New Jersey mandates snow-free vehicles

[moose]

Welcome to our L'il forum Steven .
i think you are missing the point .
none of us won't any accident to happened , infront or behind .
we would love to be in compliance , and drive a snow clear truck .
the problem is that we simply can't .
this snow cannot be removed safely .
as for now , there is no technology available to do so .
there is a start up small company in New Jersey that make roof top heater to melt the ice , but even they say , it will only work if you plug the truck in , and will not melt existing snow , or a good built up . , this technology is about 8,000$ installed , and an ongoing maintenance and electricity expenses .
it's reduced the truck payload , and add 2.5" to the truck height.
too many often in our industry , we see law makers come up with all bunch of new law , they always blame the trucker , hoping to gain voter ,
but NEVER PAY FOR those regulations .
we work real hard to be the safest drivers on the road .
this new law don't give us any chance of being in compliance .
more then that , it encourage truckers to risk their own life trying to remove snow from a top of a trailer .
there is simply no safe way to do that .
even if a technology will be available by this time next winter , it is probably won't be there at every single location that trucks parked , and trailers are dropped .
Heck , even the state egnolage that by exempting their own fleet of truck from the law .

please tell me , if you have a flatbed truck , loaded with 7 lawnmowers , 3 crates , and 2 large beams , how can you remove an 10" over night snow build up , while you where to take the MANDETORY (un)safety break ?
start looking at every truck that share the road with you , and try to imagine what it will take to clean a 6" snow off of it .
and then imagine your grandfather doing so , in a dark parking lot , when it is heavily snowing and 5 below .
it is nice and warm at the cruiser car ,& the state need money ,or the officer will have to look for a new job.

 

[Dakota]

geez... whats next? Making a driver go out and pick up his gator skin on the expressway?

I heard someone on the CB mention a gator on the road. I'm new to CB's and codes etc. I'm like what the helll is a alligator doing in Indiana
I'm still learning LOL

 

[Dakota]

OVM wrote,



You register the equipment where the company is located, and companies register in different states all the time, Delaware is a corp. haven for companies that are not within the state. I think Nevada is another. but even that doesn't hold a O/O to what you said, an O/O may drive for a company out of Ark, but his base plate is from his home state. and a truck that is held by a leasing company will register that truck in the leasing companies state, not where the state that the O/O is going to go to work at.... nope, you can register your company and equipment out of the state you work in and the equipment is then under that states tax base...

Exactly, I worked for Brink's and the trucks that are here have Texas plates. They have always been in Indiana. used to love the people asking me if I was from Texas. Yes Ma'am we drive up from there every day doh!!!!!
Don't ask me why but the Brink's trucks in Ohio have Ohio plates
but we get Texas plates in Indiana go figure

 

[Turtle]

The artical did not say but you can almost bet that they were tailgating.

Maybe not. If you've ever seen large chunks of packed snow/ice come off a trailer, or even a car, the winds can catch it and send it anywhere. Often, tailgating directly behind the truck is the best place to be when large chunks of ice come off a trailer (if that trailer has Airtabs, maybe not, tho). The wind will catch it and move it up, and it doesn't land until 2 or 3 cars behind.

On the PA Turnpike extension just outside of Philadelphia I once witnessed a large chunk, maybe 3x4 feet or larger, come off a trailer, and it flew over two lanes and landed on the windshield of pickup in the far left lane, 4 or 5 cars behind the trailer.

Ironically (and I do love good irony), the snow/ice chunk came off of a trailer bearing this logo:

 

[LDB]

I've seen a number of good aerial shows but never had a problem with being hit but then again I follow on the ten second rule not the ten foot rule like some of these knuckleheads I see out there.

 

[Humble2drive]

Interesting thread Officer Steven, thanks for sharing.

I saw a curious sight last winter while driving in the snow. An 18 wheeler pulled over by a state trooper. As we passed we were able see a person (the driver?) on the roof of the trailer with a push broom clearing the snow off as the Trooper observed.

Could this have been a glimpse at our future??

 

[Dakota]

Maybe we just need them to install roof cleaners on all the on ramps, and then we can go snow free
Or maybe with global warming we won't have snow anymore

 

[OntarioVanMan]

I've seen permanent snow scrappers installed at some UPS depots.....they just drive the truck thru slowly and it takes it down to a couple inches deep...

I think the worse ones are trailers that have sat for weeks in a yard and the snow is like 3-4 feet deep..those should be cleaned off...

I don't think it is really a thing most expediters will have to worry about...

 

[Scuba]

I've seen permanent snow scrappers installed at some UPS depots.....they just drive the truck thru slowly and it takes it down to a couple inches deep...

I think the worse ones are trailers that have sat for weeks in a yard and the snow is like 3-4 feet deep..those should be cleaned off...

I don't think it is really a thing most expediters will have to worry about...

Really you don't think exppediters will have a problem we sit longer than freight haulers do which means snow will build up on us more than on a freight haulers trailer. States need money you can bet your bottom dollar they will be writting tickets for this daily. And since you are a van driver i can understand why you don't see this as a problem you can safely clean your roof from the ground. Unlike methe state of nj can go straight th h*ll they need to hurt from a lack of trucks. This money grab law will result in driver deaths and injurys and i have yet to haul a load that was worth my life or worth getting hurt over.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Really you don't think exppediters will have a problem we sit longer than freight haulers do which means snow will build up on us more than on a freight haulers trailer. States need money you can bet your bottom dollar they will be writting tickets for this daily. And since you are a van driver i can understand why you don't see this as a problem you can safely clean your roof from the ground. Unlike methe state of nj can go straight th h*ll they need to hurt from a lack of trucks. This money grab law will result in driver deaths and injurys and i have yet to haul a load that was worth my life or worth getting hurt over.

