Weather Conditions

1. Following Distance
2. More Following Distance
3. Just when you think you have enough Following Distance, add a little more lol

 

oil dry/kitty litter
candle
3 days food.
etc

 

This needs a triple thanks.

All add on, too.

If the weather is so bad. That you don't feel safe driving in it. Shut down at the nearest safe place and call your safety department. Companies would much rather get a load late. Than leave it in a ditch.

 

Excellent advice above. In bad weather it's 100 times more important to not mess around with your phone. The most common way an accident happens is one driver is surprised by another driver. If you are using your phone you are not watching those around you. Drive like you have no brakes. Keep so much distance between you and the vehicle ahead of you that you can coast to a stop.

 

I’m glad they brought up the following distance because that’s definitely the most important. Last week I experienced some of the worst road conditions I’ve ever been on and I seen about 30+ trucks that jackknifed in IL and IN on i74 because of ice and snow. There was a point when the driver in front of me was about to crash because his trailer kept sliding so I made sure to stay back as far as possible and not to panic and not hit my brakes too hard and end up in a ditch myself. I shut down that day with about 3hrs drive time left because you shouldn’t risk your life for one load.

 

Don't do this.



The skidding or spinning tires always want to lead(come to the front) don't lock up the brakes or put to much power to drives tires a make them lose traction and spin. Those tire will want to come to the front of all the other tires and you are basically starting your own jackknife if you do that.

You want to pull the trailer around because when your tractor is pulling the trailer your in control. If the trailer is pushing your truck then the trailer is in control. The trailer always wants to keep going straight. So it will push your tractor out of the way(jackknife) and keep going. That's why you want pull the trailer when changing lanes or at exit ramps. Pull the trailer around the corner, otherwise it can keep going straight and the trailer will push your tractor out of the way( jackknife)

 

Best advice I can give, if you get in over your head, park it at the next available place to safely park! Watch out for weather conditions BEFORE you get into bad weather and, especially in the beginning, don't hesitate to be on the timid side and park it BEFORE it gets bad.
There's a difference in driving in conditions that are outside your comfort zone and conditions over your head.
There is NO LOAD so important that your have to put yourself in danger to deliver!!!!
Only you can judge what is too much for you. Don't let your dispatcher coerce you into driving when conditions and too bad FOR YOU!
I'm from the Southwest and started with almost no winter road conditions experience. So, what wasn't safe for me in the beginning, may have been fine for those who have significant winter driving experience. Therefore, at the onset, I was VERY timid and didn't hesitate to stop. Fortunately, I work for a company (Swift) that doesn't ever try to push me to drive when I think conditions warrant sitting it out instead. My comfort level has improved over the last couple of years and now I'm OK driving in marginal conditions that I would have stopped for in the beginning. That said, I'm still on the timid side and probably always will be. When my gut says NOPE, I'm finding a safe place to chill until conditions improve.
My best advice, better to be parked at a truck stop than in a ditch on the side of the road. NEVER hesitate to trust your gut when it says 'you shouldn't be driving in this.'

 

Don't use the cruise control or the engine bakes

 

Yup.

I second that.

'nuff said.