NO LOAD IS WORTH PUTTING YOUR LIFE AT RISK!

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SocaNick@reddit

"You are the captain of your ship" This was something that has always stuck with me. I had no n regrets when I decided to "shut it down".

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Exactly. The only person who pays the price out there is the driver - everyone else is warm, dry, and waiting for an update. If the road looks like this, the smartest move is parking it and trying again tomorrow.

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flynnfx@reddit

Exactly. ***ABSOLUTELY NEVER EVER TRUST A DISPATCHER WHO TELLS YOU:*** - "No one else complained about it". - "It's only for a short distance, maybe 25 miles. It clears right up after that." - "Don't worry, we gave you lots of extra time to deal with icy, snow-covered roads, snowplow, whiteout conditions ; you should get their with tons of extra time to have a nap after you deliver." (They give you 30 extra minutes over the summer route." - "Trust Me, have I ever steered you wrong? You'll be home for sure after this 5 day shift, guaranteed; we built in extra time for the load so you'll be back 100%!"

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rorrr@reddit

Man, every driver learns that list the hard way. If a dispatcher opens with “trust me,” you already know you’re about to get sent into a snowstorm with a smile and a bad ETA. Out there, it’s your name on the line - not the guy sitting in a warm office.

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kjmiller-1014@reddit

Luckily my dispatch team has never said any of those nights weekends none of them they all say we see some nasty weather ahead of you if you want to pull over let us know and we'll let the customer know and then shoot us a ETA whenever you start rolling again and we'll reschedule with the customer for you.

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SaltAndBitter@reddit

Same. I tell 'em "I'm shutting down due to weather, will provide updated ETA when conditions improve," and they respond "okay, keep me updated." I'm... honestly a little ashamed of how hard of a loop that threw me for at first. I've had so many coercive dispatch teams who only backed off when you conference in the Safety man or the Legal department over the years that I didn't realize good dispatchers existed outside of urban legend...

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rorrr@reddit

That’s how it should be. A dispatch team that actually watches the weather and lets you shut it down safely is worth its weight in gold. Makes the whole job feel human instead of “just get it there.”

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Icedragon2017@reddit

Last winter I sat at a customer as a storm rolled in. Fellow company driver rolled out after talking with him and dispatch calling to say "hey the weather is getting shitty there, sit there for the night and let the plows do the work". He decided he knew best and left. I sat and slept at the customer. He slept in a ditch sadly. He was ok, rig was a little torn up. Luckily it was a solo accident.

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rorrr@reddit

That's exactly why you listen to dispatch when they tell you to sit. Weather doesn't care how good you think you are. Glad he was okay, but that's a hard lesson learned.

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Freightshaker000@reddit

My last dispatcher had absolute trust in my judgement. If I said driving in conditions was a waste of drive time, she'd say "park it and let me know when you're rolling, we'll adjust the delivery time." Having a dispatch that trusts you is priceless.

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J0nn_D03@reddit

How do you know a dispatcher is lying? Just see if their lips are moving

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pmmemilftiddiez@reddit

Here's the thing: you've almost always steered me wrong

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somestupidtruckdrivr@reddit

I have all sorts of things to keep me occupied and well fed in here. I welcome a snow day off here and there.

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rorrr@reddit

Honestly, that’s the way to do it - if you’re stocked up and comfortable, a snow day turns into a reset instead of a headache. Better to chill in the cab than gamble on garbage roads.

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Codexe-@reddit

No, there's other people on the road too. You're lucky if it's just the driver who pays the price.

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rorrr@reddit

True - when things go bad, it’s not just the driver at risk. One bad call can take out a whole line of people who had nothing to do with the load. That’s exactly why “just push through it” is terrible advice.

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PShubbs91@reddit

Exactly this. Was in Florence, KY at about 1AM and snow started coming down hard. To the point that it was hitting my windshield, melting, then immediately freezing. I was driving (trying to find a ace to park) with horrible vision because of it. Even in those conditions there were truckers zooming by doing 80 easily. It's not worth it. You're not only risking your life, you're risking the lives of everyone around you.

