mountains and bad conditions on the roads

I dont care what company polocy is. If you dont want to drive in conditions, then dont. You wont get fired for refusing to drive in bad weather. As a new driver, your policy should be "Snow chains can be used to get me out of trouble, but not into it". If conditions turn and it gets bad enough to chain up, use chains to get to a safe place, but if its bad before you start, stay parked.

If you are on snow and ice, GO SLOW!!!...no really slow down....seriously....go 15 mph under the speed you think is safe. Just because the other idiots are passing you doesn't mean you should go faster. Let them all hit each other.

I once was driving in pa snow. we were on a 4 lane road, but only the right lane had tracks and none was plowed. I went about 15 mph using the mile markers as a guide to where the edge of the road was. A fed ex tripple passed me at atleast 45 mph, going on the lane without tracks. About half an hour later cops go by me at about 30. A few miles later i saw the fedex truck in the ditch with his trailers across the right lane and shoulder on their sides.

Just because you see an experienced driver going fast doesn't mean its safe or right.

 

Snow is a nightmare...ice is a death wish I've had my fun skating around on ice with an empty truck. I'm sure I'll have some more fun skating around before this winter is over. I'm starting to dread only running the states I run now. Its nice in the summer but its hell in the winter.

 

Ice, snow, hi winds, sleepy, sick, damaged equipment; the answer is all the same: You are the driver so the safety call is yours!

 

Likely your company policy will be to park it if you don't feel safe going any further. Many companies also have a policy that you only chain up to get out of trouble, never to get into trouble (ie. if you have to chain up, then it should only be to get to a safe place to park).

As so many have noted, take it real slow. Acceleration, braking, and steering should all be in slow motion.

The mountains in NE may not be tall, but they do get some wicked winter weather. There's a reason there's all those ski areas and ice climbing areas up there.

 

I was told when I started my first trucking job, don't risk your life for a load. Safety dept said I'd get fired if I wrecked during a snow storm. Well it was snowing to beat the band. I remembered what safety told me and called and said I wasn't going to make my delivery. Ended up getting there 5 hours late.

I called after my unload and was told to come back to the terminal with an empty truck the next day. Owner's son told me to clean out my truck and that security would escort me to my car. I went back that Friday to pick up my check and went directly to the safety office. They didn't know what to say. Two of them use to drive and said the owner's son was wrong but they couldn't do anything about it. They told me to use them as a reference for any job applications.

Couple buddies told me I did the right thing. Ended up with a better job 2 weeks later.
Never let management drive your truck, they'll only screw it up.

 

the mountains in the NE are just as bad if not worse than those out west. Don't let the smaller elevation fool you into a false sense of security. The percentage of grade drop can be worse than out west even though the elevation is lower. Beware and drive slow and easy.

 

Its ur life driver. If the comditions are to bad for you. Pull over. Dispatcher says anything tell them to deliever the load themselves but as for you you are going to bed.

 

Thats not the kind of company you want to work for

 

Hey what can I say, the boss's son went to college, I was just a grunt. His daddy must have been proud. From what I understand, the employees ended up buying the company, making it a better place.

 

And to make matters worse on these roads is the wind.