Stuck in Reno, what would you do?

Boogers some companies like yours use chains to get to a safe place to park until the roads are cleared. This is an liabilty thing. Also some companies required their drivers to park it if chain laws are in effect for the same reason. You can get fired for not following company policy. What your trainer should've done was let you practice chaining and backing while waiting for the roads to clear.

 

Many drivers think the DOT waits until there's 12" of snow on the pass to activate the chain laws... not so. I've seen 'chains required' signs with as little as 3" of snow for, maybe, one or two miles and you'd have to chain-up but have clear road before or after. One hill that's like that is Snoqualmie...another is Cabbage Hill...

 

Sounds like you know how to chain,ask your trainer if you can chain up or call the company and see what they say.Far as you making money is concerned,you're getting paid salary while in training are'nt you?Whether you sit an hr or 24 hrs it all pays the same for trainee if getting paid salary.People that work for an OTR company knows you're going to have to face bad whether at times which means chaining may be required.OTR means all 48 states.Going to the rockies means theres a good chance youre going to have to chain.You trainer would'nt last with my compny im about to start.Its a requirement you chain up or face either quitting or getting fired.I won't have to worry about that becausei i'll be driving local for them.

 

If it were towards the end of my day, I'd call my cousin (lives about 45 minutes from there), get a decent meal and call it a night.

If not, or if chains were still required in the morning, I'd put 'em on and get back on the road. I'm out here to make money, and I'm not getting paid to sit around at the #### truck stop.

 

Scared,you have to be kidding me.Ive driven through whiteouts ice 60 mph winds you name it,but if you dont have to chain,why in your right mind would you even think of doing it just to train.Especially to go over Donner.You supertruckers kill me.Major learning opportunity.He is taking advantage of a major learning opportunity,he is showing the driver what a professional driver does in this circumstance.Not what a supertrucker would do.LMAO

 

Stevens trains their drivers to go down these grades without a jake before they allow them to use one,if they have a student on board.Hopefully they made it to the bottom.

 

You call someone that chains up to get over a mountain and trainng his student a super trucker?It's all part of the learning process to teach students to chain up/Whats the student spose to do when hes on his own and doesnt know how to chain.A requrement for many companies is you must chain.If you don't like that policy then don't apply for OTR.It could be another couple days before the roads are passable to get over that mountain. mountain witout chains.I will not drive for OTR for a company that goes to the rockies.I'll keep in the mid west.

 

His company doesn't require it.

 

True but I bet they highly reccomended it.If they did'nt then they would'nt even have the drivers travel thru the rockies.That company is out to make money and if you're sitting for a day or 2 then you and the company is not making money.Bottom line is companies care more about their customers then the drivers and it will always be that way.

 

Actually he stated the company does not allow chain running. Many companies are going with that attitude. And by having that policy, they avoid the liability of rig v auto, rig v ditch, injury to driver during chaining, equipment damage from chain breakage....the list goes on!

In any case...the company having the "no chain" policy, doesn't say anything about the driver sitting it out, it says something about the company. Delivery dates and times are flexible, and telephones and e-mails allow for communication between carrier and shipper/receiver...