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Exquisite-Bliss1986@reddit

What would happen if a dispatcher actually had to ride with a driver? How long would the dispatcher last out there?

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almilian@reddit (OP)

Good question.

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somestupidtruckdrivr@reddit

I'm not afraid of the snow. I'm afraid of these guys who have no idea what they're doing and think they don't have a choice to park and wait it out.

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ExtraDip1998@reddit

Yep everyone says that until they're in the ditch. Eventually mother nature will catch on to your lack of respect.

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Rubes2525@reddit

Naw, snow is not much of an issue with the right tires, unless you get caught in a historical blizzard. It's the idiots on the road that makes it bad. You'd more likely to wind up in the ditch because you were avoiding someone who doesn't know a lick of winter driving.

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InspectionSenior1@reddit

If you are parked already why are you afraid of them . You can wave at them while passing after sleep . Now go to sleep

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restingracer@reddit

Wouldn't be a problem if you had real winter tires there, your shutdown conditions sometimes are average conditions for 4 months a year for some parts of the world. And guess what, the loads are still getting delivered, people still eat, drink, shit, wear clothing.

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firemarshalbill316@reddit

Another note and more important: Thank you to every driver who stands up for their own well being and that of others. They can always replace that load. You on the other hand can be outta of a career, in prison or dead. Make good choices drivers.

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JulesWinnfielddd@reddit

I wish they would be harsher on coercion from the office side be it dispatchers/brokers. Its legally codified thst we're allowed to say no this is unsafe but I feel like the enforcement lacks teeth. They should be SCARED to try to coerce drivers out and they're not.

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firemarshalbill316@reddit

Even though its against the law I have a phone recorder voice recorder on my phone. Don't like it? Don't call me or provide a company phone. Also, I just tell them I'm not doing it and they can come get their truck. It helps when you have other sources of income.

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firemarshalbill316@reddit

This is why I don't consider my self a driver but a wizard. And a wizard arrives precisely when he means to. I'll Gandalf the fuck out of everyone. Especially this time of the year.

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RoseKlingel@reddit

Best policy tbh

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firemarshalbill316@reddit

Yeah buddy. Just not worth it.

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SashaDabinsky@reddit

There's always a bunch of trucks wrecked in Iowa City and West Branch areas every storm. Also usually a bunch around Newton, Iowa too.

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HollowMonty@reddit

Better late than dead is my personal motto. I bedded down to wait for the snowstorm north west of Indianapolis to blow over. Once I got back on the road I counted around 12 trucks on the side of the road.

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ExtraDip1998@reddit

I will say, it does pay to know how to chain up, and to know how your truck is going to behave under poor conditions. Every once in awhile mother nature is gonna catch you with your pants down and you'll have to just keep going until you either get through it or get to a spot where you can safely stop.

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directorbman@reddit

Just work the southern states in winter. It's true that stuff just ain't worth it.

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ExtraDip1998@reddit

I would rather drag my ballsack through broken glass then consign myself to the hellscape that is the south for more then a load or 2 at a time.

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the_big_stew@reddit

32k in 6 days. Sometimes it is. 8k lbs going up, 6k lbs coming down.

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DigOk8892@reddit

If that semi is full of gold or cocaine it might be

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Ataiio@reddit

I just turn down any loads heading north

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SawyerJWRBLX@reddit

Wait for the plows to move through, and for the snow to stop. For your safety and especially the safety of other motorists.

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Unhappy-River6306@reddit

Tell that to Swift

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somestupidtruckdrivr@reddit

My dad always taught me, if they want the load there that bad on Monday, they'll REALLY want it on Tuesday or Wednesday

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JulesWinnfielddd@reddit

Exactly. And if you crash trying to get it there Monday they ain't getting it Tuesday or Wednesday

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JulesWinnfielddd@reddit

I try to find a balance. Everyone has a different risk threshold. Its a judgement call and determined by your own driving skills and the conditions themselves. These drivers made a bad call and overestimated their ability to drive the conditions. But in general yes, better safe than sorry.

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bentstrider83@reddit

The weather apps, weather FB pages and state DOT websites are your friend. Everyone should be connected. Give those sites a peek between all the corny tiktok dancing videos I know everyone is still watching. Most dispatchers will understand. The other ones can eat tough cookies.

