a trailer & you could fall & die also new hampsher should be sued for endangering a trucker life cars should stay back 200 feet would not that problem
Trucker Mike says
Andrew, 3 times is the charm. I think what you are trying to say is that you KNEW a teenager who fell off a fence and died. Not that YOU did so as a teenager…that would be rather weird if it was you and you are now able to reply from the “great beyond”.
I can see it. You can die hitting your head falling from NO feet off the ground, just standing. You hit your temple or smack your head hard enough on something, it’s lights out!
It happened to my brother in law when he was only 40. Getting out of a car on a parking lot covered in ice, feet went out from under him, he banged his head. They got him on life support at the hospital and opened his head to relieve the pressure, but, he showed no signs of brain activity days later, they removed it and he died. Here today, gone tomorrow. RIP Rob.
Rick says
They removed his brain?
Sara says
The Paranormal Andrew let he’s in the Paranormal
Chucky says
No, Andrew came back from the dead!
Reincarnation I REAL!
Deacon Blue says
And every MRO who signed off on the bogus results should have their licenses pulled until they complete a return to duty status program!
Lacy says
If that was a scientific study we would call it a fail and scrap the whole thing. There are clearly way too many points of failure.
The tests themselves might be faulty, the individual giving the test might be messing it up. I don’t know if they get sent to a lab, but anywhere along that chain of custody is room for error. They don’t seem willing to find and fix the problem, which leaves them open to lawsuits. If I was a DOT officer I would be very relunctant to administer a potentially faulty test and lose everything.
Deacon Blue says
Oops sorry y’all that was supposed to be for the bogus drug tests….lmao.
Sara says
Not to fear they got the situation handled the local PD will be performing your test. They’ll be sending in their own personal swabs to help you fail
Sylvester Stevenson says
I wouldn’t climb on top of the truck
Alex c says
Right on my man
Craig says
Ya all are askin the state to fix your problem…
Drivers responceability not the states..
Its a pain but a part of our jobs as truckers…Your company can and should provide nessary tools to do so and if you pick up a trl that sat in a snow fall situation b4 you picked it up then call in a service..
I spend 3 hrs doin one of my trailers and i got paid to do so but i honestly put a bunch of holes in the roof tryin to break up the 4″ ice roof with the 5″ of snow on top of that….Yes its a pain but no different than us being responceable for our logs/pretrips/load securement ect..
MrYowler says
Most of us don’t get paid for this, don’t have the equipment to safely do it, and can’t afford to sit waiting for someone else to show up so that it can be done. The carriers, shippers and receivers, law enforcement, and DoT are all well aware of these facts, and manufacture these problems anyway.
If indeed climbing on top of the trailer is part of the job, then we can expect workman’ compensation coverage for the eminently predictable resulting injuries, right? And punitive damages, because the requirement to do this constitutes gross negligence or intentional malfeasance on the part of the all of these parties…
Seriously, if you are climbing up on top of trailers to clean off the snow, you deserve the injuries that your stupidity will inevitably earn for you.
Trucker Mike says
Workers comp would have a FIELD day on a claim from a worker falling off a trailer roof trying to remove snow.
The answers were already given here. None of which require you to get up on the roof.
If you don’t have a nearby low bridge you can go knock it off under, and they don’t have one of those scraper beams in the yard you pull out of, go to a truck wash when the snow is so thick you can see it from the ground. $45, they will wash it off…and give your trailer a scrub too. Personally, I like the low bridge thing, I live in Chicago, there are LOTS of them, just proceed slowly so as to not recreate the same issue that created this law. Put your 4-ways on and let them honk all they want.
Mike C. says
I work as an HCR driver for the Post Office and at each Location I’ve been to there is a machine to take off excess snow off the roof of your trailer.All you have to do is ask and they will have someone go with you to operate the machine .
Alex c says
That’s not part of the job dude ,tell the bozo no and say Ooh well or,stay the hell outta the snow north
Casey Patrick says
I don’t think you understand how many OSHA violations you had doing that. I guarantee you weren’t wearing a harness and tied off to a stable platform. If the state wants to pass a law such as this, it IS their responsibility to offer tools and precautions for compliance. Telling a driver to risk injury by climbing onto a trailer with a roof not designed to hold weight in the first place, without any other safety equipment is ridiculous. Then to give a fine because of an act of God, I’m pretty sure they’re not concerned with safety at all in this situation.
Rich says
The best comment in this post. One problem. the state doesn’t have to provide anything to back the law. your supposed to know the law and conform accordingly. They could build the scrapers that some have mentioned but they aren’t a guarantee to get all of the snow and ice off the trailer. It is a problem that has gone for years. Unfortunately it should be considered road debris and all drivers on the road have the responsibility to drive accordingly. Not sure about the accident that caused a knee jerk law like this to be instituted but was it possible that the vehicle or vehicles involved were driving to close because they weren’t paying attention to all the conditions on the road? I feel for the families involved here but been out here long enough to know that Laws like this come about by parties that don’t take responsibility for their actions. And by this I mean the 4 wheelers.
Durtyda says
So u say put the blame on the companies???
jeromy C beman says
So u going carry a ladder were?..and u going get up there to slide off..dont care if it law..no were in my job is say I must do that.
David says
In ky if it hits the rd first it’s road debris if it hits you ..following to close…simple
Richmond Flournoy says
It’s an osha violation to be more than 4 feet off the ground without a safety harness. I’d make them provide one before I got up there
Tommy Molnar says
Problem with the harness thing is, just where above you are you going to hook that harness? A harness is supposed to protect you from falling. That means it has to be hooked to something above where you are working, and there’s no such “something” to hook to.
I understand the dangers involved with huge piles of snow falling off trucks, but so far, I don’t see any real solutions.
Rich says
Any type of trailer yard would be responsible to put up fall protection. If anyone wants to do anything about this problem with the law they should call OSHA as soon as the LEO says you have to climb on the trailer. Enough of an up roar will get some sort of resolution, be it a solution to climbing on the trailer or the law itself.
Trevor says
You are not correct. Please read to be better informed.
https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2004-03-10
Deke says
Richmond, you are correct,
Tommy, you would hook to the same place you always hook when you are on a top level structure, somewhere newr your feet.
This would actually be a fun court case to argue, being forced to violate federally mandated saftey regulations, of course Qualified immunity would prevent you from suing the state, so the only place to turn would be suing your employer for failure to provide adequate equipment.
Though that would be the propper argument to raise with the officer in refusing to climb up on the trailer, the problem there being, there really is no arguing with an officer, they all take it personal.
Alex c says
U didn’t see the,safety video yre,company showed,you ,shame on you driver
Michael says
How are we supposed to get up there?
Kind of curious about that
Alex c says
Jump use power boots pole vault become balancing walenza u can do it
WJ says
Good one! 👍
bill smith says
You have a point. But I doubt many trucking companies are ready to do the right thing.
R.J. says
Not when it can be shuttled onto the back of the driver…for free.
Rich says
If you are a company driver the company has to furnish the equipment to enable you to conform to the law. They have no choice. If you drive subcontractor, owner operator, or independent then it is your responsibility.
Rick says
Safety HUH ! What about people in pickup trucks losing appliances, mattresses, chairs , grass cutting equipment, Ect. Ect. Is that dangerous can that cause accidents or kill.
