Snow/ice on top of trucks???

You only seem to be worried about what OSHA or the insurance company thinks about the risk of you falling, and nothing about the risk of injury to anyone else as a result of your failure to remove ice and snow.

Yes, man up. It's part of the job if you can't handle it become a Wal-Mart greeter. There are no shortage of guys that can't man handle an 8' drop lumber tarp so they don't pull a flat or haul stuff that requires a tarp. Same could be said for those who can't handle removing snow.

Plenty of room under the trailer if the only thing stopping you is a "storage place". Also they make 12.5' telescoping ladders that collapse down to 32"

The reason truck stops have truck scales is to make money, period! The reason they make money off the scales is because the law says a truck cannot be over a certain weight, I believe everyone knows this. Snow removal devices would be the exact same. Stick in $5-$10 the gate opens and you drive under the bar. Same with the scales, you don't have to use it but if you don't be prepared to pay the fine. My 70' scales cost me almost $30,000 so the ones at the truckstop that does axles separately were way more (i wanted mine to do that but didn't want to spend the money) A few steel beams and a cable system to lift it is FAR less of an investment for a truck stop owner. I've seen similar systems at trucking company lots when passing by.

Some of us don't use truck stop scales because we found a better way. (spread axles and air gauges) Same with snow removal, if you have your own way of removing it then you don't need to pay. Doesn't matter if it's a ladder and a broom or in the case of a flatbed, you could cover your tarps with a cheap blue plastic tarp and yank it off(along with the snow/ice) before you leave.

Everyone on here with the exception of a slim few just live by the "not my problem" philosophy which will come back to bite you. It's your problem, now figure out a way to fix it. I fixed my problem, I park inside. On the rare occasion a trailer get's covered I have a 20' long pallet and a forklift I can stand on to push the snow off. I prefer not to cause an accident.

 

I was contemplating putting heat tape down the length of the trailer. Then while your on your 10 hour you turn it on and it would melt it all off for you.

 

What if you get hurt real bad trying to remove the snow/ice? I mean to the point you can not work anymore. If you're a company driver and you use the method of a pallet and forklift then you're out any coverage of medical from the company because that is in direct violation of just about all safety regulations written. Again it gets back to common sense. I don't believe any driver here wants to cause an accident or see someone get hurt. But I believe that 99.9% of the drivers do not want to get hurt and end up not driving too. So that's where the "Reasonable Effort" comes in. If I was standing in front of a judge for a violation of this nature I would simply say " your honor I used ever item I had on hand and every trick I know to remove the snow/ice". I don't believe that a state can ask for more.

 

What if you get hurt stepping out of your truck? What if you choke on a potato chip? I honestly don't care if you or anyone else removes snow or even secures your loads.......until your negligence affects me. If your ice breaks my window it'll be your "butt".

Also snow doesn't collect on the roof of a moving truck so keep your fat butts out of the truck stops buying fingerless leather gloves and giant phone headsets and this wouldn't be an issue.

 

How much power do you think it would take? And how many small companies would spec a trailer with this system in it? Heck how many Megas would order it?

 

I read through this thread and have been faced with this situation many times pulling trailers that were sitting against the dock during snow storms.

Someone mentioned and is indeed correct that the state of NJ has a law on the books regarding snow on trailer roofs and they DO enforce it. The driver is indeed liable and not the company for the fine and should something happen due to snow/ice on the trailer roof, prepare to be cited and held liable in the event of a lawsuit personally.

Also, you will not be able to get on the Ohio Pike since you'll trigger the over-height sensor and be denied access. Not sure if they still do it, but years ago guys would be at some of the interchanges with ladders and such and would get the snow off the top for whatever amount of money.

This is something we've been screaming about here with our new safety policy - one of those if you want us to be safety minded you better set the example things. We've been installing snow scrapers at snow prone terminals this year - it's a V-shaped blade with a rubber edge set at 13' 6" that you drive under to scape the snow off.

Just don't be the moron that takes an hooked set under it - the giant pile of snow falling off the lead box will break the airlines on your dolly dude..haha.. Kidna like slamming the brakes in a yard - the snow/ice is gonna break the airlines between you truck and trailer..

I think the big problem is if you pull a trailer that was sitting during a storm a few days later you're gonna loose all that snow going down the road. I was faced with this the other day so I took my truck driving butt up on a railed "marker light ladder" and got the snow off the top - on the clock of course because some segments of trucking do pay drivers for performing other work. It took me probably 20 minutes to get the heavy stuff off - blew a little powder off in the first mile but was good from there..

My opinion is this is gonna become law everywhere and snow scrapers will be required at certain facilities which is a good thing IMO..

 

You are right....I worry about myself...Because without me the bills don't get paid....My family doesn't eat....You're G-d ##### right....it is about me!!!!!

I throw more 8' drops than most skateboarders half may age....Again....I will not endanger my life to please a 4-wheeler who cuts off a truck and brake checks.....It's G-d ##### war out there or have you no clue....

I had some dumazzhat 4-wheeler cut in front of me today from a highway shoulder...No signal....Never bothered to look.....And these are the same people who whine about a little snow falling off the roof of your rig.....

 

The attitude I see is you don't give a crap about us and our safety.



So why should I give a crap about yours?






Here's an idea: we'll just close all the highways in the states prone to lots of snow from the end of Nevember to the beginning of March to big trucks. Nothing over the height of, say, 8 feet can be on those highways for those three months. Then y'all won't have to worry about snow and ice on trailers.

As for me going up there and risking breaking my arse? Forget it. The O/P claims to be a student. Why didn't he or she ask one of the instructors? Because the O/P didn't want an answer. He or she wanted an opportunity to b****. And got all bent out of shape when someone vehemently disagreed. Too bad. Once our O/P gets that CDL and about a year of road experience, let's revisit the question and see what the answer is then.

 

Have you EVER actually stood on a moving trailer? It seems obvious that you have NOT!!!

Having spent MANY summers baling hay and standing on the wagon as we stacked it, I can tell you that you are... WRONG!!! When the vehicle stops due to hard braking you will go FORWARD. As the other poster stated, it's SIMPLE PHYSICS. Stop trying to change the laws of nature.

 

It's one of these laws that the gov't see's a problem and doesn't recognize a solution. Why should they set up roadside snow blades when they can get fine revenue?

If there's snow on your trailer, there is snow or ice on the ground. Only a fool would set a ladder up on unstable ground. Besides, most ladders are rated at 250 lbs. Half you terds out there would be buckling the things. The company would probably fire you for being stupid if you fell.

As many posted, the snow blade is the only reasonable solution. But like most things, put it off on the driver and don't worry about it.