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XPO | Driving in Foul weather conditions

wonderring99

wonderring99

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I want to hear your opinions and stories on what you have saw been through and done here and what companies and states can improve upon when it comes to the winter months.
 
I think states should hold companies accountable when they send drivers out during weather that causes states to strongly advise against travel! Also, if a company is really concerned about safety then the drivers' and the public safety would be paramount over the almighty greenback. I can understand going out in a little snow but, to be sent out in an icestorm is another matter. All it takes is a little common sense and that is something Con-Way seems in dire need of!!!!!
 
I saw it mentioned on the thread for the LTU driver but out of respect for him I would rather move it over here. I was also always under the impression you had to run till the roads were closed or you were refusing work. Can anyone clear this up? Is there a policy on that, and if there is, what is it?

As far as something you can do to be safer, I know it sounds cheesy, but the SMITH System is a great thing to use in the winter.

Something I learned from one of our guys was to run the snow covered left lane on black ice. This morning was a good example. The right lane was scraped down by a plow - two tracks were formed by the traffic and it froze up. I was breaking up one of the hills so I moved over into the snow cover and didn't break again. The snow gives you a little grip anyway.
 
jakebrake12 said:
I saw it mentioned on the thread for the LTU driver but out of respect for him I would rather move it over here. I was also always under the impression you had to run till the roads were closed or you were refusing work. Can anyone clear this up? Is there a policy on that, and if there is, what is it?

As far as something you can do to be safer, I know it sounds cheesy, but the SMITH System is a great thing to use in the winter.

Something I learned from one of our guys was to run the snow covered left lane on black ice. This morning was a good example. The right lane was scraped down by a plow - two tracks were formed by the traffic and it froze up. I was breaking up one of the hills so I moved over into the snow cover and didn't break again. The snow gives you a little grip anyway.
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Yep thats a good hint when its icy. See a glaze in the right lane go for the left where the snow is. I spend most of my night out in the 2nd or 3rd lane when its bad out.
 
jakebrake12 said:
Pennsylvania - Plow the roads. Then if you would, salt them.

Pretty simple.
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All kidding aside, it is frustrating when I84 from Scranton to the New York line has 6" of snow on top of a 1/4" of ice and you don't see a plow. When you reach New York who normally gets the worst of the storm - the roads are just wet. Kudos to the Empire State I guess.
 
I wasnt kidding bro. I get flack on the cb everytime but its safer in the snow than it is on glare ice.
 
shoeman said:
I wasnt kidding bro. I get flack on the cb everytime but its safer in the snow than it is on glare ice.
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I know. I was clearing up my first remark about Pa road conditions. When the right lane shines you won't catch me in it. We have wheel spin lights that come on when you break traction and it normally stops when you get out in the snow. If it doesn't, good chance you're gonna get stuck.
 
shoeman said:
I wasnt kidding bro. I get flack on the cb everytime but its safer in the snow than it is on glare ice.
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Yup, me too. I'll can really boogie on snow pack compared to that shiny stuff. Now it looks like I'm gonna have slow Holland trucks in front of my Speedy Conway Line Hauln' Machine.
 
jakebrake12 said:
All kidding aside, it is frustrating when I84 from Scranton to the New York line has 6" of snow on top of a 1/4" of ice and you don't see a plow. When you reach New York who normally gets the worst of the storm - the roads are just wet. Kudos to the Empire State I guess.
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I agree. You're not exagerating about how poorly PA takes care of their winter interstates.
 
Another thing I have found is if possible, have a good gap in weight between your lead and kite. This is often out of your control but 20 and 10 is way better than 16 and 14. I had 21 and 3 this morning which provided good drive tire traction on the snow covered roads in Jersey. The guy I was running with had like 17 and 16 and almost didn't make it up the hill at the 28 MM in Jersey. On that hill, there was about 4 to 6 UPS Parcel sets stuck in the snow. I just recently found out they determine lead and kite by cube not weight. Ouch..
 
This morning when I went to work, it was about 25 or 26 degrees. It doesn't get that cold very often. It rained all night, so everything was covered with ice(roads, equipment and such). Now, mind you it hasn't been that bad here in N. TX in about 5 years or so. We don't have any cover or plugs or any of that stuff. The trucks took about 30 min. to thaw out. When I was hooking the trailer, the ice on the lines and connections made it difficult. I was thinking to myself, I only have to deal with this a couple times (if that many) a year. We warmed up to almost forty today and I wonder what it's like to have 0 degrees all day, or lower. I would never survive the bitter cold up north and am thinking about moving to Houston.
 
beerfd said:
This morning when I went to work, it was about 25 or 26 degrees. It doesn't get that cold very often. It rained all night, so everything was covered with ice(roads, equipment and such). Now, mind you it hasn't been that bad here in N. TX in about 5 years or so. We don't have any cover or plugs or any of that stuff. The trucks took about 30 min. to thaw out. When I was hooking the trailer, the ice on the lines and connections made it difficult. I was thinking to myself, I only have to deal with this a couple times (if that many) a year. We warmed up to almost forty today and I wonder what it's like to have 0 degrees all day, or lower. I would never survive the bitter cold up north and am thinking about moving to Houston.
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Consistantly colder temps can be easier to work in then the changing temps that you describe.
 
jakebrake12 said:
Another thing I have found is if possible, have a good gap in weight between your lead and kite. This is often out of your control but 20 and 10 is way better than 16 and 14. I had 21 and 3 this morning which provided good drive tire traction on the snow covered roads in Jersey. The guy I was running with had like 17 and 16 and almost didn't make it up the hill at the 28 MM in Jersey. On that hill, there was about 4 to 6 UPS Parcel sets stuck in the snow. I just recently found out they determine lead and kite by cube not weight. Ouch..
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Yes, I find that odd. You'd think they'd make a machine that could calculate the weights. Like a computer or something.
 
jakebrake12 said:
Another thing I have found is if possible, have a good gap in weight between your lead and kite. This is often out of your control but 20 and 10 is way better than 16 and 14. I had 21 and 3 this morning which provided good drive tire traction on the snow covered roads in Jersey. The guy I was running with had like 17 and 16 and almost didn't make it up the hill at the 28 MM in Jersey. On that hill, there was about 4 to 6 UPS Parcel sets stuck in the snow. I just recently found out they determine lead and kite by cube not weight. Ouch..
Click to expand...

:hide: I have always heard this about UPS, They determine weight by cube, not by weight. WTF? They are the scariest units on the road! :smilie_132:
 
Address pathetic wipers on Sterlings. Left side of windshield is almost always a problem, doesn't seem like wipers have enough tension against the windshield at this point. Winter blades should be installed after this is addressed.
 
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