Rich says
Pickups and the such have to abide by the same laws we do on load securement. They run and don’t get caught. If I can get the plate numbers I always turn the four wheelers in for the stupid dangerous crap they pull. I’ve seen some get caught and some you never know. If the law enforcement agency has a plate number they can get an address and follow up on it. Do your part.
John Tyo says
ZZzzzzz oh, did you post something…
Bruce says
Ok, but if your an interstate trucker and your company does not have a terminal then what? Its clear the best solution would be to have one of those at a truck stop so the trucker can get the top cleaned off.
Kevin Ayers says
Sort of agree but if the skiers are in a company yard or drop yard it’s the companies responsibility not the driver. Out on the road it’s up to the driver. This is why I run a flat. This last storm here in NEPA I damn near fell off cleaning the snow and ice off. This is truly just a BS law to appease a group of voters.
Rich says
agree 100%
Chucky says
Then the companies that have trailers loaded and unloaded in such a state as Bew Hampshire should install DeIcer Machines.
Climbing on top of a trailer is NIT safe!
You proved it when you said you put holes in the trailer roofs.
You damaged company equipment!
Tony Jay says
So, if you’re ordered by an state official to perform an unsafe act? Is the state responsible of you get injured climbing on a 13 foot high object in windy conditions?
And it’s safer to have snow piled up on the side of the highway?
Deke says
Sadly, nope. The doctrine that prevents this is called Qualified immunity.
Terry D Waters says
Nobody is obligated to obey an unlawful order. I’m pretty sure an Officer cannot order anyone to perform an unsafe act and if he arrests you for failure to comply with an unlawful order you’re going to get so much money in court you won’t have to drive anymore. You’re only immune if you are acting legally. An officer acting outside the law is most certainly open to being sued civilly and the juridiction he works for is most likely going to turn their back on him and tell him to hire his own lawyer.
What the officer can do is stop you from driving down the road with snow and ice on your trailer but that’s a different issue entirely than ordering you to climb up on your trailer roof.
Alex c says
He aint gonna make me do diddly, i Will own State of nh and,shut it down, closed for anything
Sara says
Not to worry if you become frozen to your trailer we will vouch for you that you were trying to become a Human Scaper
Andrew H says
Add snow removal gantries at the weigh stations. Falling off the top of a 14 foot high ice covered trailer isn’t the way I’m gonna die.
Sara says
Invent an ice shaver drive thru make trucker suction cup boots and climb that trailer
Kim says
Should be a legal requirement for all trucking related businesses who either own trucks, rent trucks, make their living off servicing trucks ie..TA, Petro, Loves, Pilot, Flying J, Sapp Brothers…etc..to have these scrapers at the exits of their businesses. I hear that the Walmart DCs have them for their trailers. Expecting a driver to clean these is dangerous and ridiculous. This country is getting really good at fining drivers for things instead of looking for solutions.
Alex c says
I see big bucks for those truck stops ,charge drivers 11.99 or use ure points to remove snow from ure trailer
Deacon Blue says
And I get hit by ice-frisbies all the time that come off of cars. I just clinch my teeth and say man I hope it don’t bust my glass.
Phil McCrakken says
If another vehicle is following my CMV so closely that the snow and or ice coming off my vehicle hits their vehicle 1st as apposed to the pavement how is that my fault? Folowing too closely is a serious offense for us. Why not them? Following too close combined with icy road conditions is wreckless. So some little girl lost her life because she sweated fractions of a second in travel time. Then lost her life in a fracton of a second because of her own carekess, wreckless, bad driving habits. I saw charge the dtate troopers that don’t enforce the laws mentioned with her death. Not the CMV driver. Poor careless little girl. Poor innocent of any crime CMV driver. Lazy slob state troopers.
MrYowler says
In this context, you mean “reckless”. “Wreckless” would refer to something else entirely – and may not even be a real word… 🙂
You really this ignorant?? says
Did you even read the law? This “careless” girl that you refer to was hit by a straight truck and killed. This was someone’s daughter, sister, aunt, etc. The straight truck was the one hit by a nine foot piece of ice that flew off the tractor trailer. You know nothing of the situation but sit around and talk like you know all…
Gino says
Climb up your 13’6″ trailer, with a shovel, and scrape the snow…and ICE of the top?
In a controlled situation, sure.
At the side of a highway,no way.
Falling off my trailer isn’t how I am going out.
However, before I embark, if there is a way, sure I am on that…a sweeper attachment to a loader, or a scraper, if not, then there should be a company available to provide a service.
I definitely do not see some of us driver’s (and you all know who you are)that are not very svelte, climbing the trailer like King Kong Bundy in a Steele cage match!
Or, for those fine women truckers to do the same.
As a steering wheel holder, I might not know much, but I do know common sense is a super power, and we are fresh outta phone booths.
Alex c says
Most of us don’t carry snow shovels and ice what ever but then maybe it should be standard equipment for travel to Yankee land
kc says
exactly
William C Smith says
They make shovels to do this without climbing on the trsiler.
Gus says
Ha,ha,
Glenn Davis says
They do have roof takes for cleaning heavy snow of your house roof, but roofs are angled downward.
Kevin Ayers says
Never seen a shovel that size. It would take several people to use and ladders or a lift of sorts. Now for 4 wheelers yes they shovels
William C Smith says
Dont come here than
Harold C Youngs says
Gladly won’t come there. Then when there is nothing on your shelves don’t cry snowflake!! No way in hell am I climbing on top of a trailer. Guess trailer will sit there until the snow and Ice melts. Not worth my life!!
Barb says
Ditto.
Craig says
I don’t. Detroit is much better
bill smith says
I don’t. I have no problem refusing loads to the NE, NW or CA.
Barb says
DAH. I am sure 90 per cent of drivers would be obliged not to.
R.J. says
How about a $500 ticket to each car following so close???
Don says
Wish I could show you pictures of trucks in the left lane about 2-3 feet away from the vehicle in front of them car/truck. Come on be PROFESSIONAL, Driver.
Don Porche' says
You must be that cops brother
Steve says
Yeah don’t come here, that’s an intelligent answer. I’ve been on top of alot of trailers removing snow and ice,not a single thing safe about it.
Mike says
I would think it would be no problem to fight and win a citation in court. Any decent lawyer should shred this interpretation of the law. Also, drivers should call service truck to remove snow, not drivers job to maintain truck, company’s responsibility.
MrYowler says
Winning in court requires going to court. Everyone in the courtroom except the driver is on the clock at their job, and is getting paid to be there. The only person in the courtroom with something to lose, is the driver.
A “win”, for the driver, under these conditions, is going home with everything he had before he arrived. For everyone else in the courtroom, both winning and losing mean going home with another days’ pay.
Objectively, there is no way to win. Writing a b*llsh*t citation carries no penalty to the officer that wrote it, and the best case for the driver is the wasted time and expense of appearing in court to fight it. The entire legal system is designed to make a guilty plea less painful or expensive than a not-guilty verdict.
