routes to avoid?

experience is the only teacher
a road i aviod another driver doesn't mind
google maps and common sense helps too

 

I will say that 220 in southern VA IS a PITA, but I never avoid it. But if I had to drive it daily, I'd go nuts. I really dislike that road in that area. And, of course, 9 times out of 10 I've got 44000 pounds in the box....

 

One of my first trips in 2002, I thought I would be clever and take some back roads in PA. Hey if it's on the map, it should work right? Wrong. I was never so scared in my life. Texas rules don't apply to everywhere else.

 

Maybe the simplest way to start is with a Rand McNally trucker's atlas, if the route is not highlighted in orange, you probably ought not be on it in a big rig. Yes I'm sure there may be exceptions, or if you have to make a delivery, but not for general routing.
You don't want to run US 30 instead of the turnpike east of Breezewood in PA, nor do you want to take US 50 across WV instead of I-68 or the PA Pike, and in VA/WV you don't want to run US 250 or 33 unless you absolutely have to. On a simple map they all look like short cuts, and are fun on a nice motorcycle or Corvette, but not so much with an 18 wheeler.

 

I 70 through Colorado, in the winter time.

 

PA routed me across that section of 30 with an oversized. 98000 lbs and they sent me up those steep grades.i thought for sure I would pop my motor.

Made the mistake of trying to take a shortcut from Cedar City,UT to Flagstaff. Looked on the map and found US89A. On the map, it was a straight line. I should have known I was in trouble when the first hill, not even a mile from I15 was something like 11 or 12 percent grade. Glad I was empty.

 

Well follow the newbie rule from trucking school when it pertains to routing, until you get miles under your belt, big trucks run on big roads whenever possible. and just before i was to turn of that big road I would stop at TS like loves, pilot, etc. and ask more than one driver about the route I was going to take. and when you get money in your pocket buy that rand mcnally truckers GPS its with every penny.

 

Good advice. Gotta comment on some of those roads you mention. Route 30 is also an absolute nightmare when you get within an hour and a half east of Pittsburgh all the way through to the other side, stop and go, much traffic and narrow lanes (REAL narrow in some areas) but of course you probably already know this. Yea, 50 and 250 are pretty bad through WV for a big truck, not traffic-wise but mountain-wise. As far as 33, I've not had to take 33 west of the big road (79) but from there through Elkins isn't all that bad, and from what I remember it's four lanes in some parts. Going up over the pass near the state line into Va. can be an ordeal. There's those hairpin turns that claim a truck every few weeks or so when they're coming down heading westbound and one extremely nasty one in particular. Don't think I'd like to deal with that with the white stuff on the road but I think that road gets closed when there's an accumulation. That truck atlas is good advice.

 

Chicago...

Mikeeee