What to do if a mega....

I've sweated bullets to get a load in "on time" only to discover the receiver had an open window for that day. Safe and legal. Don't run it any other way. Your CDL your life your call.

 

One of the worst problems was I had a boss be a little sly telling me to be in Seneca Lakes for Akzo Salt early after unloading in Sysco Albany I think it was, not sure. Anyway, it created a cross NY Dead head at max speeds approaching 110 in places to be in Seneca until I discovered that I had all day until 6PM to load there. And that was the end of that speeding. And yes I got yelled at for what was supposed to be a open loading. No matter the Salt usually was a fast overnight delivery back into Maryland. Through 6/14 and US 15. Nice little money making routine back then.

 

Gotta get me a set of those, I think they might add a crucial bit of weight to the drives...

 

That's the top-secret critical component to effective winter driving, donchaknow!

 

I'm thinkin' that 110 blew your hair back a bit...

 

I wouldn't worry so much about what a bunch of office boys are thinking half as much as taking care of your CDL. and your safety and the safety of those around you
...if they have a problem with this you don't need them anymore , fire them !!!

 

And blew a few smokies too. I had a detective reading his paper on the median around a small hill on the left quietly sitting there, I was gone long before he could have gotten moving. Although I spent like the next 50 miles expecting wall to wall bears.

 

At some point a driver has to be honest with themselves. I'm addressing the drivers who park it as soon as the first snow flake blows across the dry road. And there are more than a few of them. And they expect the carrier office to lower their expectations to the lowest common denominator (them). And 18-24 months later, they're just as useless in inclement weather. I could be patient and understanding with a new[er] driver, but only to a point. At some point, a driver has to come out of their diapers and put their big-boy pants on. The industry has no use for "fair weather drivers", already a year or more into their career.

Are their some conditions where NOBODY should be running? yes. Are there conditions that require extra driving care but can be safely travelled? yes. There are different levels of "difficult travel", and the problem is many seem to have an all or none approach to the subject and lump ALL difficult travel, in with the worst blizzard, white-out conditions, or wet ice conditions as a means to rationalize their current decision, even if conditions are nowhere near that difficult.

You're never going to become able to drive on even the best snow-covered roads if you don't, won't, or can't just get out there and do it and develop some new skills.

 

You are correct, sir. Its the same principles that come in when they have the discussions of throwing tire chains. "NEVER!" That's cool, that's your choice. But then some pull over the first time they see snow flurries. "Ain't no load worth my life!" I had no idea that snow flurries were so dangerous.

You guys coming into the business...don't you want to make as much money as you possibly can while on the job? Call a company up, ask a recruiter what the average driver makes. Then ask what the top driver makes. The top driver makes 1.5-2X average. Do you think the top driver at the company is safe? You can bet on it. What's the difference between the top driver and the average driver? Well, there isn't ONE big difference...there are a MILLION very small differences. Yeah, that guy is driving the same truck that everyone else at that company is. Same dispatchers, same company policies...everything the same...but if average is $50000/year, he does a minimum $75k.

You mean, a slight change in your attitude and worth ethic, and trip planning,...etc, can get you another $25000? And here, you all thought that elogs level the playing field.

On the other end of the spectrum, you have THAT Guy. Climbs out of bed at 0800, and is parked by 1400, every day. "Don't hate, man. I have a proper breakfast every morning and proper rest. Run hard and get paid. Been out here 25 years no accident. Don't drive at night, don't go to the northeast, don't throw chains, don't drive in the rain...if I have to use wipers, it's unsafe." Never makes an appointment on time and makes $25k/year and complains about his money.

Are you really a safe driver when you don't drive? Or are you just 'safe'?

 

I should buy a pete, paint it in carnival colors and call it the screaming box.

For the screaming that ticket holding riders experience when we slide around on Cabbage snow 4 feet deep bobtail. /hyperbole... I would make a killing as a carnie.