Cherokee says
Write the ticket. I’ll hand it straight to the company to pay. I’m not getting on top of a trailer with a smooth finish so I can fall off and risk death or severe injury. If their main concern is safety is that not in itself unsafe. Sounds like more of a money racket to me. I’ll put them in the same category as RI with their truck only tolls. You want your freight then you’ll pay a higher price. Hunger always changes peoples minds.
Brian says
If you drive off with it it’s on you. Ticket could be a very small part of your problem.
Harley says
Amen Cherokee!!! Amen!!!!
Milton says
Craig, when did it become a company driver’s responsibility to clean the top of a company trailer? There is nothing in the 41 years I have been driving that has ever told me I have to climb into a 13’6 trailer and clean it. Now if I was an O/O, I’d say yeah it was. But the companies trailer is not my responsibility to keep clean, inside, maybe, but not outside. I’m NOT climbing on to someone trailer to clean it. First off I don’t carry a 15 foot ladder, nor am I required to. Second, a lot of trailer tops are made of lightweight plexiglass and will not support some of our weight. No, it’s not in our job description. Companies, or states should make the scrappers you drive under. No driver should be put at risk.
Alex c says
Be a manly man flat bedder they used to that tarping ,us vannies don’t do that, just shut doors ,I’ll need hazardous pay for that maneuver
Thunder road says
In the day when we had paper logs, I don’t remember hearing this being a problem. It got to be that any truck hauling loose debris is required to tarp its load. I’m thinking this is an act of God category. Some of us drivers (at times) do a drop and hook into an area that a storm front came through. This small facility has never been set up to provide drive thru snow removal and this small town doesn’t have a truck wash. My thought is if we didn’t have this problem before, it is because we had more common sense people driving with more defensive driving skills instead of self driving attitudes driving computerized automobiles. Then again, I’m just a dumb truck driver.
Max says
I remember when this law was enacted and I’m hearing the same ballyhoo now as I heard then. Maybe things have changed, but most truck washes would do the snow removal for a nominal fee. (I think it was around $45).
It’s not an unreasonable law and much safer for everyone.
And since it’s been around a few years now, no one should be surprised.
Southern trucker says
Good luck finding a truck wash up there, and y’all can starve for all I care, won’t bother taking food up North anymore.
Alex c says
I dont do Yankee land,any mo screw em ,let em get it them selves and pay huge tolls to drive on crappy roads
Tim Mitchell says
Actually, MOST truck washes, specially Blue Beacon, will NOT attempt snow removal off trailers. They tried when the law first passed and could not figure out how to do it because 1. Their employees are not allowed to leave the floor and 2. Trying to wash it off just added water to the ice and made it too heavy for the roof
Tony j says
And how are you supposed to get to the truck wash since they are far and few
Tony j says
And you have to drive there
Gus says
Much cheaper to not go into the state.
Kevin Coble says
Actually, no they won’t. Blue beacon attempted this and found that it was nearly impossible to get snow of a trailer by washing it off. They refuse to do it now.
Phil McCrakken says
Why don’t we just make holding a Class A and operating a CMV a crime?
Stephen Tatasciore says
I’d rather pay the $500 bribe than fall to my death from the top of the trailer.
Run south in the winter if you can.
kc says
Your damned if you do and damned if you don’t. The main aim of a blitz is to get as much violation money into the revenue bin to pay the overtime for these state workers. With that said though I understand fully the dangers of having debris coming off of the roofs of trailers or cars. The problem is were does one dispose of the snow and ice on top? There is no easy answer and the DOT officers don’t help with solutions they only give violations.
R.J. says
Getting their hand in your pocket is the goal of the exercise…and making it sound sensible by referring to the freak death of one person in a zillion is the reason.
Maybe a $500 ticket for following too close to a large truck would work.
A minimum 200-300 feet mandatory following distance would be dandy.
bill smith says
My guess is that the Troopers might get offended if you accidentally shoveled snow onto their vehicle….
Deaconblues62 says
Is snow on a semi trailer really considered to be DEBRIS?
John says
Yeah because, you know, every driver drives around with a 13 foot folding ladder in their truck.
R.J. says
And what do you grab-on to when you get up to the edge of the roof???
And if that snow is on top of a thin layer of ICE???
Trucker Mike says
It needs to be taller than 13 feet! The trailer is 13’6″ and, the ladder has to be angled. I am no math major, but, I’d bet it needs to be at least 18′ or 20′, plus, you’d want a bit to hang onto as you climb on and off.
I used to drive tanker, climb ladders all the time, the worst was climbing rail cars to trans-load…talk about being up off the ground, and, on a ladder that goes straight up and down and no handle when you get to the top! And, in the dead of winter, below zero temps, wind blowing 40 MPH…scary stuff.
Alex c says
And,shovels and ice picks and other snow removal tools
James McCann says
So many whiny babies! It is idiotic to think it’s okay to travel down the road with snow and ice on your truck and trailer! Is it okay to travel with a flat tire shredding as you go? How about an unsecured load? And as for police “forcing” drivers to endanger themselves removing ice and snow that is simply not true. You have the option of not continuing down the road until the ice and snow is removed. Who is stupid enough to believe they can be forced to dangerously climb on a slippery trailer??? Common sense, people!
Benjamin Atwater says
Ok, fine.
Bring some common sense and equality to the situation.
How about all the lazy people who drive around in cars with only the path from the wipers clear and a big pile of snow and ice on the top of their vehicle.
All they have to do is brush it off, not practice mountain climbing in a blizzard.
Truck stops in the snowbelt areas could make roof rakes available for a nominal fee.
Douglas Kirk says
They don’t want you to park there, so why provide something that won’t work anyway?
Funny how all these different groups have so much to squawk about….everybody knows that drivers intentionally pile snow on trailers, hoping that it will fall off and kill somebody.
I’m wondering why nobody has mandated heated covered parking….that would solve lots of problems
MILECHASER says
Doesn’t OSHA still have regulations about having to have fall protection if you are so high off the ground?
Michael Kitts says
I see nobody is going to respond to my comment..
Mike Zior says
If your going to give me a fine, I will refuse to remove the snow from my trailer. Most truckers running a box or reefer don’t have the ability to carry a ladder. Plus, is that an approved method by OSHA?
Alex c says
Not in the job description dude
Craig says
I would rather drive through Motown Detroit on a Friday night, during a gang attack, having my truck riddled with bullets, than go to a crap hole east coast state
Trucker Mike says
Well said!
Richie says
Let’s not dwell on the problem! Lets put our heads together and find a simple, reasonable solution. This is a problem that is facing us that can cause harm to other folks. C’mon drivers, as a team we can easily solve this and make ourselves look good in the eyes of our community and make our roads and the public safer also.
Rich
Retired Truck Driver ( who still cares )
Gus says
Ha,ha,ha,ha,ha I solved it, i don’t have authority in the Northeast.
Jack whit says
I think the trucking industry should boycott the northeastern states. Let’s see how all those annoying accent having tools like not being able to go shopping, because trucks are refusing delivery to those states.
Sara says
Ok driver what you got in mind? There must be some way to keep the snow and ice from sticking. That means on roads as well . As truckers the icy roads are our biggest concern. It’s an epidemic to destroy truckers continually giving us new rules regulations laws changed HOS . Can’t change Mother Nature but there has to be an answer.
Chucky says
Buy the $10,000.00 Heated, Snow-Melting Roof Option!