I am sorry you sit longer...then vans in NJ...

My reference was to stored trailers that sit WEEKS in a yard or them containers that sit for long periods...

 

[OntarioVanMan]

And NJ is not the snow capital of the world...

Snowfall can vary even more year-to-year. The average snowfall is 23.4 inches, but has ranged from as low as 2 inches (in the winter of 1918-19) to as high as 76.9 inches (in 1995-96). The heaviest snowstorm on record was the Blizzard of 1996 on January 7-8, 1996, when 24.2 inches of snow fell.

The odds of any of us getting any significant accumulation are real high...soo I'd say this is an over reaction to almost a non issue

 

[LDB]

I think part of the problem is the idea of driving into NJ after getting the big lake effect snowfall in Cleveland or Erie or Buffalo. I also see apples and oranges. Yes, a trailer sitting idle in a yard for a month will have more snow on it. Equally yes, we sit longer than Swift etc. whose primary equipment is pretty much constantly moving so both points are equally valid and correct as far as those specific points. I watched a guy once climbing on his hodge podge flatbed load while I sat in my truck. It was a nice summer day and he was challenged by parts of the climb. I can only imagine if it were snowy and slick. I'm not sure how I'd clear the roof of my standard cargo van and I certainly wouldn't be trying it with any sort of dock high vehicle.

 

[inkasnana]

Even an overnight snowfall can cause quite an accumulation if you are sitting. Last winter we were parked overnight (I don't remember where though) and it snowed. The next morning there was 10 inches of snow on the ground that wasn't there the day before. We cleaned off the windshield and hood of the truck, mirrors etc.. but there is no way that either of us are going to risk our lives or health to try and find a way to climb up and clean the snow off the roof of the cab, sleeper and box. It's just totally idiotic to expect any truck driver to do that.

I agree with davekc.. if it's snowin' we ain't goin'!

 

[layoutshooter]

Of all of the dangerous things we have to contend with getting killed by ice/snow off of a truck ranks WAY down near the bottom. WAY below getting struck by lightning or stung by a rattle snake. It is FAR more likely that more people will be hurt or injured falling off of the truck cleaning off the snow that will be by it flying off. Sure, it can and has been a problem. It is IMPOSSIBLE to eleminate EVERY danger in the world. The leading cause of death in the U.S. has NOT changed since mankind first arrived here. It is conception.

I still contend that far more accidents and DEATHS are caused by 4-wheelers AND truckers who fail to clear ice/snow or frost off of windlshields, side windows and rear windows than are injured or killed by snow/ice bombs from trucks. Think about it, how many times have you seen a person driving down the road who has ONLY cleaned a spot in front of thier face on the windshield? THAT is FAR more dangerous.

 

[Dakota]

I've seen permanent snow scrappers installed at some UPS depots.....they just drive the truck thru slowly and it takes it down to a couple inches deep...

I think the worse ones are trailers that have sat for weeks in a yard and the snow is like 3-4 feet deep..those should be cleaned off...

I don't think it is really a thing most expediters will have to worry about...

Are you saying expeditors never sit that long

 

[OntarioVanMan]

I think part of the problem is the idea of driving into NJ after getting the big lake effect snowfall in Cleveland or Erie or Buffalo. I also see apples and oranges. Yes, a trailer sitting idle in a yard for a month will have more snow on it. Equally yes, we sit longer than Swift etc. whose primary equipment is pretty much constantly moving so both points are equally valid and correct as far as those specific points. I watched a guy once climbing on his hodge podge flatbed load while I sat in my truck. It was a nice summer day and he was challenged by parts of the climb. I can only imagine if it were snowy and slick. I'm not sure how I'd clear the roof of my standard cargo van and I certainly wouldn't be trying it with any sort of dock high vehicle.

ya heat up the inside of the van and then hit the inside of the roof....and most slides off when you hit the brakes in the parking lot! *L*

If I were Tval I'd heat up the box and do the same thing...

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Are you saying expeditors never sit that long

Leo just how much snow remains after a 300 mile trip into Joisey?
Not in Joisey...maybe over the weekend....but whats the odds of any accumulation worth worrying about? It think this is partly dramatization....

And are you kidding me? Swift keeps all their equipment moving? Haven't you ever seen stored trailers/containers that have sat for weeks? Some have 3-5 foot of snow on them....those are and should be the main concern

that said...it is a not well thought out law that some troopers will abuse...

 

[Dakota]

Leo just how much snow remains after a 300 mile trip into Joisey?
Not in Joisey...maybe over the weekend....but whats the odds of any accumulation worth worrying about? It think this is partly dramatization....

And are you kidding me? Swift keeps all their equipment moving? Haven't you ever seen stored trailers/containers that have sat for weeks? Some have 3-5 foot of snow on them....those are and should be the main concern

that said...it is a not well thought out law that some troopers will abuse...

All they need to do is lower all the overpasses and viola the trucks will be cleared
In all seriousness though, if NJ becomes a problem, I would think alot of trucking companies and warehouses would have the UPS type scrappers, or someone will start a business of truck roof snow clearing.
Problem is on some trucks with the translucient/fiberglass roofs, you can't walk on them, and I am sure a snow shovel could do damage. My truck has one of those roofs

 

[layoutshooter]

ya heat up the inside of the van and then hit the inside of the roof....and most slides off when you hit the brakes in the parking lot! *L*

If I were Tval I'd heat up the box and do the same thing...

I don't think heating up my box would develope enough heat to melt ice or snow. I am NOT sure on that but with 4" of insulation it seems unlikely.

 

[jelliott]

Thanks to global warming this will be non issue in the next year or two! LOL