Winter weather can bring dangerous road conditions that make safe driving even more of a priority. While you can control the weather, you can control how you prepare for it. Here are some tips for truckers that will help with preparation for winter weather.
Start Planning Before Winter
When the weather is good take note of safe places to park and places to chain up and chain off. Keep these locations in the back of your mind, or better yet, write them down, so when you need to make an emergency stop you know where you can go.
Monitor the Weather
These days you can use lots of different sources to keep tabs on the weather, from your radio to your smartphone. Check the forecast before you go and make a plan for your trip. If snow is in the forecast, calculate your speed at 25mph in order to avoid running out of driving hours or hitting them before you can get to a safe spot. You can only take advantage of the “extra two hours of driving for unforeseen traffic or weather” if it is unforeseen. If you knew about bad weather ahead, use of these hours won’t fly with DOT.
Pre-Trip and En Route Inspections
Make sure all lights work and are clean. Draining air from the truck’s tanks and trailers will reduce the chance of condensation building up in the air lines and freezing your brakes. Make sure you have the proper equipment for chaining in bad weather conditions and personal equipment to keep you warm if you’re waiting for a tow.
Know Your Limits
Safety is the best policy. If you’re inexperienced with the weather conditions ahead, better to pull over and wait for the plows and salt trucks to come through. Or look for a mentor with more experience who can guide you through.
Evan Transportation was founded in 1992 by Jerry Wolfarth, who at the time had over 25 years of experience in the trucking and transportation industry. The initial operation consisted of a few trucks and drivers who were dedicated and professional. The goal of the company was to provide excellent, dependable service.
If you need materials and products moved in the Mid-Atlantic region, contact Evan Transportation. We hire professional drivers with excellent driving records, and maintain a fleet of trailers and vehicles that are reliable and ready to roll.
Contact us today for all of your freight shipment needs or call us at 443-673-3365
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Source
http://blog.gordontrucking.com/bid/113299/Professional-Truck-Driver-Winter-Driving-Tips
Tags: truck driving bad weather, truck driving in snow, winter truck driving tips