Out on the road in winter with trainer?

If you and your friend are just coming out of school I'm not so sure you would want to run teams with him just yet.. lol. Especially in winter ! I know one thing..I would never trust a rookie behind the wheel in the dead of winter in 10 degree weather during a storm in the middle of the night...or day for that matter while I lay in the coffin behind the seats afraid to close my eyes ! You should both get some solo experience first for a good 6 months to a year of winter driving in all conditions.

 

Here is a good video Bullit22, covers most posted here. Drive slower, Leave CB on, Don´t be pressured by anyone behind you.

If possible, don´t exhaust yourself by driving along at 25 mph, pull off and sleep. Wake up and head out again after they have worked on the roads awhile and conditions are better.

Video link Winter

 

I'm personally of the belief that every rookie should start out in the late fall/early winter. If your with an OTR company, there is a safe bet you'll get to exp. many types of weather with your trainer: rain, freezing rain, snow, ice, winds, dry conditions. This is how you learn, not going out with a trainer in the middle of summer then being thrown to the wolves by yourself in the winter.

 

You said it right, "if possible". Once I had an experience very similar to this one in the video. Had to drive for 2 hrs on a ice covered road, just like this one.... twice I thought was going to jacknife. Truck crossed to the opposite lane.... hard to control... had to play with the steering wheel to the right, then to left, then to right again, let go the gas pedal, avoid the brake and just pray.... Thank GOD there was only one big truck very far coming the opposite lane and saw everything and could slow down.... Little bit by little bit I was able to bring my truck back to my lane and got straight and got it under control... and we passed each other with a smile of relief on our faces....

 

Ask as much as you can during your training. Carry candles, batteries, am radio, shovel, can food, water, chains (mandatory in some states), dry your air tanks everyday, I use FPP (I think this is the name, can't remember) in my tanks when temp is below 20F. When driving, avoid quick movements, change lanes in slow motion, don't use jake brake on ice. When you park, make sure ground is not slippery and you are on the edge of a ditch... even the trepidation of the engine can cause you to fall or roll over. When parked for hrs, move truck back and forth from time to time to avoid getting stuck.

I had my training in April and started soloing in December.... I am from a tropical country and had NEVER driven on snow in my whole life, not even a car.... I would ask every experienced driver out there how to deal with everything... That was an unforgetable experience... But we never stop learning.... every year is a challenge.

Good luck!

 

Just to throw a wrench into the monkey works... don't forget some lighter-weight clothes. Y'all don't want to be stuck with long johns and a parka in Yuma AZ in December! Get's mighty warm in the southwest even then.

BTW... its better to train in the winter than spend all spring and summer with a trainer, just to face the winter solo. Leave about three times the space between you and the next vehicle that you would in good conditions.

 

My first team partner was a Brit. He had never seen snow never mind driving an 80,000# bull nose truck with a 53' trailer in it in the Rockies. He woke me up one day in BC when it started to snow asking if we needed to chain up. I think it had accumulated about an inch by then. I decided to spend the rest of my berth time awake talking him through it. He greatly appreciated it.

Mind you, the company (starts with "C", located in Cambridge, Ontario, and has white trucks with yellow/red/black stripes I think it is) should NEVER had sent two new drivers (to the company) out in a team through the Rockies in mid-Winter. The DM's there were the worst. I ticked mine off several times when I refused to drive due to conditions or becoming tired from the weather. Never a bad thing to refuse to drive, no matter what they say. Remember, it's YOUR butt/license on the line, NOT theirs.