By Tom Kyrk
A veteran truck driver with Stevens Transport for well over a decade, Tom Kyrk has found himself stuck in more than a few weather-related situations over the years. As a member of the RoadPro Family of Brands driver council, Kryk tries to share some of the many lessons he’s learned from piloting big rigs for a living, frequently blogging about cooking and healthy on-the-go living. In this guest column, he provides advice on prepping a truck for winter operation.
It’s that time of year when a trucker can find him or herself stuck in a snowstorm tomorrow, for this is one of the few occupations where you can be driving along in 80-degree weather one day and end up plowing through a blizzard the very next.
That’s why having your truck prepared for winter can make the difference between being comfortable while sitting out the storm or miserable. That’s also why a few common-sense precautions can make driving in bad weather a bit safer.
One of the most important winter preparedness tips is to know the weather and road conditions ahead of you. You can do this with smart phone apps – such as WeatherBug or Weather Underground – or via websites, such as safetravelusa.com that provide state road reports.
Believe it or not, a CB or “citizen’s band” radio is still pretty useful for checking on road conditions and accidents.
The best advice, though, if you know the roads ahead are going to get nasty, is to stop early to make sure you get a parking spot at a safe and comfortable location.