Advice for winter

don't be afraid to say it's time to park it, when the snow starts getting deep.

 

Slick roads 101

BTW, you want to make absolutely sure that your trailer is loaded so that your drives are heavy as possible. That Tail Wagging the Dog situation that you had the other day would be lethal on slick roads.

One more thing...let off the throttle whenever you hit a bridge, and zero steering changes.

 

There will be plenty of driving tips here, I won’t add any. Instead, I’ll offer a couple things you may or may not think about when chaining:

1. Keep 2 or 3 pairs of gloves handy. As one gets soaked through, throw it on your defroster vent to dry out and grab a fresh pair. Also, I’ve found using disposable gloves as a liner helps keep your hands dry, which helps a lot in the cold. I don’t know about anyone else, but when my hands get frigid and wet, I have a hard time gripping anything, and it takes a long time for them to thaw out.

2. Make sure you have shoes/boots with good traction! The last thing you want to do is take a spill out there and injure yourself, or even slip and fall into the path of oncoming traffic (occasionally you’ll run into super truckers that think nothing of blazing by you far too fast for conditions as you’re chaining with only a few feet to spare).

 

As the saying goes - You can ho down a steep hill too slow a million times but you can only go down once traveling too fast.

Just keep it slow and smooth. Keep extra fuel, food and clothes in case you have to park for extended periods or get stuck in a highway closure. Also, carry a 2 pound sledge for when you have to break those brakes/brake drums free from ice.

Lastly, when in doubt - park or chain up.

 

Water, food, snacks & blankets in truck just in case.

 

My .02

Have someone show you how to chain up!! I’m from Texas, and it seems like every company just assumes you know how to chain up. I really struggled trying to get chains on, and even then I lost one of them within a couple miles. It SUCKS trying to learn how to chain up when it’s 10* and windy.

Spend an hour on a nice afternoon chaining up, practice each side a couple times, and you’ll be 10x faster the 1st time you’re actually chaining in the snow!

 

You’ll be fine ......

 

Easy on the gas, easy on the brake, stay away from others, don’t let them get you tangled up with them. I keep a plastic jug of potassium chloride pellets. Comes in handy if you get stuck in a lot, or when drop and hooking on ice. Sprinkle it around Drives, and some on top of tires in tread for traction. Works great. Watch bridges and ramps, especially, often neglected. You’ll see others flying by, they may have a better set up, weight wise or ? Or Just Lucky, or careless. You May see them in the ditch, up the road. Being concerned/ fearful is normal, shut down, if you have to. Better safe than sorry, always another Job available, with a clean record. Protect yourself first, before the freight. It can wait.

 

You shouldn't be working for a company that pressures you to drive in bad conditions. Your first responsibility is to yourself. You say Missouri. CFI in Joplin never expects drivers to take risks. They are more than happy to have you send a message you are shutting down due to conditions.