Would You Venture Out In 20 Mph Winds With An MT Trailer?
Topic 17074 | Page 1
High winds scare the crap out of me.
I've shut down twice due to wind. Once empty and once with 4K in the box. Both times the winds were between 14-20 mph and I was being pushed all over the road.
I'd rather be safe than on my side in the ditch somewhere...
Over The Road:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
TWIC:
Transportation Worker Identification Credential
Truck drivers who regularly pick up from or deliver to the shipping ports will often be required to carry a TWIC card.
Your TWIC is a tamper-resistant biometric card which acts as both your identification in secure areas, as well as an indicator of you having passed the necessary security clearance. TWIC cards are valid for five years. The issuance of TWIC cards is overseen by the Transportation Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.
High winds scare the crap out of me.
I've shut down twice due to wind. Once empty and once with 4K in the box. Both times the winds were between 14-20 mph and I was being pushed all over the road.
I'd rather be safe than on my side in the ditch somewhere...
Wow that's good info thanks! Yeah I'm really nervous about wind too. It's not so bad when I've got 40k in the box but empty is a whole different story. My load was 25k (so about 60k gross) on the way here and 40+ mph gusts almost forced me to shut down 15 miles from my delivery.
Over The Road:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
TWIC:
Transportation Worker Identification Credential
Truck drivers who regularly pick up from or deliver to the shipping ports will often be required to carry a TWIC card.
Your TWIC is a tamper-resistant biometric card which acts as both your identification in secure areas, as well as an indicator of you having passed the necessary security clearance. TWIC cards are valid for five years. The issuance of TWIC cards is overseen by the Transportation Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.
I drive in 20 mph sustained winds with an empty. It's the gusts that are cause for concern. 20 miles to the DC isn't worth the risk though.
I decided to try it. Before I even got on I80 there was a big sign saying 50+ mph gusts between Walcott and Laramie. Lol. NEVERMIND!!!
Yeah 50 mph gusts are not fun. Couple weeks ago on 395 out of Nevada gusts were up to 65mph I saw 5 trucks laying on their sides taking a nap. Not a great idea driving with those winds
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
You did right thing Paul.
I generally don't worry about wind if it's less than forty mile per hour gusts. Bouncing around the road a little bit doesn't bother me at all, as long as I can maintain lane with nearly no effort. One of my trainers actually commented happily on my lack of concern when we were going through upstate PA near Lake Erie and were getting heavy random wind gusts.
A lot of people try to overcorrect when they are wind buffeted. Most of the time, almost no correction is required. The cab and trailer might move around some, but the chassis of the truck isn't usually moved much by winds less than 30 miles per hour.
If I start being buffeted hard enough that more than tiny adjustments are required to keep me in lane, then I'll shut down. I've never shut down for wind yet, but I know it will happen some day.
Wind speed in excess of 20mph, especially when empty is not something to be taken casually. Whenever 20+ mph winds are forecasted my concern is heightened. Experience is the best teacher and should be taken into consideration whenever giving or taking advice.
I do agree with not over reacting to the movement of the vehicle when it's buffeted by the wind. This holds true for most steering adjustments with straight line driving. Another thing to keep in mind is to drop your speed when dealing with a strong, gusting cross wind. Hasn't been mentioned but important.
Knowing when to shut down is something that all of us need to be mindful of...and also knowing where you are. There are roads notorious for high cross winds, I-40 through AZ and NM immediately comes to mind as trailer tipper.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
Speaking of roads notorious for high crosswinds I-70 between Topeka and Salina has several places where crosswinds can be treacherous.
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I'm in Rawlins and the wind has died down considerably from what it was, but my weather app still says 21 mph winds. I have to take an MT dry van down to Loveland, CO. I'd rather stay put than go 20 miles and shut down again. What think you?
Dry Van:
A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.