Ask a professional truck driver questions.

[Brandon]

What is your opinion about driving on the I-80/94 in Nw Indiana & Chicagoland?

Hate it.

Agreed, and I drive it often enough as a car driver.  I politely call it "combat driving" due to the various driving styles and assholes on display.  The Borman must have the highest per capita level of fucktards I've seen anywhere, and that's after having done my trip to the south and DC.  It was like the assholery on display was welcoming me back. 

[hbelkins]

Here's another question.

Why do so many truckers drive like stark raving idiots in inclement weather and/or when road conditions are less than ideal?

[amroad17]

Because the load has to get there come hell or high water (or rain, sleet, or snow)!

I drove for eight years and it was something I noticed, not just when I was on the job but off as well.  In 2000, I was coming back to Northern Kentucky from Kalamazoo, MI in January.  Naturally, there was a snowstorm so instead of taking two-laners to Ft. Wayne I decided to take the Toll Road from US 131 to I-69.  At one point, a car passed me going around 60 (as I was only going 40) and right on the car's bumper was a tractor-trailer.  Fortunately, the car swung back in the right lane and there was no incident.  I never believed a load was important enough to risk injury or death in all the years I drove.

[Crazy Volvo Guy]

Here's another question.

Why do so many truckers drive like stark raving idiots in inclement weather and/or when road conditions are less than ideal?

Because they are super truckers.  That's all you need to know. (They think they're cool, but they're really the laughing stock of decent drivers everywhere)

[allniter89]

These questions are for all of the truckers in this thread.

1. What is your travel range? Are there states you pass through more than others?

What do you mean by travel range? With full tanks 1000-1200 miles. The travel range the co drove in was 48 states. We had regular freight from Mobile, AL to Chicagoland so I saw alot of I 65, of course the states are AL,TN,KY,IN,IL

2. All of the companies previously named are long distance ones, correct? If you wanted to only drive locally, the companies that do that are local, right?

Sure there are plenty. For example Conway, SAIE, UPS, your local pop companies run 18s local as do Brewerys if you live near one

3. How often are you on interstates vs US highways and local roads?
Interstate 90%, US hwys 5%, local roads 5%

iPhone

[Laura]

These questions are for all of the truckers in this thread.

1. What is your travel range? Are there states you pass through more than others?

What do you mean by travel range? With full tanks 1000-1200 miles. The travel range the co drove in was 48 states

2. All of the companies previously named are long distance ones, correct? If you wanted to only drive locally, the companies that do that are local, right?

Sure there are plenty. For example Conway, SAIE, UPS, your local pop companies run 18s local as do Brewerys if you live near one

3. How often are you on interstates vs US highways and local roads?
Interstate 90%, US hwys 5%, local roads 5%

iPhone

Awesome, thanks. What I meant by number 1 is if you personally drove through all 48 states with the company or if you were mostly delivering in a region of the country.

[cpzilliacus]

Volvo, what is your least favorite interstate. For me it is a tie between I-77/64 (west Virginia Turnpike) and I-68, due to the terrain. I have not been out near the rockies as we rarely haul out there.

I-40 through the gorge, in western NC, hands-down.  50mph and no passing.  And it's not the 50mph that bugs me, it's actually about as fast as you want to go through there, it's the no passing, because there's always someone holding everyone up going 35-40.  Often times it's some punk asshole in a car who thinks he's being real funny.

How about I-70 between the West Virginia/Pennsylvania border and New Stanton?

That is certainly the worst section of Interstate I have driven in a long time - and an assortment of PennDOT projects to make repairs will probably make things worse before they get better.

[hbelkins]

Here's another question.

Why do so many truckers drive like stark raving idiots in inclement weather and/or when road conditions are less than ideal?

Because they are super truckers.  That's all you need to know. (They think they're cool, but they're really the laughing stock of decent drivers everywhere)

I've had a few incidents that I remember over the years. One was on I-81 in the Bristol, Va. area. One afternoon it came a hellacious summer thunderstorm. Most four-wheelers were going about 45 mph because the combination of rain, road spray and darkness made travel above that speed dangerous. The trucks were still going 65-70 mph in the left lane.

Another was on I-79 in West Virginia. I got in a snowstorm just as darkness was approaching and instead of stopping for the night at Weston, which I gave some serious thought to doing, I pressed on to Charleston. Road conditions quickly deteriorated and most four-wheeler traffic was going about 40-45 mph. Several cars were even slower. Yet the trucks were still going normal speed.

Both instances were pretty scary and I've been driving a few years.

This is the reason that, when I was coming home from Washington DC several years ago, I bailed from I-81 and took what little of Corridor H was open at the time, and the parallel state and US routes where it wasn't open. I'd rather deal with a mountainous two-lane snow-covered road than I would an interstate with snow on it because of having to deal with the trucks driving like it was sunny and clear.

One year I was in northwest Ohio and a snow and ice storm hit overnight. I lost count of the number of jackknifed big rigs I saw on the Ohio Turnpike/Indiana Toll Road. Guess those "super truckers" forgot to put their capes on that day.