Jim Howe says
I wonder…….will there now be an OSHA inspector that, after the State Trooper writes you a ticket then makes you climb onto your trailer roof, will write you another ticket for working more than four feet off the ground without fall protection? Has anyone read the OSHA requirements for “working from heights”? Why hasn’t this been challenged in court?
Sara says
I fell off a loaded flatbed once. I also fell off of a hydro seeder the force of water thru the nozzle was too much for me. I don’t do the trailer walk well . I might be able to crawl. inch by inch once I’m up there
Mad mike says
I wonder if i was driver who falls thru a fiberglass topped trailer cleaning my trailer off id sue the ****out of all those loser cops its not about safety its always about the money it always is the question i have where is osha in all this if you have to brace a ditch you’re digging you damn sure should not be forced to climb onto the roof of a trailer with the danger of falling off or falling into the trailer lmao but its always about the money period
R.J. says
And when I slip off the top and fall 14 feet to the pavement…..
Kevin Chevalier says
Then 4 wheelers are subject to this law as well rite? I’ve had ice and blinding
snow fly off their vehicles and hit mine why is law enforcement singling out
commercial vehicles? this is discrimination
R.J. says
CDL drivers are singled out because of a wide spread, bureaucratic HATE for our rolling piggy-banks. $500 dollars a wack.
How about fining car drivers $500 a wack for following too close to big trucks…bet they’d back off a bit.
Gus says
They will not pull a car over for failure to yeld, the fine doesn’t pay them enough.
Alex says
4 wheelers are subject to the law, yes, and they have been enforcing it on them as well.
Harley says
Amen Kevin!!!! Amen!!!!!
R.J. says
And the safety harness gets attached to what??? And where is this all done and WHEN ????
When I was young, I did flatbed trucks and thought nothing of it until a sudden and stiff breeze blew me off a stack of lumber.
I survived but am 62 years old now…
One person is killed or injured in a freak, one in a Zillion accident, and an entire industry must be changed. Maybe common sense should be exercised, by not following so close behind a truck.
A million drivers complain about ANYTHING and the response is….a deafening silence.
Gus says
Correct!! You are ten times more likely to get killed by a rock off of an over pass than a snow falling off a trailer roof.
Trucker Mike says
R.J., you are right…other than the deafening silence, give it time. This is a narrow point of interest right now. I don’t truck in NH, I did it a few times, not any more, and certainly not with this new law.
But, if this rolls out across the nation…you’ll see some push-back.
I’m with you on flatbeds. I am 55. I stopped throwing tarps on my flatbed, got a conestoga instead. I have seen guys in there 70’s, even one guy who was 80 running flatbed, and tarping. God love them but, there is no way I want to be doing that now, let alone should I be so blessed to live that long.
I been knocked off more trailers and backs of trucks then I can remember. Lift gates are the WORSE, when your trying to take a poorly shrunk-wrapped load UP.
Two bad falls I do recall from my younger days:
I used to deliver once a week to an old building in the city, a retail store that required I bring the load back to the tail and push boxes off onto gravity rollers. The loading dock had NO dock leveler…not even a metal plate between the gap of my trailer and the building. The first time I was doing it, it was early AM, still dark out. I stepped off the trailer and my right leg went in between the trailer and the building ALL the way down to my groin, I slammed my hip on the concrete…I thought for sure I broke my leg or my hip. It took 3 people to pull me out, I had to sit for a while before I could get back up. I emptied the truck and finished my day
Another one, I was delivering fresh cooking oil for food manufacturers…sometimes we had to put additives in. This was typically done by the tank loaders, a two man job, one guy on the ground with a bucket tied to a rope, the other guy on top who would pull the bucket up and dump it in. I didn’t find out it was done this way until AFTER my fall. They sent me out, by myself, to put in the additives. I complained about having to climb the ladder and carry up a 5 gal bucket…FULL of BHT or some other crap. Sure enough, I was going up the ladder, watching the bucket, went to put my hand up on the next rung, missed and fell off backwards, landing firmly on an I-beam of a guard rail in the lot. Fortunately, I landed on a butt cheek and not my tailbone. I had the imprint from the I-beam on my ass and, as a joke, I put it on one of my internet profile pages, I don’t recall which one…the joke is, once you put something there is NO way to delete it! In the process of falling, unbeknownst to me at the time, I broke my big toe on my left foot. I got my load and delivered it, the whole time sitting on a bag of ice. I got back to the terminal, it was mandatory for me to go to the clinic to get checked out. They were looking at my ass and asked if I hurt anywhere else, I said, “Ya, my big toe is bothering me”. I took off my boot, my toe was purple! I spent 3 weeks in the office doing “light duty”. It sucked! Never climb a ladder without 3 points of contact at all times.
Another time, I fell off a lift gate, picking up a load of returns from a book store. They didn’t put them in boxes, just stacked them on a pallet and shrunk wrapped them, badly! Lesson learned, push on the load. The load fell half way up, knocked me to the ground, unbeknownst to me, tore my pants, which I figured out before my next stop! Go to Target, get new pants!
Gus says
Don’t go there, I don’t..
Harley says
That’s as the cones fell into the river/water below! Sorry! TypeO.
Rick says
Just one more of many reasons why I’m glad I got out of trucking. It’s always been a tough job, but the freedom of the road used to make it worth it. Now, it is just as hard except with constant hassles by DOT and law enforcement and electronic Big Brother always looking over your shoulder. And guess what? The roads are less safe now than they were in the glory days of trucking. I’ll say it yet again, “Take this job and shove it!”
Brian says
There is no way around this one. You can’t put other people at risk by leaving big piles of ice and snow up there. It’s just a matter of who is responsible for getting snow and ice off the trailer roof. If a driver takes off with a trailer like that it’s on them. Need to have a backbone, and refuse to drive anything unsafe.
There are solutions to this.
– Scrapers.
– Truck wash. Even mobile units.
– Getting up there yourself. Doable if you’re careful. I’ve used a propane torch to break up ice if its thick. Snowshoes to spread your weight. A good ladder.
It’s a legitimate problem, so a solution has to be found. Simple as that.
Wes Huffey says
Yes you can get around it done go there.
randy l boan says
I don’t think you can walk on top of those trailer with the translucent roofs??
Rob says
Wow what a bunch of cry babies, the truck your driving is YOUR responsibility if you don’t want to be responsible then turn in your CDL. Clean off your truck it IS your responsibility.
Jillie says
Hey Rob do you practice what you preach? I doubt it.
Trucker Mike says
Jillie, obviously he doesn’t! IF he’s even spent one day as a trucker, he’s probably driving around CA…no trucker who drives in the snow-belt gets up on his roof and shovels off snow from his trailer. Heck, I don’t shovel it off my tractor either! The truck warms up, first bump you hit, the stuff slides off. What snow officer?
Where would you carry a ladder tall enough to REACH the roof? You gonna strap it to the front of the trailer? Maybe hang it underneath until it gets completely corroded it doesn’t function? Try to climb it when it is full of ice and snow?
Gerry says
No driver in his or her right mind would climb on top of a van trailer the roof structure is not strong enough, the person that said it’s part of the drivers responsibility is likely not a driver. All I can say is I refuse to climb to top of trailer so I guess take me to jail, let me out when it warms up and snow is gone.
