Can't Win

Just venting,

But I am getting worn out with Wyoming. Sat for 3 days without pay last week due to pile ups and winter conditions.

Now I am basically stuck for what looks like at least two days thanks to wind, and, by the time the 60 mph gusts are expected to lift, more snow!

I have been proactive with my DM about taking alternate routes down South and around as much as possible to complete negate Wyoming, but it is complete unavoidable as we operate out of eastern Idaho.

Whats funny is that my company can't understand why people don't want to run winter when they don't pay layover for longterm inclement weather issues.

Sorry, I just need to get this out somewhere. I am stuck @ Rawlins Flying J just playing the waiting game now seeing how many days of pay this is going to cost my household because I can't do my job. Screw Wyoming.

It's tough when you are counting on things breaking your way where you can keep weather from being a major factor, but instead nothing breaks your way and weather is the biggest factor.

Is moving to a different part of the country a possibility for you?

Wyoming's always been a winter wonderland. Don't blame Wyoming - Wyoming's going to Wyoming.

The problem is you made a bad deal. You took a job with a company that has no problem sending you into severe weather - but puts their fingers in their ears and claims it's not their problem when things go sideways and you have to take an earnings hit because of it.

You can:

Move

Drive local

Take a dedicated lane running I-5

Find a company that compensates their drivers fairly and work for them

Man, Drew. I've been watching Wyoming for a few weeks, things have bee terrible out there. Tough driving. Even when the roads appear to be cleared and the weather clears for a bit, people are getting in accidents left and right shutting things down everyday. Good luck! I wouldn't want to drive out there in the winter.

Just venting,

But I am getting worn out with Wyoming. Sat for 3 days without pay last week due to pile ups and winter conditions.

Now I am basically stuck for what looks like at least two days thanks to wind, and, by the time the 60 mph gusts are expected to lift, more snow!

I have been proactive with my DM about taking alternate routes down South and around as much as possible to complete negate Wyoming, but it is complete unavoidable as we operate out of eastern Idaho.

Whats funny is that my company can't understand why people don't want to run winter when they don't pay layover for longterm inclement weather issues.

Sorry, I just need to get this out somewhere. I am stuck @ Rawlins Flying J just playing the waiting game now seeing how many days of pay this is going to cost my household because I can't do my job. Screw Wyoming.

I'm headed through there tomorrow (possibly?) I have already been caught up there super light twice this winter. Luckily I'm heavy this time, but I don't think there is any amount of heavy that will combat some of those winds! 😬

I spent last night at Laramie (my planned stop). The I80 was closed to Rawlins due to 60+ mph wind gusts. The wind was gusting 40+ from Cheyenne to Laramie. It re-opened at 03:00 this morning. I took off at 04:40 and just made it to my planned stop in Jerome, ID.

The stretch to Rawlins was the worse with 40+ mph wind gust and patchy ice. Took it slow. After Rawlins it was fine.

Then got into snow on I-84 around Ogden. Finally out of it.

I deliver in morning near Boise, then on for second stop at Sumner, WA for Tuesday morning.

I was stuck in the Tacoma/Seattle area for a week at Christmas after a delivery in Sumner.

My terminal is out of Denver. If I get the truck anywhere near Denver during the winter months, I usually end up staying around a month. Although I work for the largest carrier in North America, I'll get dispatched on nothing but north and west out of Denver, meaning I 70 through the mountains, snow and ice or 80 through winds and snow and ice. It's just the way it is at our terminal, with our load planners and account managers. I have a hunch that loads can be bid higher seasonally in these difficult access areas.

I get a whopping 75 day layover, but my DM and TM will often find creative ways to add to it. They do that because I've asked them to and I take plenty of these horrible loads and deliver them safely without complaining.

I've tried fighting it, running in the south in the winter, etc. It's just too much effort to push it through consistently. I've just come to accept the seasonal slow down in this industry. I'll keep looking for a dedicated route at my company between LA and Florida and back in the meantime. That and a winning lottery ticket.

Short of that, when in doubt, I sit it out. I will not let impatience get the best of me. I watch that weather and stay shut down till it's safe. Sunny days are around the corner soon.

The old joke about Wyoming is that it’s so windy because Idaho blows and South Dakota & Nebraska suck. (I’ve also heard that said about my home state, Wisconsin).

It does suck to have all that unpaid time. I wouldn’t like it if I were in your situation. So, moving forward, what’s going to change to remove this thorn from your side? Probably not the company, right? Then any change would be up to you. Just something to think about.

Man, Drew. I've been watching Wyoming for a few weeks, things have bee terrible out there. Tough driving. Even when the roads appear to be cleared and the weather clears for a bit, people are getting in accidents left and right shutting things down everyday. Good luck! I wouldn't want to drive out there in the winter.

Just venting,

But I am getting worn out with Wyoming. Sat for 3 days without pay last week due to pile ups and winter conditions.

Now I am basically stuck for what looks like at least two days thanks to wind, and, by the time the 60 mph gusts are expected to lift, more snow!

I have been proactive with my DM about taking alternate routes down South and around as much as possible to complete negate Wyoming, but it is complete unavoidable as we operate out of eastern Idaho.

Whats funny is that my company can't understand why people don't want to run winter when they don't pay layover for longterm inclement weather issues.

Sorry, I just need to get this out somewhere. I am stuck @ Rawlins Flying J just playing the waiting game now seeing how many days of pay this is going to cost my household because I can't do my job. Screw Wyoming.

Just last night I am having to slow down to 50 mph and then I get to a section where the speed limit is 45. I am going between 35 and 40 with trucks blowing by me. I am glad that I was going slow. I hit a stretch of black ice and got a little wiggle in there. Because I was going slow, I quickly got the truck under control. I ended up having to park sooner than I had planned (started out aiming for a spot just across Nebraska border), but I got to a spit safely, so it's a win. For those drivers who make a living driving across Wyoming regularly, tougher than me. I couldn't do this on a regular basis.

I'm headed through there tomorrow (possibly?) I have already been caught up there super light twice this winter. Luckily I'm heavy this time, but I don't think there is any amount of heavy that will combat some of those winds! 😬

I am 78k and wondering if I will be heavy enough when I start out in about an hour. I have been feeling that wind rock the hell out of the truck for a good 3 hours now.