Newbies!!! It's almost winter!!! Here's some tips.

Depends but the highest place the snow started to fall a week or 2 ago. But it can take up to 6 more weeks before they see any snow in the southern parts and it's all gone in the end of April

This week I have seen -5c and 10 inches of snow. A bit further south it was +12c and sunny

 

Well...get it going again...i am parked in north platte with the flu.. went to a doc in a box and got some meds.. said i was starting pneumonia

 

What the hell is chicken grit I never heard of it. And where do you get it

 

Stay home and take the winter off...

 

There is also this thread: http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...370-dealing-old-man-winter-primer-winter.html

Goes a lil more in depth.

 

I'm not sure if this was mentioned but if your truck has an engine block heater, carry at least a 50' extension cord with an "indicator light" built into the plug. When you need it, you need it. But if you need the block heater, make sure you have the power service fuel additive already in your fuel system as was mentioned, or you won't be going anywhere Monday morning.

Try and fuel in the northern states if a serious cold spell is settling in and you will be north for a while. Their fuel is better formulated to resist "gelling", but if you're going to run an additive, make sure you put it in and run some before shutting down for an extended period to mix it up and get it to the pump.

If you topped off in San Antonio and ran to Minneapolis and it's going to get down to or below +5 Fahrenheit , you're going to have issues with that southern blend if you don't somehow treat it.

 

As a new driver you might be keep to main routes and close to the interstate highways. The highways will in most cases be salted for better traction. You could be asked (at your terminal in whatever city) to take an overnight load into the city, to earn that 3000 mile run. The city roads may or may not have been salted, and will be really slick, a light tap on the brakes from about 25 MPH on flat ground can send you about 150 yards without being able to stop. (don't ask) The places you're delivering to could be even more slick, usually the smaller places with light truck traffic. New or old, this should be in the top five on threads IMO that need to be read by all of us. Thanks to all of you for a great and important thread. !!!

 

I like to carry a snow shovel during the winter (and of course salt).

If making delivery in a dock (like retail stores) that slant downward, you'll want to shovel some snow before backing up. If you know that you'll be empty after that delivery (some retail loads have multiple stops), then it would be wise to shovel 10' x 10' area where your drives will be when parked. This is so that you can have traction to gain momentum to pull up and out of the dock. Good way to know where your drives will be is if there is another trailer parked by and use that as a guide where your drives will be. Otherwise backing up into a downward slant dock on top of snow will take the chance of spinning tires when trying to pull out, and if you need tow truck, some companies will charge you with an accident.

For the salt, I like to get a medium size plastic storage box to put salt after opening the bag.

During wet, snow, ice conditions, obviously use your breaks lightly to come to more gradual stop. Make a habit to immediately look in the mirrors for jack knife when using the breaks during bad weather (in addition to always checking mirrors frequently anyways). If you start to jack knife then immediately take your foot off the breaks, to get the wheels rolling again, so that the truck and trailer will straiten out.

Very common that if your doing a reasonable 25-55 mph during extreme weather and unplowed roads that cars will pass you at a much faster rate, then spin out in front of you when they finish passing. A dash cam will go a long way to prove the car was reckless and you were not at fault.

If its getting late in the day, in high 30's degree and wet roads, be aware that temps will drop and the roads can freeze over. Ice on mirrors and windshield can be good early indications. If you see accident scene with red and blue lights up ahead, be gentle on your breaks, could be the roads froze over and you just didn't realize or feel it yet (until you tap them breaks).

Clear off your 5th wheel when hooking up to make sure your connected properly. And even if there is no snow, get under the trailer to physically see if the king pin is locked! Sometimes you might be locked in, but can pass a (multiple) tug test due to 5th wheel frozen to trailer, but king pin is not locked! Wouldn't want to drop a trailer. I realize we should get under the trailer every single time to look but many people taking short cuts, and rely only on tug test. Don't rely on the tug test in the winter! Only use that in addition to crawling under to look at the king pin.

These advices will help a new driver go a long way without accidents or troubles, but also see a lot of experienced drivers failing to use any of this common sense too.