The Blizzard Of 2015

Well maybe not so much a blizzard yet. But I was supposed to head up to Marshfield today but Mother Nature ain't having any part of that how's the weather where y'all are at?

I soldiered through the last 100 miles of my trip to Farmington, Connecticut but it took me 4.5 hours to get through it. I-84 from Port Jervis, New York to Farmington was a mess. I had to stop about eight or nine times just to break the ice off of my windshield wipers. I had the defroster on high, but the only thing it was accomplishing was getting myself cooked like a roasted pig... well maybe more like a prime rib! Don't want to sound like I'm a pig. Check out the snow at my receiver - this is looking out my windshield at the drive that I just backed down into to get unloaded.

Things are pretty dicey over here at the TA in Southington where I'm spending the night. Trucks parked everywhere - I'm currently blocked in by the folks who didn't have sense enough to get in here early, but we will just have to see how things are looking in the morning. I'm still headed further North East from here - I'm bound for Lawrence, Massachusetts in the morning. I could have tried to get there today, but decided I had pushed my good fortune hard enough for one day.

Sunny right now, but we're supposed to get another foot tomorrow. That will be almost four feet up here in a week.

Starting early am in NH, talking 16" in my neck of the woods, and running into Maine ( Hello again H. C ) . Another reason no one likes the N.East It's all going to be light (FLUFFY) on this end!!

I'm right in the middle of it!!!!! Got my new truck on Friday and dispatch said " go to Chicago and shuttle trailers from the rail yard , 11 miles to maintenance then do it again, in fact do 9 of them. I got 5 done in 10 hrs. What a day. Now I'm sitting on a Walmart parking lot in 9 inches of snow, blizzard, wind gusts 30 mph,with no APU and no engine idle allowance. What a great first weekend out I'm having. 😀 Any drivers having a worse weekend?

APU:

Auxiliary Power Unit

On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.

Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.

Here in North Liberty Indiana we've got 9 inches with an expected 18 on the way and 45mph wind gusts... This is one of the many reasons I wish I still lived in Texas lol

I could not find the yawn icon....

Come on, it is just a little snow. You all may not remember but this is a cycle and we are getting back to the cold/snow cycle. 30 years ago there was all kinds of snow from Washington to Maine and I think we are at the low end of the cycle, at least here. Just look at how the last 2 years went in the NE....

Light and fluffy snow you should be

Chicago, how can you tell snow is effecting traffic?

I live and drive all year in Montana, Wyoming and N Dakota so you all don't get any sympathy from me.... LOL

With the exception of the no apu and no idle.... Get yourself a Mr Buddy heater. It will heat the cab. Cost less than $3 for 8 hours of heat. But I would also idle the truck. BS for you not to be able to get rest when you need it. If they do not let you idle or buy you one of those heaters then I would look for another company to drive for.

HOS:

Hours Of Service

HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.

APU:

Auxiliary Power Unit

On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.

Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.

Yeah but I'm only 21 and from Texas so snow is new to me lol

I'm right in the middle of it!!!!! Got my new truck on Friday and dispatch said " go to Chicago and shuttle trailers from the rail yard , 11 miles to maintenance then do it again, in fact do 9 of them. I got 5 done in 10 hrs. What a day. Now I'm sitting on a Walmart parking lot in 9 inches of snow, blizzard, wind gusts 30 mph,with no APU and no engine idle allowance. What a great first weekend out I'm having. 😀 Any drivers having a worse weekend?

How does a company NOT let you idle in a blizzard and freezing conditions?

If you tried to do that to a DOG - you would get arrested...

Rick

APU:

Auxiliary Power Unit

On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.

Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.

80 west through Nebraska is chaos. Ive seen about 30 trucks in the ditch today. We're trying to crawl through instead of shutting down. My shift just ended and now my trainer is driving, so now i get to go through it while someone else is controlling the vehicle. Incredibly nerve racking.

Oh, I wasn't complaining Pat, anytime it isn't heavy wet stuff I'm happy- I just go out and jump into my own little world, hearing the Hemi and the thunk of the plow as it hits the ground-It's all good!!! Wow, we really need some new emoticons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!