Learning NY city roads

I live in south jersey. I know a lot of the companies in my area deliver to NY city so I decided I should start going there and learning the roads. That way I won't be totally lost if I go OTR and then come back to this area after a year for a local LTL job.

Let me tell you, I give the guys that drive up there every day great credit!! That would be a scary town to drive in!! In my jeep it's not bad. I don't mind lots of traffic and crazy drivers. We have a lot of that in south jersey too. But the signs for big trucks up there will have you pooping your pants every 2 minutes!! Has to be the worst system of signs I've ever seen!

My first trip I took a few weeks back was pretty easy. Took the NJ turnpike up and 95 over the George Washington bridge. Then I stayed on 95 and decided to push farther north. I ended up in Rhode Island that day. So I just passed through NY. The signs were good and I didn't have any moments where I would have pooped myself in a big truck.

The trip I took yesterday I decided to come in a different way and stay in NY. I planned a round about trip to hunts point since truckers go there a lot and I heard they had a lot of hookers to look at.( didn't see any hookers!! What's this world coming to!!)

I started out on 295 to the bordentown truck stops. Got some gas. Checked the air in my tires and was off. I decided not to take the expressway up this time because its so expensive. So I jumped on 130 and made my way north. Traffic wasn't bad but there are a lot of lights to stop at. Probably worth the money to take the expressway.

I decided I would take rt. 440 that I believe goes through queens and over the verazino(sp?) narrows bridge and then on to 287. 440 was a nice ride! I was expecting more congestion and for the area to be more built up. It was mostly landfills and open road until after the bridge.

Once I got on 287 is where the signage turns to hell and will scare you to death!! Every couple of blocks you see signs labeled 12'2"- 12' 10"! I know they are labeled a foot low but it still would give you some pucker factor in a big truck the first time on the road. And then every few blocks you have the signs that say if truck is over 12'2" you must exit here! The first few times I saw those signs I thought it meant I would have to get off 287. But I had a truck in front of me and he kept going. A few places have bridges or overhangs that are labeled different heights for different lanes. And then I came to one part where it said if your truck is under 12'2" stay on 287. had an arrow pointing that way But if your truck is over12'2" go this way. Had an arrow pointing another way. So I took the over 12'2" way and it took me off 287 onto a street along side of 287. 287 dipped down under a lot of stuff so I'm still not sure if you really need to get off there? I got back on 287 after a few blocks. If I was in a truck everything would have been ok but I still want to know if I really needed to get off there?

So I made my way to the hunts point area and started looking for a sign saying where to get off. I didn't see any. Which I thought was weird because its a spot trucks go to all the time. So as soon as I passed it I knew I did and got off the next exit. Got turned around and came back the other way. Then there was a sign. I know it's probably because. 95 is the easiest way to get there. So I made it!! Looked around at the nasty scummy town for a few minutes. Tried to get used to the smell. Didn't see any hookers and then got out of there before I got robbed!! I took 95 and the George Washington bridge to get home.

I really give NY city LTL drivers a lot of credit! I stayed on a main truck route and had numerous times when I was glad to be in my jeep. The signs are very confusing around there. Not to mention that Kim kardashians brother in a bmw suv cut me off after flying up from the side of the road 2" from the side of my jeep. And then proceeded to stop dead in front of me by slamming on his brakes. Got out, brushed some crumbs off of himself. Them got back in and took off! Gotta love NY!!

I think I'm gonna need to take a lot more trips up there before I would feel comfortable doing LTL around the area. Does anybody have any suggestions on destinations that trucks frequent often? That way when I get a load going there I will already know the area.

And does anybody know if there is a section of 287 where a truck over 12' 2" would need to get off. It didn't seem right to get off a main truck route but that's what the sign said!! Even though I learned you can't believe the signs you see in NY.