Central Refrigerated Truck Stop II

I've driven in snow and ice plenty of times...but not in a big rig - had that first opportunity headed out of Ontario, OR and through the Blues this past week. There's a stretch between Ontario and Baker - I was doing fine and climbing, temp around 28 and snowing...came across a bridge and felt the slide - oops. I let off the gas, no one was around me (was night time) so had plenty of room to get straight again. I went slower from there as I agree...I'd rather go slow and easy and have others mad at me than to risk going faster just to please others. As a note...I now glide across the bridges when snow or ice present.

 

Hey PSUMoose - hope all is going well for you. My trainer is also joining the Kraft dedicated...as soon as we get done with the current load assignments that will take us back to UT around 11/3. I'll still be with him as I'm slated to upgrade around 11/14 or 11/15. Hope to catch up with you some time.

 

Thank You Diner Man! I really appreciate your comments!

 

speeding on snow and ice is for truckers with BALLS.

DON'T DO IT.

i seen two truckers complaining on the cb becuase a line was forming behind the plow. they passed us up and they both went through the middle and on the opposide freeway. how they missed the car that was sitting in the middle becuase she also slid off is beyond me.

 

I don't understand drivers wanting to speed in bad weather or heavy traffic. Moving West on I-40 through Arkansas yesterday and a long stretch is shut down to one lane on each side. There were multiple drivers complaining about the big trucks blocking the "open lane" when really those driver's were helping to keep the 4-wheelers from turning the traffic jam into a far worse situation. I see this in cities a lot too. Why do people feel like they have to rush through high gear just to slam on the brakes at the next light? It's a truck not a Maserati! I've never heard a driver on the radio after they rear ended somebody bragging about their skills or saying time is money. Planning and safe driving seems to be better money, but that's just me.

 

You got that right AF. I am constantly telling student this is a semi not a sports car drive it like one, people expect you to be slow. Then amazingly they seem to be able to shift without grinding the gears.

 

Thanks Moose. I REALLY wanna be a trainer some day. Didn't think my first winter was the best time to attempt it and my lady has told me I'm forbidden from being OTR for more than a year, lol. But I have already talked with other "drivers" out here and I can't believe someone ok'd them having a truck all by their self! One guy got lost with me on the phone telling him the exits to take. And I knew the name the direction and the exit numbers. Then he makes the 20 miles in 55 minutes and I find out he barely knows how to use his Qualcomm. On top of that his first three loads are in the seat next to him. When I asked about them he said he was going to ask somebody how to fill out a trippak right... later!? I said, what?! Are you crazy? These are your paychecks and right now is not when you want to delay getting paid (being new). I showed him how to do it and tried to convince him to make copies of the bills just in case anything happened to them. I was very disappointed in the training personnel at that point. My trainer was old school, but thank God he wasn't an idiot. He actually taught me a lot and made sure I was able to make money before cutting me loose.
This also reminds me of the Marines. There are just tooany people that don't care and don't belong here. But just like then, there's something to be said for family time and lazy Sundays. Stay safe all!

 

Honesty in load plans would look like this

NEXT LOAD:
01: GROVEPORT, OH
YESTERDAY

02: SANDY

99: BETHLEHEM, PA
HOURS AGO


...yeah, I'll get right on that.

(p.s., I'm in Hebron, IN under load right now)

 

I'm unloading in Memphis with six hours on my clock. Scheduled for Houston by 3:00 tomorrow morning... /: fun fun fun! But no hurricane and I pick up time at midnight in Utah, lol

 

Correction, I meant to say by the 31st, which will now become my tomorrow. I HATE night shift. Except parking between 6 and 8 is awesome.