Your First Winter In A Truck? Here's Some Advice.

[Capt._Chaos]

There's already signs of winter approaching in some places, and before we know it, the roads in many places we normally travel can and will become dangerous places!

Like I used to tell students when I was an OTR trainer years ago, it may take a few years for a new driver to form good, solid judgment, especially when it comes to weather-related problems. Unfortunately, many dispatchers will try to force those new drivers who may not know any better yet into trying to run a load despite hazardous conditions ahead.

This winter, and every winter, please do yourself and your loved ones a huge favor by paying very close attention to the weather conditions as often as you can. Not knowing what's going on, and a pushy dispatcher could put you into a bad situation that could put yourself or others in jeopardy.

Another source of road reports is to call the non-emergency numbers for the Highway Patrol in the ststes you're going through. These numbers are listed by state in the front of a Rand McNally Road Atlas.

If you have done your research, heard enough consistent information about the road conditions from several different drivers, and you don't feel safe to go, DO NOT allow a pushy dispatcher to force you to go!

YOUR SAFETY & WELL-BEING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANY LOAD!

Most decent trucking companies are very understanding about this and will work with customers to make them aware of your situation, but others I've seen don't think twice about the risk a driver faces when the roads are not safe to drive on.

So what if you're late on delivering a load due to having to park it if the weather got bad! As the saying goes, "Better late Than Never!".

Bottom line: You can always get another driving job, or have your company reschedule a delivery, but TO YOUR FAMILY, YOU CAN NOT BE REPLACED!

Have a safe winter, everyone!

[allikat]

Tips from an idiot who spent a winter in Canada.
Always carry snow chains.
Always keep your tanks at least half full.
A fall service to your engine is a very smart move. Insist on winter grade oil and coolant as well as new filters all round.
Make sure you have good tires.
Drain your airtanks regularly, even if you have an air dryer.
Check your air dryer if you have one, and drain that too.
Be careful if you are on a run north, don't do it on Texan diesel, refuel up there with real winter fuel.

If it gets bad, park it in a rest area before you end up parked up in a ditch someplace.

[Big_Dave]

Be careful if you are on a run north, don't do it on Texan diesel, refuel up there with real winter fuel.

If it gets bad, park it in a rest area before you end up parked up in a ditch someplace.
These are probably the best two tips posted so far.

No load is worth the risk of wrecking your truck just to get that load of cardboard someplace. :no:

If you run in the south and then head north, fuel up with blended fuel before you get up here. Fuel from Texas is straight number 2 diesel. It'll start the first stages of gelling around 25 degrees farenheit.

Anti-gelling additives should be added also.

Nothing sucks worse than having your motor quit because the fuel gelled up on you. Road service and wreckers have a tendency of taking their sweet time to come rescue you. Depending on where you're at, frost bite is a very real possibility. :wow:

[tommy]

These are all really good points..I have my special way of not having problems with snow,ice and the cold.

I stay in the SOUTH!! :harhar: :rofl:

[Speedbump379]

Our company has chain banks set up in northern areas. We pick them up on the way in to certain states and drop them off on the way out. The policy is we don't use them, just carry them. We have an unwritten policy that says, "we are never late for a pickup or drop", Safety is always first. A simple QC message and it's a done deal. Just shut it down. No need to ever take a chance.

[allikat]

Be careful if you are on a run north, don't do it on Texan diesel, refuel up there with real winter fuel.

If it gets bad, park it in a rest area before you end up parked up in a ditch someplace.
These are probably the best two tips posted so far.


Thanks Dave! Great compliment... now get me a job :harhar:

If you have real big tanks, you can fill in Texas at 50 degrees, and get up to northern Minnesota or North Dakota, and still be running on the same fuel. Which will gel the instant it meets that -40 air...

Most northern states do not have no-idle laws. When the outside air gets down to 10f, don't bother with APUs unless they have a block warmer. When it gets sub-zero, then don't shut the engine off for any reason. Hot fuel from the engine will keep your tanks warm.

[Capt._Chaos]

Unless you're running #1 Diesel, or have good fuel additive in the tanks, you should not shut off your truck's main engine once temps approach zero.

APUs don't send enough hot return fuel to the tanks to keep them warm, so you're better off not taking any chances and just keeping the main engine running at high idle to keep everything warm (including the air system too) when it gets that cold.

[ROADHUGGER]

Love it when you see SOUTHERNERS who show up up here as well as areas of the USA that get Winter and have NOTHING for winter operations

I have helped out quite a few over the past 30 years

[nitestar]

Speaking of southeners not being prepared.

When winter is in the air you MUST carry extra clothes and blankets and at least one extra pair of shoes or boots.

It is not just the truck that will get cold if you break down or gel up.

Carry a survival kit. Canned food like beany wieneys and non perisable food stuffs.

I think it was about 8 years ago a trucker was trapped in his truck for 5 days. He survived because he carried extra.

BE prepared and you will not be sorry. As a matter of fact it is good judgment to carry this stuff all year, you never know what is around the corner.

[Foxfire]

I learned very early in this trucking game to always carry a jacket even if it's 100 + outside. You never know where you are going to go and what is going to happen when you get there. I always had my "long-sleeved" britches too! :D

[SpotsCat]

If you've never run the Northern Plains states (North and South Dakota, eastern Wyoming and eastern Montana) you don't realize how bitterly cold it gets up there in the wintertime. The coldest I've ever experienced is -61F. (with the wind chill) in Bismarck, North Dakota.

IMHO - The biggest problem you will have is that your truck WILL NOT obtain a temperature in the radiator that will keep you warm. When the temperature is in the minuses, the radiator does such a good job of cooling that the water temperature will probably not rise above 120F.

What you will need do to is construct yourself a "windfront" - someway to restrict the airflow to the radiator.

Get yourself a heavy sheet of cardboard, or better yet, the rubber matting that paper mills will sometimes load rolls of paper on. Roughly measure the size of the opening for your radiator in the grille, and cut the cardboard/mat to fit. Get some nylon wireties (you should always carry nylon wireties with you), poke some holes in the cardboard/mat, and wiretie it to the grill.

Now comes the tricky part - you cannot completely cover the radiator, you have to let some air flow over the radiator, or else you'll overheat the engine. Cut a hole about 3" in diameter in the center of the cardboard/mat, and drive for awhile, keeping a close eye on the water temperature gauge.

If the water temperature is in the normal area - 180F-195F - all is well. If it begins to rise above 200F, you need to enlarge the hole and let more airflow over the radiator. But, you've got to be careful that you don't open the hole too much, or else you won't get the radiator as hot as you'd like.

So, you carefully cut a little bit of cardboard/mat out, drive for a while and check the water temperature. If it still runs hot, enlarge the hole a little more. Keep checking the temperature, and enlarging the opening as necessary until you can run the engine with normal water temperature.