What would YOU do?

I also agree with condo on the guy making that video.

 

It's not the ice that scares me as I can handle it. It's the other drivers that I'm worried about. You cant shut down where I work at without authorization from the OIC. If you shut down without the authorization, you're going to meet Postal Inspectors that want to escort you to the nearest federal prison. Freight can wait, even if it's perishable. US mail cannot wait.

 

Safety first...mail second.
I don't think someone is going to federal prison

 

You'd be surprised. It's not your call to stop mail. If the OIC tells you to drive, you better drive. If you stop, you're going to delay whatever Post Office you were delivering too. Stop for a long period of time and you're talking about a federal building being closed for a day. So yeah, you're going to prison.

Also, most DOT regs do not apply to us. We are directly under federal authority, and no one elses. After all, we're a federal service and not a privately owned company.

 

my thoughts on this; first the guy making the video is right on , but i cant belive he was stepping on the throttle too make a point, thats the idiot thing too do on black ice no matter what the speed your going at,that's sets you for a jackknife quik , next i learn , gental on the brake and go super slow and when coming too a stop sign , i always shift into nutral and cost up too stop sign on ice , i know its against the law, but better then jackknifing thru it, the less power on the drives , the better it is, i know ima gonna get alot of flack over that , but thats okay i deserve it then, i know whats works for me, i came across pa one day thru white haven ,bridgeport area weres get really hilly, my gauge read -14 outside there was a full scale blizzard going on, i was going super slow, even the waterfalls on the side of cliffs were frozen in time, this just too weird id say too myself i was only one on the road , making my own tracks couldnt even see the road so i guess alot, i knew were that truckstop was too at white haven , i pull in there , my arms were so sore from hagen on the wheel from the blowing snow crap that hitting my trl side, i pulled in the fuel island , went got my coffee , paid for fuel and said im going too move truck, she said dont bother, you the first that been in here long time didnt you know they closed the road, well cb dont work in them kind of deals, i said no, so i was caught in the middel as they closed the road on both sides i said if i can drive thru the hills in a major blizzard i can drive anywere.

 

I can understand your need to push on Typhoid running mail. Nor rain, sleet or snow stops the mailman!

I like your avatar Blind Driver, lol.

 

Being in a accident is a different ball park. As I stated in another thread, when Katrina hit the Post Office remained operational. Truck drivers are given keys to the branches if they are closed. Every night when I deliver to one, I have to open the branch and shut off the silent alarms before I deliver the mail, then close the branch when I leave. Just because the branches are closed doesn't mean mail cant be delivered to them. The Post Office is operational 24/7/365 regardless of the weather. Also, check your smart alec comments at the door.

*EDIT*

Also, a Post Office branch, HASP, DC, or MPA cannot suddenly decide they want to close for a day. Word has to come directly from Washington.

 

I deliver to a couple of GMF, MPAA, and BMF's, they run 24/7/365, the only time I've seen those guys shut down for weather is if the road is closed or serious wind. I've run I-25 through Wyo. with enough of the BECO, Hoovestol drivers that they go no matter what. Hell, I'm pretty sure some of those trucks double as snow plows.

The Beco drivers who do the Denver to Billings run swap in Casper, it's 4.5 hrs up, they sit at most an hr, then head back. Some swap truck/trailer some only swap trailers. IIRC, they are alloted 5.25 hrs to make the trip each direction, sometimes you'll see one catching a cat nap along the way, otherwise they are on the move. Same with the guys who do the Denver to Albuquerque run, they have 8.5 hrs to make a 7 hr run, they don't stop unless the road is closed.

 

ok since i'm new again, please explain then if they closed the hyway due too a major blizzard and 23 car pile up , then your going too jail becuse you stopped for 26 hours while the blizzard passes and they clean up the mess , just wondering as thought about that , while sitting on the a interstate at a dead stop during a white out, and waiting my turn to go into the truckstop, they were routing everyboby into the truckstop.