Winter driving.

[Jackrabbit379]

I will be the first to admit. I don't like driving in bad winter weather. I get nervous, and scared. I hate winter. I don't even like it when it's cold, let alone icey conditions. At some point, it gets so bad, you can't run. Even though, our company runs no matter what. I'm not too keen on some of the regulations when it comes to bad weather.
Are there any DOT regulations to back us (drivers) up, if we decline to drive in bad winter weather?

[01WS6]

I dont know if theres any regulation, but im sure if you have a situation where you feel its unsafe to drive and your dispatcher insists on it you can call your safety department and tell them.

[01WS6]

Though I have to admit Jackrabbit, your idea of unsafe winter conditions and mine are probably 2 different things since im from a northern state. I drive in snow almost daily here. Ice is the killer.

[Jackrabbit379]

Yeah, we have mild winters here in north central Texas. Last week, (Christmas weekend) we had 8" of snow. Unheard of. The last time we came close to that was 7" back in 1985. There is still snow in a lot of places. Especially out in the country. It is quite strange, the temperatures have only gotten up in the 40's. We are supposed to have another front come in tonight-tomorrow. It's supposed to drop down into the lower teens.

[terrylamar]

Light weight! If you need winter driving tips, ask me, I have a vast experience in driving in the snow and ice. Wait a minute, what am I thinking, I am from South Central Texas!

[Malaki86]

I go by the rule of thumb that if I don't feel comfortable driving in it, then I park. Period. I send a message on the QC telling them why I'm parking. That way if they do pressure me to keep running and something happens, it's all on them.

[Roadhog]

What you need is colder temperatures. Traction improves once it gets down to 10F. Colder the better.

Have you considered spending your winters in N. Dakota maybe?

Thing I hate is the big snow drifts. You have to hit them pretty hard, because they will knock about 10mph off your speed, and you won't be able to see for a quarter mile or so.

[Snowman7]

8 inches! Here's my boss shoveling snow off trailers so we can get on the Ohio Turnpike. They wont let you on with snow and ice on your trailers. Sometimes I go under a 13'8" bridge and that cleans em off pretty good. I love watching the tailgating 4 wheeler in my mirror as I hit the bridge! I laugh my ass off every time!

[Snowman7]

But to answer your question we've had guys refuse to run and they dont get in any trouble. When its a major storm the company sometimes cancels runs.

[Jackrabbit379]

Roadhog, no sir! I would rather not live in North Dakota. It's nice in the summer. I've been up there in the past on wheat harvest. I've also been up there in the fall, right before we head back south for the corn, and milo in Kansas. The times I was there in the early fall was enough for me. I couldn't imagine having all that snow all winter long. There are big lakes in the Dakota's. That's from all the snow that melted.

I've driven in solid ice and snow. There was a couple of times last winter, I only got up to about 40mph, when I was driving on a skating rink. There have been times that I'd rather stay at home, but as far as telling them that I feel like it's not safe, I've never called in..

Snowman, that's not very nice. That would be funny. Just imagine what goes through their mind. All of a sudden, whooof. Big puff of snow comes down on their car.

It took me long enough, but I found one..

§392.14 Hazardous conditions; extreme caution.
Extreme caution in the operation of a commercial motor vehicle shall be exercised when hazardous conditions, such as those caused by snow, ice, sleet, fog, mist, rain, dust, or smoke, adversely affect visibility or traction. Speed shall be reduced when such conditions exist. If conditions become sufficiently dangerous, the operation of the commercial motor vehicle shall be discontinued and shall not be resumed until the commercial motor vehicle can be safely operated. Whenever compliance with the foregoing provisions of this rule increases hazard to passengers, the commercial motor vehicle may be operated to the nearest point at which the safety of passengers is assured.

[Windwalker]

I can't say I've ever worked for a company that cancelled runs because of winter weather. But, back when the wife and I were pulling for Burlington, we picked up a load of hazmat north of Philadelphia, and were taking it to NC. That was the year when NC got their worst snowstorm in recorded history. She was driving when we hit the snow, and by the time we stopped at the J at Haw River, I was behind the wheel. We had gone past other trucks that spun out going up a small hill and figured that was far enough.