Deaconblues62 says
Exactly.
Donald says
But it’s not the top of the truck they won’t clear it’s the trailer and if you are a oo pulling a drop and hook it’s someone else’s problem not the driver
Nnamdi says
I don’t know why people hate truckers this much, we are being restricted so much that you get scared driving. The girl that died was because she was tailgating a truck because if she leaves the distance she is supposed to then she can have the chance to maneuver or stop. Now they are blaming the truckers for her death. The other day in California going down the mountain it’s clearly said trucks only because the downgrade was 6% for 12 miles so that means the possibility of failed breaks are high, but I still have moron who just came in front of me because she say that space and slowed down. I had to blast my air horn on her and she gave me the middle finger. Now if something had happened the story could have been the trucker killed a woman and her kids, it’s unfair that we being scolded this way.
Mike says
Wait a minute, how can law enforcement require you to break the law? OSHA law says that you can’t be up that high with out special fall equipment attached to something, and special training. OSHA needs to step in and stop this deadly practice that is violating the law! I think any driver stopped and told to climb up on a roof should immediately call OSHA and report these violations. Let the municipality get fined for breaking Federal laws.
Kevin Coble says
Don’t read well do you? I’m 5’7″ and weigh 165 love, in no way fast, can work you under the table, not in the least afraid of heights, and I’m still not climbing up on a snow and ice covered trailer to clean it off. Ever seen someone fall from that high and land on their head? Yeah well I have and I’m not going there. It’s about safety, not about laziness. A lot more people will get injured or die from this stupidity than they do from the snow flying off of vehicles. Plain old common sense tells you that.
Richard A. says
This idea is completely insane. It’s a big no-no to climb on the trailers where I work. Climbing on the trailer comes with a suspension, and probably a termination if someone fell off and suffered an injury.
Even climbing onto the catwalk to change placards at the refinery will get you booted off-site. The only time we can access the top of the trailer is to check the overfill sensors, which requires parking under a rack with full fall protection.
I would have refused to follow such an order. Received my ticket, then subsequently fought it in court.
Jane says
They probably would put you out of service if you refused
Rich says
That’s an OOS I’d gladly take. Company can’t do anything about it IF you called them and informed them of the ice and snow before you left the yard at which you picked up the trailer or truck stop you where parked at and the snow accumulated. If you didn’t it is on you.
jan van eck says
Here is a solution: at suitable places, including truck stops and areas next to entrance ramps outside cities, a special lane is built with a two-stage snow and ice removal station. As the truck passes through the first stage, a snow-scraper boom removes the bulk of the snow. Then as the truck passes further forward, the trailer is dosed with pure methanol. The alcohol will soak into the ice and dissolve the ice into a water-alcohol solution. Now the truck passes into the second station, where a small jet engine is mounted at the 13-6 elevation with the jet blast angled over the top of the van. The jet runs with light throttle with the exhaust directed into a flat fan, blowing off remaining ice over the side. The truck departs nice and clean. If you want, add another alcohol station for a light fresh coat and that keeps more ice from forming on top.
Cost money? Sure it does. Hey, the State has a vested interest in road safety, becomes part of the public tax bill. Same as fixing potholes and striping lanes. Sounds good to me.
Rich says
That is a good idea.
Jason says
Take it to the nearest truck wash
Trucker Mike says
Now your thinking!!!
Rich says
Except they won’t do it because of safety. Blue Beacon won’t at any cost.
Gwin says
I for one would NEVER climb up and walk around there. I weigh close to 300 lbs. It would be attempted HOMICIDE if I fell off and landed on someone!
Trucker Mike says
Me too, Gwin! Me too!!! The roof isn’t designed to put that kind of weight in one spot.
Sara says
Won’t catch me up there either
Mark says
Mandate scrapers at every toll, rest area and truck stop, make them easily accessible everywhere, problem solved.
Mar says
Let Jessica’s Mom clean the snow and ice off.
Rawdog says
Unfortunately I live in northern Maine so I HAVE to drive through all these commie states to get to the decent ones , this past snow storm New Hampshire was like a skating rink while both Maine and Massachusetts had their roads cleared down to the asphalt already, and they charge damn near a $1 a mile toll on 95 . Crazy!!
Eddie says
OSHA has Regs about climbing over 6′ (off the ground) with out a safety harness/fall protection…….so drivers were required to do an unsafe act?
Trucker Mike says
Very good point! Wonder what the NHSP would say about that??? I’d fight it in court. You have two governing jurisdictions with opposite rules. But, that is government control for you…imagine how bad things are going to get (and expensive) should a moron like Barny Glanders get in office. Oh boy, we will be screwed for sure then.
Rich says
NHSP would let you know they didn’t require the driver to climb on their trailer. They just told the driver that they couldn’t continue until it is removed. It was time for those drivers to call their company. If their company told them to climb up then the company was at fault. The drivers should have been notifying their company before they got on the road.
Don says
I don’t see not 1 car stopped to clean off their roof.
Bruce says
I’m surprised no one hasn’t started installing the things you drive under with the scrapers to get the snow off at truck stops. Looks like a good investment, as often as it snows up there. Probably could become a self made millionaire off of charging trucks to use it.
Dennis O says
Clearing off roofs of trailers is a dangerous task at best and life threatening at worst. To the uneducated, a great percentage of trailer roofs are fiberglass to let the light in so it’s not dark inside. The fiberglass they use on the roofs is not made to hold a mans weight! If the trailer has a metal roof, it becomes so slippery that the driver risks just sliding off the side, not to mention we’re asking them to clear off 8 feet of trailer going sideways. One solution would be to have a large pole with an arm on it with a piece of stiff rubber mounted on it so that when a driver drive under it, the rubber hanging down from the arm would clear the snow off the roof and either a high-lift or other snowplow could push the removed snow off to the side. Of course we would want the arm to be movable up and down to accommodate trucks with different heights. hence no possibility of driver injury. Truckstops and other facilities could charge a nominal fee for this to pay for the snow clearing device and someone to push the snow to the side.
Rich says
Steamed trough to catch snow, melt it down and catch ponds to hold the water. Water can be recycled through truck washes and to water landscape saving money for the truck stops. Then it could be a good will service offered to drivers instead of another way to drain a drivers wallet.
Bob says
WIDBAD=
When In Doubt Blame A Driver
Robert LaBelle says
There’s no doubt about the dangers associated with letting the wind blow the snow and ice off the roof of a trailer. But it is not fair to expect drivers to risk injury to clear it off.
Sure, it’s a hazard to motorists following a truck as the wind blows snow off the roof.
There is no quick fix to this problem. Waiting for a service to come and shovel off a roof is ridiculous, even if you can find one. If the state can put millions of dollars worth of snow plows and salt spreading equipment on the road, then snow blowers or scrapers to clean snow/ice off trucks should be their responsibility too.
I’m a driver, not an acrobat.
Jane says
Another state we won’t go to in winter time. Wonder what they’d do if they couldn’t get any trucks to work NH during winter months.