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grumpus_ryche@reddit

I don't know about other states, but in Ohio ohgo.com let's you look at individual traffic cameras in various locations in the state so you can get a visual of road conditions along the way.

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bentstrider83@reddit

COTrip/CDot does this as well. But I usually hit the map first, then hit a corresponding camera icon on the map. it's legit.

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Jessi_longtail@reddit

I absolutely agree, but I will add a slight devils advocate argument from my own experiences over the past few years. I run a dump trailer, and one of our major contacts during winter months is delivering road salt to various municipal sites. Because of this, I've driven in some nasty conditions to get that load or two through because if I don't, the roads can't be made safe for the others around me. Now that's not to say there hasn't been days we've cancelled out or times I've stopped/really slowed my roll in the name of safety, but when the white stuff is falling, and barns are running low, sometimes acceptions have to be made. Means being a lot more alert and defensive in your driving, but that's what we signed up for when we took the salt work. Or maybe I'm just young, naive, and idealistic, your choice

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ChaceEdison@reddit

I would gladly drive in a snow storm on the side of the mountain with 8 sets of chains on if it meant I could get out of the office and go back driving truck for a couple of days I miss trucking so much

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Metaltom1970@reddit

I’m willing to bet there’s ice under the snow to have them looking like that. I’ve shut down twice, both in my first year and both because it wasn’t an effective use of my time. If you’re not comfortable, don’t do it is all I can say.

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CalmAnxitey87@reddit

I'm so glad I'm Texas regional. The chances of me driving in snow are very low unless Dallas has a bad winter

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TruckerBiscuit@reddit

I got shut down in Fort Worth for 2d on account of ice. Turns out living in a sunny state means the official response to an ice storm is "Just hang out, bro. It'll melt eventually." 🤣

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Independent-Fun8926@reddit

Got stuck in Denton for the same reason a few years ago lmao. Waited for the roads to thaw and the causalities to be towed

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TruckerBiscuit@reddit

Wouldn't surprise me if it was the same storm. Ended up getting the last spot at that shitty little Pilot in FW. Should probably have stayed parked another day given the condition of the roads once I did leave but the fuckers tempted me out of hiding with a very good paying load so 🤷🤣.

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bentstrider83@reddit

At least with regional, it's pretty easy to stay on top of weather and conditions. You know all the info sources and you know all the bug out spots.

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CalmAnxitey87@reddit

True I always know where the closest safe haven is. I mostly do Laredo to Houston with occasional trips to Baton Rouge or Dallas

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xoutlawtrucker@reddit

For the most part you are golden, but when 1 snowflake lands anywhere in Texas, every single car within a 100 mile radius suddenly crashes into each other, same with Atlanta. Snow is rare, but when it falls, literally the worst drivers on the planet all decide to be there. I have had the great misfortune of seeing it first hand. Texas and Georgia has decent drivers, but near any major city, they all leave their brains at home.

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alexlongfur@reddit

lol. Just west of that location was an Amazon semi stuck in the median, with a pickup towing a golf cart trailer facing it, also stuck. Also I believe that wrecker might be from BJ’s Auto/Tow

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Waxitron@reddit

Snow really shuts you southerners down hey? Drive to road conditions, carry chains, and know how to use em. Been like 4 years of driving now in Canada, aint never been "too bad to drive" unless its all ice.

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Codexe-@reddit

You pass scenes like this regularly though.

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Waxitron@reddit

Oh? thanks for telling me what i see regularly.

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Codexe-@reddit

Thanks for lying

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viertes@reddit

Bro is really out here tellin fibs, this man does not snow drive. I second you. Thank you for calling that bozo out.

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Waxitron@reddit

Yep. Not like i spent the past week doing exactly that. You know it never snows up here in Canada? 😂 Yall hilarious.

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derekschroer@reddit

only certain roads are allowed to have chains run on them...midwest area is not one such area.

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Bamfurlough@reddit

I just drove through that snow storm, but I waited until 1600 on Saturday to leave Walcott and head west. I did drive through a 'Travel Not Advised' section, but I didn't think it was too bad. The plows had already been out all day.