I called dispatch and told them we were hanging it up. "Are you sure you can't run? Your appointment time is tomorrow morning." I told them it was hazmat, and asked if they wanted the liability in case of a spill. (Phosphorus tri-chloride is some pretty nasty stuff. Both corrosive and an inhalation hazard. 5 mile evacuation area down-wind, must be removed and can not be washed away. exactly the sort of stuff you want next to you all the time.) Tlhey asked for the UN number and I told them. Within 3 minutes, they were back on the phone, telling me to do whatever I thought best. The next day, I called the customer and was told to wait one more day. They could not insure that they could unload it safely.

I never heard another word about it. The load was safely delivered and unloaded, and dispatch never said one word about parking the load.

And, for the ladies reading this... I was told that customer mixes this stuff with animal fat and a few other ingredients, then sells it to Helene Curtis for MOISTURIZER for MAKE-UP. I still picture all the women lining up at the cash register and paying good money to put this stuff on their faces.

But, there is a very large difference between a smart driver and an intelligent driver...

A smart driver knows the weather conditions, the equipment he's driving, and the load he's pulling. He knows what he must do in order to make it to the destination. Chances are, he will pull any load, through just about any weather conditions, to almost any destination, and get it there.

The intelligent driver knows better than to challenge it.

In my career, I've been both.

[Fredog]

I was safe and sound hiding at the truckstop like a pansy when these happened Wed night I-64 in Illinois

[Jackrabbit379]

But, there is a very large difference between a smart driver and an intelligent driver...

A smart driver knows the weather conditions, the equipment he's driving, and the load he's pulling. He knows what he must do in order to make it to the destination. Chances are, he will pull any load, through just about any weather conditions, to almost any destination, and get it there.

The intelligent driver knows better than to challenge it.

In my career, I've been both.

I guess I have been both, myself.
I knew better than to challenge some of my runs, but I ran them anyway.

Fredog, that is where the driver was probably intelligent, but not smart enough to say, "I'm not working."

I've never called in when we've had bad weather. I've thought about it, and wanted to, but how bad is too bad??

[Double R]

I will be the first to admit. I don't like driving in bad winter weather. I get nervous, and scared. I hate winter. I don't even like it when it's cold, let alone icey conditions. At some point, it gets so bad, you can't run. Even though, our company runs no matter what. I'm not too keen on some of the regulations when it comes to bad weather.
Are there any DOT regulations to back us (drivers) up, if we decline to drive in bad winter weather?

Yes, there is.

Your Rights Under the STAA: Refusing to Drive Under Bad Weather

[Fredog]

I guess I have been both, myself.
I knew better than to challenge some of my runs, but I ran them anyway.

Fredog, that is where the driver was probably intelligent, but not smart enough to say, "I'm not working."

I've never called in when we've had bad weather. I've thought about it, and wanted to, but how bad is too bad??

I bet the R and L driver went by the truckstop and said "look at all the pussies in there afraid to drive in the snow"

[Windwalker]

I guess I have been both, myself.
I knew better than to challenge some of my runs, but I ran them anyway.

Fredog, that is where the driver was probably intelligent, but not smart enough to say, "I'm not working."

I've never called in when we've had bad weather. I've thought about it, and wanted to, but how bad is too bad??

That's the thing that each driver must decide for himself/herself. Ability varies from one driver to the next, so the degree of weather conditions that are too bad to drive in also varies from one driver to the next. Just because I can make it on time from Scranton, PA to Richmond, VA when virtually every highway is shut down with ice, does not mean that every other driver is able to make it from Bloomington, IL to St Louis, MO when the roads are simply snow covered.

Ask Golfhobo about I-40 in Texas on Dec. 19 a few years ago. His term was "PUCKERING". We both made it through, but ask him just how many drivers should have found a truckstop and parked it. Drivers were chaining up to run flat, level highways. I believe more than a hundred drivers may have lost their jobs that day.

[Jackrabbit379]

I'd probably lose my job for calling in, and not running.

[Windwalker]

We're not the only ones drinking hot toddies to get rid of the goosebumps.

Frozen Europe?s longest cold snap - Weather- msnbc.com

And, while I have not found temps in China, the weather map over Asia doesn't look any better than anywhere else.

[Jackrabbit379]

If they hadn't had that stupid Global Warming conference, it would be nice weather everywhere.

[Malaki86]

I took a rare weekend run, half expecting to find some warmer weather. I'm sitting about 30 miles north of Birmingham, AL and it's in the 20f range. WTF?!?!? Did I drag the cold down here with me?

On the plus side, though - my windshield is FINALLY clean, and staying that way for more than 1 minute.