Trucker Mike says
I don’t truck the east coast PERIOD. I’ll go to OH, if the rate is REAL good. To many tolls out east, too many NARROW roads with little to no shoulder. Too many roads that have hair-pin corners to turn. And, too much traffic. The rates coming back out are usually dirt-cheap. It’s just not worth it. Same thing with CA, I don’t go west either.
But, I have my own authority and have been at this for nearly a quarter century. You live and you learn.
Pat says
The only really SAFE way to resolve this problem would be to make trailer and boxes with heated roofs. That way no driver is put in a dangerous situation.
Dwayne Oxford says
ALL drivers NEED pre-paid legal.
The “following too close” don’t hold water, given today’s traffic.
Bottom line, driver IS responsible for damage caused by machine he’s operating. He made the decision to run it. When ANYTHING in his control damages/kills someone, it’s on him. Kinda like “Who’s responsible for the ink pen in the washer/dryer.”
If there’s a safety problem, rig should sit till it’s remedied. If you can’t afford or are “unable” to remedy, YOU need to do something different.
robin says
How do airliners do it? They use chemical. So just like snow scraping stations, set up chemical spraying stations or at the truck stops (paying attention entrepreneurs?) A service. But logistically, it is not safe and/or practical to crawl up on top of a trailer and some trailers are not designed to carry the weight of somebody walking on top of them.
It’s all about safety and when a DOT officer asked you to do something unsafe, aren’t you obligated not to comply?
mousekiller says
How do they force a driver to climb up on the roof? Do they furnish a ladder for them? Hold a gun on them????Good thing I don’t run in that part of the country. I would refuse to do it. Haul my butt to jail. OR I would find a way to slip and fall and then file a multi million dollar suit against the officer and the NH HP. They cannot force you into an unsafe situation like that. Drivers that are afraid to say no do it. Picking up a trailer at a terminal is one thing but if a drop N hook it’s a completely different story. What is this country coming to ?
Jjags says
New Hampshire needs money and will do anything to get it. Like one driver said, install one at a rest area or toll booth but that wouldn’t bring in revenue
John Tyo says
Lets start a snow cleaning off trailer tops business. Maybe some billionaire up there will start one. Plenty of illegal border crossers to chose from for cheap labor…
Russell shaheen says
This it also dangerous for the truck driver. If you stop and think. There is no way for a driver to get atop an almost 14 foot trailer. Furthermore if the driver does figure out how to get atop the trailer. The driver could fall through or even worse slip on the ice and fall off the trailer and break his or her kneck.. smarten up America. Accidents happen
mousekiller says
Been doing this trucking thing for over 50 years. We had no issues with snow and ice blowing off trailers. Drivers of all vehicles knew it was winter and something might blow off so they stayed back far enough to avoid it. Or passed in a hurry. None of the poor me I was too close to the big ol truck and got hit with something off the roof so I have to blame some one else for my stupidity and lack of common sense. . If people would just pay attention to what is going on around them when driving lots of this BS would disappear seemingly over night.
Michael says
A snow ticket for trailers is like the cell phone law. Designed to take money out of truckers pocket but look around and you shall see snow on 4 wheelers….no ticket or fine.you look and see 4wheelers swerving using their phones. It’s a easy cash crop ticket scam designed by politicians that despise the trucking industry. SMH!!!
James says
I feel sorry for the little girl that died, and then caused this law. But putting at risk potentially millions more that could fall and die off of a 13 ft trailer, trying to clear snow, and ice, is a knee jerk reaction. Sometimes bad things happen, we cannot legislate death and it’s causes. If death from flying snow/ice happened everyday in America, the problem would be bad enough that some entrepreneurs would figure out a safe way to clear a trailer. Necessity is the mother of all inventions.
Robert says
OSHA requires a harness and safety restraints standing upon anything higher than 7 feet, at 13’6″ you cannot be compelled to climb your trailer roof. Take the ticket, look up the federal osha rule, take it to court.
Dismissed.
Bruce says
As a driver who has a disability (I walk with a cane) I guess I would have been up the creek without a paddle.
Bob Sherman says
I have no idea how to get on top of the trailer to begin with. Oh wait, I have my load locks. Yeah, right! Money, that’s all this is about.
Heath says
Report this to OSHA and see what they have to say about a driver being forced to climb up on their trailer without proper safety equipment.
One Bad Apple says
Two feet of snow and ice mixed flying off a trailer at speed can definitely be a deadly hazard! I strongly agree with getting it off!!! However, pulling trucks over then making the driver somehow get on top of the trailer to get it off at potentially gun point is about as draconian as you can get. There needs to be a structure with steps and fall prevention installed in truckstop, at shippers, trucking company yards, rest areas or wherever this can sensibly done. A lot of places that I load my flatbed you are not allowed to even get on top of a 4 1/2 ft. high deck because it unsafe. If this ever happens to me, straight refusal, and let the chips fall where they may! Enough is enough!!!
ROBERT E SCOTT says
Black Smoke Matters is sponsoring the Shut Down on April 12th. Wish they had a way to buy bumper stickers.
Trucker Mike says
Oh, it’s ok, watch the video…they are doing it at a SAFE HAVEN, a weigh station!!!
Everybody knows the concrete at a NH weigh station is VERY spongy and forgiving, plus, the gravitational pull in their weigh stations is MUCH less, so, if you do fall, you float gently right down to the ground! It’s actually kind of fun!!!
I can’t WAIT to be in a heavy snowfall in NH and get to do the same!!! YIPEE!!!
Tony says
So all of you that want the state to put in ice scrapers at toll booths and rest areas, what happens when someone hits an upright or scuffs the top of their truck. Who are you gonna sue then. Everyone wants to sue. Why don’t shippers have them. Oh wait, walmart does but only for their trucks. Why do you think that is? So other companies wont sue them when their drivers damage the trucks and trailers while using them.
Hey what about Blue Beacon, we can sit in their lines for another hour or two and wait to get our roofs scraped.
Just like many other aspects of our job there is no good answer because the liabilities and time involved.
Tony Bounds says
This action violates federal O.S.H.A laws that state any work done over 5 feet require personal fall protection devices including but not limited to safety harness and lines safety nets, stair railings and hand rails and in cases of dangerous or heavy equipment provides guard rails and toe boards.
Ken says
Do the scale supply a ladder cause I sure as heck don’t carry one?
Ken says
Also some of the trailers have fiberglass roofs if they think I’m going up there their nuttier than I am let smokie fall through
El NoCeapo says
All fuel stations at very little cost could install scrapers for standard height semis all truck terminals should have them
AnotherPOV says
I smell lawsuits! 🙂
Mike Fredericksen says
The only answer would be a defrost system in stalled in roof of the trailer like you have in car windows that you can turn on long enough to melt all the snow and ice
Kenny R Coomes says
I drive flatbed. I had to tarp a load of lumber out of Chehalis Washington. No safety equipment. I had to climb on top to adjust my tarp. As I was climbing off the load my ladder went one way and I went the other. I fell approximately 10 feet. I landed on my left foot. Had to hoble to tractor and have my Wife call 911. I broke the calacanis(the heel bone) bone in my foot in 4 places. Surgery to put 4 titanium plates and 9 two inch screws. I fell on December 14, 2018. Surgery was on January 4, 2019. As of today March 82019 I am still not back to work. I’m starting physical therapy next week with next Doctor appointment is April 8, 2019. I’m released for light duty but what kind of light duty is there at a trucking company? My boss asked me a couple of days after I fell what could have prevented this accident. I told him proper safety equipment ie, 5 point safety harness, ladders with hand rails, overhead structure with a cable system to prevent sudden falls. I currently have retained an Attorney in Washington to pursue a personal injury claim against the company I picked up from. Doctor said my foot will never be the same.