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trucksarekewl@reddit

My company shuts us down in these conditions no questions asked. Yall stay safe out there

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mesablue@reddit

In Western Montana we call this Tuesday. And Wednesday and Thursday and Friday...

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Over9000Zeros@reddit

I'm not a trucker but I lurk this sub. Are load prices adjusted for heavy snow?

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TruckerBiscuit@reddit

Sadly no.

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Over9000Zeros@reddit

That seems like something the union should get on top of.

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Nero-Danteson@reddit

There is no union and unless every single driver on the road shuts down for a couple days it won't change

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xccoach4ever@reddit

The Kansas City area is getting snow right now. Be safe out there!

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derekschroer@reddit

yup, I live in the KC area, and am supposed to head into work tonight for a load to pick up in Joliet tomorrow evening. gonna be fun getting to the Walmart DC in Ottawa to pick up my truck.

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Nero-Danteson@reddit

Harrisonville shut everyone down.

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xccoach4ever@reddit

Maybe by tonight the roads might be somewhat better. Now as for going north to Joliet?????

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SnooJokes9747@reddit

Stay away from Oklahoma City Oklahoma!

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errie_tholluxe@reddit

Yeah but that's true regardless of weather 😝

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tonythebutcher13@reddit

New England is getting a storm tomorrow, now its my turn, can't wait 😒

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TruckerBiscuit@reddit

I told dispatch I'm deadheading to Maryland. What do they do? Send me a load out of New Hampshire. Turned that down immediately. Shame too. Good-paying load but southern NH to Minnesota right now is...how you say...a bunch of bullshit.

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Dead_Namer@reddit

There was a post yesterday about a guy doing 3mph and still losing traction. 10 hours of that is half an hour of a usual days work. You are working for less than $2 an hour and putting your life and career at risk, it's not a good choice. Rest up, let it pass, let everyone else end up in a ditch.

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derekschroer@reddit

I was supposed to be near there delivering to a Sam's Club in Cedar Rapids last friday, but told my dispatch to send me back towards my home DC in Ottawa, picking up a load in Lincoln first. I was supposed to go home on Saturday, but went home a day early to avoid the weather.

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InspectionSenior1@reddit

And you make way less than any of these

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norseprincesspdx@reddit

What i think is diabolical is if youre not getting paid ...to be out... camping in this. Time is the most valuable thing we have.

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UrbanIronPoet@reddit

I'm telling I delivered to Rockford Illinois Friday night woke up Saturday morning to blanket of snow and ice, told dispatch I'm not moving Saturday so pay my layover, tried to drive Sunday didn't feel safe highways were freezing too quickly shut down again pay more layover. I'm about to get up try again if I don't feel safe rinse and repeat.

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hndsum_dan@reddit

That’s not what my dispatcher says

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delawder29@reddit

• Dispatchers often pressure drivers to take routes deemed unsafe, citing other drivers' experiences. • These dispatchers lack trucking experience and disregard the "captain of the ship" principle, punishing drivers who refuse. • This hypocrisy is a safety violation, yet companies prioritize it over driver well-being. • Drivers, especially rookies, must stand firm and refuse unsafe loads. These storms out here sometimes get worse and sometimes we get lucky with minimal snow. However black ice still does exist even during daytime. A lot of drivers have never experienced winter conditions let alone in Blizzard. Always pull your truck off the road. Even if that means that load will be on the following paycheck pull off and you will be thankful. Bills will get paid, food will be on the table, but it won't be there if you get on that road during these horrible conditions and wreck your truck. Majority of the companies do not care if you start driving on that bad road. Some companies do care and they will send out a message or call you to pull off and they are going to reschedule it.

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Codexe-@reddit

Or other people's lives

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Goldleader-23@reddit

But what if the dispatcher really needs it to get there on time?

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HighEndSociopath@reddit

Yeah, anyone who pushes through that just because that's how it is "up here" is really a problem in the industry.

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Confident_Season1207@reddit

But, I heard from a so called professional semi driver that semis can drive fast in bad conditions because of all their weight. Oh wait, never mind, that person was a fucking idiot.

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