Running in Heavy Snow Regions Worth It?

To some degree, yes. While you may be paid the same no matter where you are, when the weather gets bad and everyone heads for nicer weather, you can sometimes make out like a bandit by being the only truck in an area.

When I ran OTR, in the winter, everyone at the company I was at wanted to stay south in the winter, away from the storms we had up north. I stayed up north all winter, and many times I was one of the few trucks we had in the northern parts of our coverage area. And, as such, they kept me very busy running between Williamsport, PA and Butler, IN. I made killer money in the winter doing that.

Still holds true where I'm at now, although we only run local. But the weather conditions from the North to the South of the area we run can vary greatly. A few of our guys take a layoff in the winter, as our work is usually slow. Others stay home when it snows. I usually run through the snow, and take time off when it's nice out.

But there are limits that I don't mess with. If there's freezing rain in the forecast, I stay home. If a major snowstorm is headed our way, I'll run some loads before it hits, and sit until the roads clear up.

It's not for everyone, and I wouldn't recommend everyone doing it the way I do it, but I've always made my best income in the winter when others are sitting at home.

 

I just ride a turbo arctic cat.

 

I'd be doing the same, had I not bought the house we live in on a ten year mortgage. Only 5 1/2 years to go....

 

One of my best winters was running just 10, Pipe east and chain-Cable west between Houston and Jacksonville. 5 months or a little more until it was time to bring in that poor tractor for some shop TLC after accumulating a pile of fixits.

Ive had better winters sitting home warm and pretty through the worst of nature but that's expensive.

 

If your an O/O then running up North with a Dry Van right now will get you pretty much what you want. Company driver it will get pretty much what the owner wants!

 

This sums it up! Your own authortiy or close to it.

 

Stay out of the Midwest. No money to be had. Better go south.

 

No, but got surprised yesterday between Kansas city Missouri and Des Moines Ia on 35, lots of trucks in the ditches and still there today...

 

Ive done a little motorcycling, the field school of knocks kind.

I do better with horse. It's not difficult to mesh with it and it will serve you well.

Snowmobiles is the one thing I don't have any experience with. Figures it would be easy enough to hurt myself on those things.

 

It’s not the bad usually. That’s the only area I’ve ever run in. Just be smart about it, and expect everyone else on the road wants to crash into you.