Buck says
I’m hearing a lot of whining. Your fat slobs called truck drivers need to lose weight so you can get up on top of your trailer and clean them. Quit complaining and just lose the weight take a shower and get the snow off.
Lanesurfer says
I was in decent shape the one & only time I climbed up onto an icy trailer. Totally dangerous without proper equipment and training. I won’t do it again.
ALIVEnnnKICKING says
Thinking about starting a business in New Hampshire …..Snow removal $150 bucks for truck and trailer…coming next winter…Will name the company ALIVEnnnKICKING…..What do u drivers think about the price?
Lanesurfer says
Company drivers don’t care about the price, but, maybe that should be done at the shipper, maybe trailer tops should be heated, maybe there is no perfect solution since 1-2 inches of ice can accumulate undetected..??
Kent A says
OK, so what is a driver with a translucent fiberglass roof that you can’t walk on to clean it supposed to do? Mine won’t support my weight. Also, how am I supposed to get up there in the first place?
Tim says
Instead of bitchin about it, why does’ent someone come up with a safe solution to the problem? Come on! There’s an answer out there! Just think it out!
C Tilley says
I’ve got insurance. My life isn’t worth climbing on top of a slippery 13’6 trailer. Create cleaning stations and then we can comply. I don’t like to get hit with other trucks ice either. But I understand we can’t control mother nature. And I believe that drivers life is more important too.
Sara says
I strongly agree driver I know the most of us through the years have tried to solve this snow and ice. For sure non of us enjoy driving in it. I have faith there will be something. Like defrosting the cars rear window those tiny little wires do the trick
Phil Casey says
Refuse to clean off the roof. Refuse to sign the appear in court ticket. They will arrest you. Tell them you will not move the truck since you are under arrest. In all 50 states, once you are under arrest (in their custody) the arresting agency is responsible for all the equipment. You are pulling a load of Ben & Jerrys ice cream, right? The load becomes their problem & you companies. Years ago in Indiana a problem like I mentioned happened on the Toll Road up North. A log book violation by the driver. Refused to sign. Arrested & placed in custody. Refused to drive hi truck to the Angola truck stop. This was on Friday. Late Monday he was released. He very carefully documented every thing including a empth fuel tank on the trailer & the smell of spoiled meat when he opened the doors. 2 years later the Indiana Appeals Court in Indianapolis, affirmed the 150,000 dollar award for the totaled tractor (frame rails twisted by tow truck driver & the other loses. The Log Book violation was about 130.00 bucks in that county. This story actually made the front page of the Indianapolis Star & News many years ago.
Joe says
Simple solution- find a 13’7′ bridge and scrape it off yourself!
TheRealTrucker says
I wanna know how a fatass trucker is supposed to get up there? Trailers don’t have steps or ladders built onto them. I’m built like a Greek god and I can’t get up there, let alone in the snow and the trailer being all iced up. That’s death waiting to happen.
Roddy Gamblin says
How exactly am I supposed to get on top of my trailer? Levitate? I wouldn’t even know how or where to begin to try and get up there.
Mark Warrick says
I can remember the young woman getting killed, and like all other instances as this the legislature has to make the citizens think they care about them. The best solution for needing to remove snow, ice, etc from a trailer roof is not to go into that part of the world during winter. If your saying “ I can’t do that I’ll get fired”, well grow a set of balls and refuse to put yourself in that predicament and if they want to fire you let them. There’s better ways of making a living than running NE during the winter. If everyone would stick together on this, the high and mighty would hear from their constituents crying about being hungry and layed off because they can’t get the products they need. There is nothing safe about climbing on the roof of a trailer even in the best conditions. If you must run NE and your trailers are snowed over, call your company and let them handle it. They will eventually get the message.
Mick says
I am not a friggin’ monkey. I would refuse to do it, call the company and tell them to get someone out there. If they wanted to tow the truck or arrest me, then I would tell them to issue a ticket to the towing company if they didn’t clear the roof. This is BS. NE inbreeding. I would also call OSHA and file a complaint.
Brian Schneider says
Pretty sure this is completely illegal according to OSHA regulations. I would never climb on top of snowy van.
Steven D Mctyre says
I would of said ” you want it cleaned then you get up there and clean ut yourself! Because if its a hazardous and unsafe to climb on a trailer with snow&ice and you get hurt the officer is going to turn his back and say he didn’t tell you to do that”!
George says
That’s over 18 to 20 feet above ground. Kcuf new Hampshire state pd. They should have multiple trailer top snow blades
Deaconblues62 says
So now it’s the truck drivers fault that it snows now?
I really can’t believe any driver would be stupid enough to do that, this only must be a test, LOL 😂 I did notice the dumb 4 wheeler comments about suing, GEEZ, YAWNING, WTF else is new?
The only way this can even begin to become lawful, the useless State would have to legislate into law that EVERY VEHICLE 🚗 MUST BE FREE OF SNOW AND ICE BEFORE TRAVELING.
The Police cannot single out only semi trucks for citations, they must write citations for every vehicle even government vehicles too.
I also noticed they didn’t mention anything about the smart drivers who refused.
Mike says
Jessica’s Law is a duplication of an existing law that you actually stated: “EVERY VEHICLE MUST BE FREE OF SNOW AND ICE BEFORE TRAVELING.” Nothing new!
Ri ma says
If this jessica law was voted by New Hampshire law makers ( educated idiots) then they need to figure out how to remove the snow from trailers in a safe way. Not risk the drivers safety. Ticket those who follow to close. I don’t know how we do it in the upper Midwest. New Hampshire isn’t the only state to get large amounts of snow. To those who think this is the drivers responsibility better wake up or better yet, shut up. Or go climb up a trailer.
Ryan says
Amen
Steve Johnson says
This is easy to fix let them starve necked no car no heat wont take long that bellie goes to grawling
Steve Johnson says
This is easy to fix let them starve necked no car no heat wont take long that bellie goes to grawling
Jim says
First of all it’s not very easy to climb up onto the top of your rig …i drive a reefer rig that is 13.6 feet tall pulling a trailer that is 53 feet long …it’s not like we have ladders mounted to our tractors or trailers …and when will the private vehicle driver learn not to be so close to the rear end of the trailer….we have all seen that sticker on the back the reads …if you can’t see my mirrors I can’t see you….if anyone is behind me that close I will break check them hoping to cause them to rear end me so that I can sue them ….I have an idea that might help the clearing of the snow and or debre…they could install step ladders at the fuel islands of all the truck stop…
JoeBlow says
Mmmmm….NO, you show me the proper safe way per OSHA rules being untethered…
Michael says
I won’t ever go there again. If they refuse to understand the roof of a trailer isn’t designed to hold the weight of a truck driver/person then they don’t care about safety. Just money. So quit delivering to the state. When they run out of products then they will be forced to look at what they problem is and why they ran out of everything.
