New driver starting in winter months

Just jump right in.

It might be a mild winter.

It also might not.

You gotta learn how to drive in ####ty weather, might as well start right off.

Even if you work for a company that wants you to shut down in snow, sometimes you still gotta go 100 miles to a place to shut down.

 

You're going to drive in the snow eventually. Nothing wrong with learning in it. I went to truck school in the middle of winter. The timing was coincidental but I'm glad it worked out that way.

 

Years ago I when I started out on a flatbed, December 1 first load out, run up to WI, snowed, wrestled tarps in snow, DH to Chicago in snow, reload and tarp in snow.

It makes you enjoy your job, and you learn tricks.
I didn’t have a trainer either, they just threw me in a truck, and took off, I didn’t know anything about tarps, and even tarped it backwards, then sat back and looked at it and seen the right way, so I pulled the back tarp back and put it under the front tarp, but you’ve got to use your imagination to succeed, not all the times will there be someone there to show/tell something

 

As others have stated, eventually you'll end up in the spit. Training in winter gives you an advantage for your education, you'll hopefully be with a driver who throws some iron and you can learn. It beats learning by yourself after you've gotten too comfortable (usually happens 6-9mo in) in good weather.

 

Yes and no in winter

Jumping in with no experience on the road in winters is tough, but doable

Jumping in might teach good habits from the get go due to being more cautious

 

Jump right in, and remember...

It might be -28 in North Dakota, but it’s a dry cold.

 

You just prefer the cold because Kentuckians move slower than Translyvanians in the snow.

 

You know me too well...

 

You just have to remember some in the snow and ice. Always pull the trailer, on ramps and around corners. Don't let the trailer push your tractor, because when your do the trailer is in control of your truck. The trailer will always want to keep going straight. When your pulling the trailer your in control of the trailer.

The skidding or spinning tire ( to much power to drive tires) will always want to lead and come to front. That's how a jacknife gets started.

Don't use Jake/engine brake in snow or ice or the cruise control