Rookie Winter Driving

I am not certain they will give you "easy routes" till you get acclimated to the winter. They usually send you to where the freight is going. It can be a bit scary driving through the winter, for ANY DRIVE, not just a newbie.

Your trainer should be able to help you get over any qualms about winter.

I'd rather you not worry about winter right now though, jeez, it ain't even summer yet.

No need to worry about the winter, you need to concentrate on your school work and practice and taking the road test for your state to get your CDL.

PS, ask the moderator to delete your duplicate posting of this thread.

 

I seriously doubt if you will get "easy" routes for weather reasons. They have freight to move. Like Gizmo said, you're getting way too much of a head start on your worrying.

 

Get ahead of the curve, have some teach you how to chain up.

 

There's really no way to avoid bad weather in the winter time. You are bound to run into snowstorms etc during that season regardless if you're otr or local. When I completed training it was summer when i started driving on my own. When the winter came I just used my common sense and good judgment. So that's my suggestion to you during the winter just use common sense, good judgment and do your job safely. Good luck to you and welcome to trucking

 

Just like Gizmo said, you have a long time before winter and hell you may decide trucking ain't for you before the fourth of July!

No company is going to acclimate you. You will have to do that yourself. If you are comfortable then drive. If you aren't then sit at the truck stop. Long as you take her slow and steady you will be fine, provided there are no "Chain up" signs!

Most of those company choices you named off all have offices in the north and west, so you will definitely see your share of the "white stuff"! At least you are from TN and not FL! You at least know what it looks like!

 

Yeah it's where the freight goes,I came down cabbage hill chained up in the snow just 6 weeks into my first solo ride.

 

Now that's good practice!

 

I was really nervous about going solo in the middle of winter, but now I'm glad it worked out that way. Having already been on some pretty nasty drives, I feel like summertime driving is going to be a welcome relief.


My best advice would be to never drive faster than you're comfortable driving... no matter if everybody else seems to be driving faster than you.

There were roads I crept on while others were blowing past me and there were times I blew past trucks that were creeping along.

Most of the time, I was passing by the guys who were really nervous and I was getting passed by the guys who were daredevils.


The other thing that comes to mind is once you're losing traction on a hill, it's a little late to be thinking about chaining up. I got by on pure luck a couple of times, but I never spun out completely.