[Crazy Volvo Guy]

A loaded truck can go a bit faster than a car in rain and snow, so much as sight distance allows (more weight means more traction, simple really) but you have to be an idiot to just keep going 70.

They used to be called "billy big riggers" but now everyone says "super truckers".  Either one applies, they think laws do not apply to them and that they are invincible because "AH GAWTS FOWTY YEARS OF 'SPURRIENCE Y'ALL"

[SteveG1988]

This thread is old, but by the power of greyskull I bring it back.

In the year plus that this thread has been dormant, have there been new questions?

[TravelingBethelite]

What is your favorite 'brand' of truck stops?

Do you have a section of interstate/road you like most?

[SteveG1988]

What is your favorite 'brand' of truck stops?

Do you have a section of interstate/road you like most?

My company fills up at Pilot/Flying J, and Loves. If i have to pick one to go to, it will be a Flying J, if it has to be one that i have points for showers. If it is just to park for the night, grab food, do laundry, a Petro is great since it is like a mini-city at times, a mall for truckers.

[allniter89]

What is your favorite 'brand' of truck stops?

Do you have a section of interstate/road you like most?

Petro is my fav.They usually have plenty of parking & a well laid out parking lot.
I watch for non-branded  "mom & pop" independent truck stops. They usually have great food & large servings & very friendly employees. There are fewer & fewer independents so I like to patronize them when I can.
Favorite interstate is I 70 west of Denver. I try to drive during daylight thru there to checkout the awesome scenery!

[SteveG1988]

Interstate i like to run...Ohio Turnpike, if i have to do a run where time is critical, as in i need to maximize my day on the road, i will do best on that road, the service plazas are some of the best in terms of stuff for the drivers. Free showers, pay laundry, a lounge area.

[kkt]

Do lower truck speed limits on freeways actually improve safety?  Are they just an enforcement tool -- for example if the posted speed limit is 65 car/55 truck, the trucks probably won't get ticketed below 65, but when they do it'll be a fine for 10 over?

[Big John]

Do lower truck speed limits on freeways actually improve safety?  Are they just an enforcement tool -- for example if the posted speed limit is 65 car/55 truck, the trucks probably won't get ticketed below 65, but when they do it'll be a fine for 10 over?

That is a more political move.  It is safer to have all vehicles moving at a similar speed

[GCrites]

What are some of your favorite Mom & Pop truck stops?

[SteveG1988]

Do lower truck speed limits on freeways actually improve safety?  Are they just an enforcement tool -- for example if the posted speed limit is 65 car/55 truck, the trucks probably won't get ticketed below 65, but when they do it'll be a fine for 10 over?

Some places you can go at car speed others.... *cough* Indiana *cough* You will definitely want to do EXACTLY the truck speed limit, and the lowered limit. 50 on 65 inside Indy is 50 mph for trucks, whatever cars feel like doing for cars. Indiana has been known to give trucks tickets for 1mph over.

[J N Winkler]

Do lower truck speed limits on freeways actually improve safety?

FHWA looked into this a number of years ago.  Short answer:  No.

[J N Winkler]

I have a question that is motivated by reading a lot of research material on runaway truck ramps.

Brake failure due to overheating is usually cited as the cause of runaway trucks.  But from the truck driver's point of view, what is the sequence of events that leads to the truck running away and needing to use an escape ramp?  How and why do other solutions that don't involve use of the brakes, such as gearing down, become unavailable?

[SteveG1988]

I have a question that is motivated by reading a lot of research material on runaway truck ramps.

Brake failure due to overheating is usually cited as the cause of runaway trucks.  But from the truck driver's point of view, what is the sequence of events that leads to the truck running away and needing to use an escape ramp?  How and why do other solutions that don't involve use of the brakes, such as gearing down, become unavailable?

If your truck is a stickshift, having it in too high of a gear and the jake brake going, you will be forcing your brakes to be heated up. Recently i found out on my brand new truck freightliner did not install the air lines properly. meaning that i only had one set of functioning brakes on the tractor, the trailer braked worked too, i was able to smoke the brakes fairly quickly trying to go into the I-70 rest area in MO about an hour from St Louis which is on a mild hill. Now, put that into a worse situation. Mont Eagle TN, let's say i didn't know that my air lines going to the rear brakes on the tractor was coming out, and was leaking badly. you set down mont eagle heading west, there is no truck brake check going that way. You start to apply the brakes, within the first half mile you smell burnt brakes, you're glazing the drums over....and cannot blow off the heat, your jake brake is going off extremely loud and obnoxious. you have no escape ramp going this way, and you have to basically hope you can keep your speed down.

The escape ramp is for if you cannot get down your speed at all, the parking brake will cause a definite jack knife if you throw it, that will definitely engage all your brakes at 100% since air brakes work opposite of hydraulic ones, in an air brake system you let out pressure to engage the shoes/pads, as they are being held back by air pressure, with massive springs to engage them once pressure drops.

You risk tearing up the engine if you downshift at too high of an RPM, once you go past i think 75mph you're risking it if you try to do anything but stay in 10th gear on a 10 speed. you're supposed to down shift before you get to the hill, to allow for the truck to be able to jake brake effectively. On my 10 speed auto the jake works best in 8th gear, at 35-45 mph.