Michael says
https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2014-07-17-0
Regulations for PPE Required If it isn’t provided, then you don’t have to get on top of a trailer
Lanesurfer says
I climbed up there once and said never again! Treacherous as hell even if a ladder was available, which it wasn’t. Under a foot of snow was an inch of ice. Slippery as hell, 13’6″ height and I broke my broom while breaking ice. I don’t go up north anymore and if drivers hafto do that BS I never will.
SEB says
If anyone tried to force me to climb on top of a trailer to remove snow that load would be sitting until Spring.
Super trucker says
Wheres the law for plows traveling in the opposite direction throwing snow over the Jersey barrier. That will destroy a windshield
Scott says
That lack of a law is intended to sell more windshield for PPG or whomever manufactures overpriced truck windshields. While lobbyists get rich filling the swamp Donnie hasn’t emptied.
Sara says
Not enough de-icer to cover a truck but until giant heaters are installed on the rigs we have to prevent alot of snow covered ice from injuring others. The ice is the real danger. Those great plastic lensed head lights that stay cool while the ice forms on them. At least glass melted ice. I can’t have everything but it takes more than a few seconds to remove a semi full of ice and snow. And until someone invents a drive thru snow and ice remover get the spade out .
Sara says
So hey there Jessica Smith you say your Mommy Dearest will climb up on that there trailer of ours and use her Swiffer to dust off all that snow and ice in like 3 minutes. Dam girl what drugs is she on?
Kimberly Belcher says
Ok just throwing it out there..but does anyone but me see the opportunity here like a do it yourself truck wash slip 5.00 in and wa-la you drive through ..
John silveira says
It.should.be against the law such action, a trailer is about 13.6″ high, no side protection, and is very sleepery,can cause one to fall off it and die,. Some of those dry vans has clear fiber glass top, if.one get on top of it,surely will fell inside and.surely gets hurt, forcing truck drivers perform illegal and unsafe tasks should be illegal, and the officers should be punished for doing so,
WHY THOSE IDIOTIC OFFICERS/TROOPERS DONT STOP 4WHELLERS? with snow.and
ice over they top? Answer is they a afraid to stop a higher state or federal official over this and get them in trouble, and they know.the ticket will.be low value for the state. But truckers are easy pray, we are resting on rest area or truck stop. No way and or proper equipment to clean the snow, on 13.6″high trailer.. troopers know and.enforce it to make.money for the state, and damage truckers safety record.. no wonder why most truckers do not want to come over east coast, new Englanders are truck haters hypocrites.. no wonder why east coast careers are closing down. And those states are bankrupting, soon the retail.will.be with empty shelfs, and.those hypocrites are ones to blame…
Do the state want to enforce it? Set the snow cleaners.poles on rest areas, truck stops, and.specially business and trucking companies to hire.people to clean it up. THATS NOT A TRUCKERS WORK DESCRIPTION…
JD says
The solution to this problem is very simple! Put snow removal scrapers at truck stops or service stations along turnpikes! But hey the state’s won’t do that because they can write tickets instead and people can keep getting hurt/die instead!!
Shawn says
Yet I can’t climb up my wood chip trailer to tarp without a fall arrest system on according to the law here.
What they should have then is a staircase and a platform at rest areas or truck stops with a roof rake. That’s what we had at all our yards back when I worked for Trans Provincial Freight Carriers.
That way it is easy and safe to do.
I see school buses leaving their yards every day with a couple feet of snow and ice on their roof’s. Why aren’t they targeted also?
Pete Griffin says
No wonder they’re looking for truck drivers now and there’s a truck driver shortage. I wish the whole industry was shut down and put this country at its knees making them realize truck drivers are the heartbeat of America. A lot of companies won’t allow you climb on your trailers because of workman’s comp reasons and insurance. But they do make a device that trucks can drive under that will sweep the top of the trailer. Besides some truck drivers need the exercise by the looks of their bellies. Keep eating that truck stop food so good for you.
Scott says
It’s part of the job trucker drivers signed up for, says Donnie. Have your carrier send a clean up crew or stay parked.
Drifter says
Just another prime example of a state screwing drivers. Bottom line, they don’t give a shit about safety, just the money generated from fines. If they WERE interested in safety, they’d make companies in their state provide a way to clear snow off of the tops of trailers, and while they’re at it, how about fining 4-wheelers for not clearing the tops of their cars, windshieldes, tailights, etc.
Denise says
Like I said before That truck will be sitting there on the side of the highway untill it melts I don’t care if they want to tow it or do whatever they want with it I’m not climbing up on top of a trailer I believe in know how they could stand on top of a trailer without falling through
Clay says
Unfortunately, drivers are not equipped to handle the removal nor do the machines companies can buy do the job either. They leave some snow and ice on the trailers so the possibility exists for damage to other vehicles, even after removal by a machine. Best bet is to be aware, look for snow/ice about to come off a trailer/truck, then give that vehicle plenty of room to avoid being hit if the snow/ice comes flying off.
Wes Huffey says
Easy and safe fix is don’t haul any freight in or to that state.
Daniel Oxendine says
What they should have done was just enforce cars to stop tailgating. Is that not easier and safer. A trucker would be given a ticket fast for tailgating.
Mike says
We can whine and fuss all we want, but it is the law, it is the law for a reason, and we are responsible to follow the law. I we drive in these situations it is our job to make sure we are safe. I admit that I have ignored the law, I have taken advantage of a 13′ 6″ bridge to do most of it for me, but I have also climbed up and done it myself. When we get our CDL and claim the title of Professional Driver, we take on the responsibility to do it right.
David King says
Problem with no real solution.
Van Trailers today mostly manufactured with lightweight translucent fiber sheets, you or anyone else use scrapers or shovels pounding and breaking up then sliding ice across these panels will most likely damage the panels then the panels will catch wind and fly off on the road. Fixed scrapers at yard locations have damaged roofs and companies are takeing them down due to their insurances are going up for liabilities of damage. Snow and ice is a normal act of God situation. It happens. Scrappers or only goid for overnight snow and snow is going to blow off anyway.
As pointed out un other pist. KEEP YOUR DISTANCE, DONT TAILGATE. I have been behind many snow and ice blowoff and watcg them hit the ground in front of me. Hold your place, don’t slam the breaks. Here again this is a lack of skills and knowledge not being taught to thw general motoring public, some don’t care and just want to go. Get out of my way you slowing me down.
Rick says
If you come up from behind a semi with snow on top of the trailer, you think you would be smart enough to realize a hazard…but if the truck passes you and snow/ice falls off and hits you, yeah then you have a legit claim
Sara says
I’m not climbing anywhere up high. Besides for all I know there could be a few snow snakes and ice worms up top.
Tim says
Most trailer roofs are made of thin fiberglass and are dangerous to climb up on there needs to be a safe way to remove snow and ice.. there is a problem…
Percheron1 says
And yet no one is making state workers clear ice off bridge superstructures!!
https://www.wcax.com/content/news/Falling-ice-damages-car-company-says-bridge-has-no-issues-507183431.html
Brett Schaapveld says
It is an OSHA violation to climb on top of a van trailer without adequate fall protection.
Jeffrey says
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