Winter Driving Thread

It’s only natural for new drivers to be apprehensive going into their first winter. Especially new drivers who are from places that don’t have snow and ice. Fear is a double edged sword in the trucking world based on my limited experience. A certain amount of fear is a good thing but too much fear can be paralyzing. Caution is a result of a realistic level of fear. Cautious drivers usually don’t end up in the ditch, jackknifed or overturned. Don’t worry that other drivers will think you are a rookie driving too slow, as long as you are not impeding traffic. And if you are impeding traffic, find a place to park until road conditions improve. Like most of us here, I expect to get my share of northern driving, so I’m kinda talking to myself to make sure I have the safe winter driving mindset.

This is a story about my personal baptism into winter driving.

I started training in November of 2018. I was scheduled to go out with a road trainer starting the middle of December from Green Bay, WI (the frozen tundra). The day we were supposed to leave for our great adventure, there was an ice and slush storm in Green Bay all the way down to Illinois. So I’m sure our trip will be postponed as a result. My trainer met me and said “Ok, let’s go” I said “in this storm?” He said that I couldn’t expect to drive in ideal conditions all the time. So I figured he was going to drive until we got out of the storm. Wrong again. I went to get in the passenger seat and he told me I was driving. And this was in a manual which I was still learning how to drive properly. Double whammy.

So, off we go. I’m white knuckling the wheel and he’s sitting there cool as a cucumber. Despite my feelings of impending doom, we made it just fine. The storm ended as we approached the state line and I could relax a little bit.

And that is how we learn to drive in the winter.

I totally agree with Turtle!

Art, this forum is designed to assist and advise new drivers. Emphasis on safety. Your advice is especially dangerous for novice drivers without your level of experience.

Slow down..! Increase following distance..! More finesse and less abrupt control adjustments. If unsure and concerned with worsening conditions? Park it.

I use jake all the time, light to medium on slippery surfaces, full everywhere else. Without jake in rain trailer kicks into anti-lock and I can't stop. Basically I replace my break shoes when they start cracking from age. Light jake and light breaks is safer and works better than just breaks on the snow from my experience. I don't break on black ice, letting the engine do the work. Speed up up hill, roll slow down. Just play with it to get an idea what your truck can and can't do. PS: when 2 or 4 cylinders are used jaking, it works intermittent, kind of a jerky style, anti-lock like. Meaning it still has split second roll, lock, roll action. Do the math.

This is all horrible advice. The FMCSA , NTSB, and all other experts warn against the use of Jakes when conditions are slippery. Study after study has shown that Jake usage under slippery conditions will increase the likelihood of your drive axle losing traction, possibly throwing the tractor into a jackknife.

Without jake in rain trailer kicks into anti-lock and I can't stop.

Then you are clearly driving too fast for the conditions.

Basically I replace my break shoes when they start cracking from age.

So you're concerned more about saving your brake shoes than the danger of a jackknife?

Light jake and light breaks is safer and works better than just breaks on the snow

False. You're only telling yourself that. Slowing to a safe speed and using your service brakes properly is the safest way.

Do the math.

The math has already been done, over and over. You're simply ignoring it.

If you want to play with your life, that's your business. But don't get on a forum full of new drivers and advise them to do the same.

I’ll agree with the majority that for a new driver, lean away from using the engine brake in snowy and icy conditions. However, it also needs to be acknowledged that there are companies in the northwest who do train drivers how and when to use it. Some here will remember Melody aka Little Sister. She started at System Transport and her trainer (well experienced driver) specifically taught her how to use it in the snow and slick conditions. She mentioned that it was used to some extent almost all the time. So it’s important to remember that it’s about training and knowledge and even as a new driver, as long as that training is done, it can be used safely as an additional tool.