18wheelsandwomen

The American public sees more and more women behind the wheel of a big rig and they must surely think this is a new thing for the women to branch out of the traditional boundaries set for women. Actually women have been branching out for many years–longer than you may think too. Women truckers of today naturally have the women who have driven for 30 plus years to thank and those women have the women before them to thank for branching out in the field of Aviation. Yes, Aviation. Because of these women involved in Aviation and their achievements, this may have inspired many women to continue on with their dreams in the field of their choice. The medical field would be another area that was a hard one for women to enter. Aviation and Trucking are similar so I‘ll stick to it.I came across this fascinating information over the holiday weekend and thought it would make a great post so women could see that throughout the years that women have been branching out. We tend to forget our past and how we got to where we are today.

America’s first 2 licensed pilots were women in 1911—Harriet Quimby and Matilde Moisant. In 1798 a French woman, Jeanne Labrosse made a solo balloon flight. In 1916, Ruth Law set a new nonstop distance record of 590 miles from Chicago to Hornell New York. Anne Lindbergh (wife of Charles) was a pilot. And we all know about Amelia Earhart. Many women from several country’s were pilots during those early years. All these women had to deal with the obstacles put in their way just because they were women—-tampering of equipment at testing time so the women would fail the test. Given inferior equipment to prove themselves. And the list goes on and on. (Time Life Books and the internet)

Sadly some of this still goes on today. I have been told that “if you don’t work out, I’ll never hire another woman again.” To which I reply, “You keep hiring men to replace the men who don’t work out.”

Now moving to trucking, Lillie Drennan was the first licensed female truck driver and trucking firm owner in 1929 in Texas. She operated Drennan Truck Lines for 24 years. This is very good reading to see what she had to deal with, that the men did not deal with. I encourage you to look this up for further reading.

The women who have driven for the 30 plus years were determined to not let anyone stand in their way. These are the women who helped change the trucking industry to accept women. They too put up with many things that the men did not have to prove. Lets just say the trucking world was not kind to them. The industry did change to make it better for both sexes like power steering on the trucks and better riding trucks. Even the truck stops changed for the better too for both men and women and other travelers. Showers/bathrooms for women. More of a food selection too.

Anyone in a truck or bus or just traveling has it easy today compared to the early years. Even the interstates were still being built in 1975. Our roads are better, vehicles have improved, trucks have qualcomm, most have cell phones, internet is easy to access, there are plenty of truck stops and places to eat.

Women today not only drive, many own their own truck or even a trucking company. Some are high ranking in the trucking industry. Others are involved in the office ranging from payroll to dispatcher to mechanics to safety director to President and/or owner. Even I managed to dispatch (trucking/buses) and also be the first safety director at my previous employer. These are the women I look up to as they made it possible for the rest of us to succeed.

The trailer behind the truck is something that you may never think about in great detail.  As you pass a semi you may take the time to see how long it is and will I ever get around this semi.  At ground level you can see the tires that are as tall as you and everything under the trailer–the hoses that are in front of the trailer wheels, the rail with the holes in them, the hanging turn signals on some of the trailers, the lights on the side and then the connecting hoses to/from truck to trailer.  You may also wonder “how do they hook that trailer to the truck?” And maybe not.

When you back under the trailer you line up the tractor wheels to the sides of the trailer and slowly back under it. If the trailer was properly parked, you will see it lift some and know that you can now back under it with out high hooking—having the trailer pin miss the 5th wheel completely and crash into the rear of your truck. That would not be a good thing.  You here it click into place and you do the tug test to make sure the trailer is  fastened to the truck.  You get out and look at the 5th wheel under the trailer to actually see that bar slide into place and lock the pin in.  Now you can hook up the 3 hoses and raise the landing gear.  Each trailer is also different with the landing gear.  You either pull/push the handle in/out to get the pressure off the landing gear and then turn clockwise or counter clockwise till you feel the pressure leave. Now you can push/pull the lever in/out and crank at a fast speed to raise the landing gear up.

There are a lot of things a driver deals with when getting that trailer assigned to them.  Is the trailer sealed up so you can’t open the doors and check the load and see where the end pallets are? If the papers to the load say you weigh 44,000 pounds and you see the trailer wheels are almost in the center of the trailer or at the rear of the trailer, you know you get to slide the wheels to balance the weight on the axles.  If you can take a look at the load to make sure the loader did not put all 44,000 pounds in the first 6 feet of the trailer which has happened, you can check the location of the last pallets.  You will see on the trailer that it is divided by panels on the outside via lots of rivets which of course matches the inside.  So now you count the panels from the door to the last pallets and see that they are 4 panels from the door.  Now you check your tire position and see how far you need to move them forward/backwards to that specific panel.  I put the rear tires (not the front tires) under that 4th or even 5th panel from the doors to have the extra weight on that rear axle. 

To get this done you need to pull the out the handle by the rear wheels or if you get a newer trailer that has the new push buttons that is even better and easier to deal with. We have the handle trailer. If all goes well for you to do this by yourself you pull out the handle and drop it into the grove to lock it in. This will take the 4 pins that are about 4 holes apart on the newer trailers and not the 6 feet and push them out of the rail holes.  You have already hooked up the hoses from the truck to the trailer.  Now you get into the truck and leave the TRAILER BRAKES ALONE, the red knob. Push in the yellow brake knob for the tractor and now you can backup to bring the trailer wheels forward or you go forward to bring the trailer wheels backwards to your needed area.  Get out and walk to the back to see if you are ready to push in that lever. Once you push in that lever you may have to slide a little bit more to get the pins back into the holes to lock the wheels into place.  Each hole moved is 250 pounds taken off/added to another axle. 

If you get a trailer where the mechanics refuse to grease/service this part of the trailer, you will need help by having somone pull that lever out and hold it while you rock the truck to get the pins to release to slide the wheels. You may even need your hammer to pound  the pins out of the holes. When you get the wheels where needed you can  go to the nearest truck stop to weigh your load.  Now your trip assignment begins to get the load safely to its destination.

Drivers go thru this daily and our government thinks anyone can hop in a semi and drive one.  There is so much more that we must know to be safe and professional. This is just a small part of it I wanted to share with you.  We are considered UNCLASSIFIED in the job selection even tho we are called PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS.    

I have driven 3,313 miles in a week.  I did my Monday Dallas and was getting a little tired when I arrived.  I used the unloading time to walk and stretch and enjoy the opportunity to do it. Its good for you and it was just what I needed.  When I left to head back, I was going to drive farther to get past my normal 2 spots of shutting it down for the night. I had on  a Christian talk radio station that I found and enjoy and they had a guest on who was telling about the sleep studies he has done and what people need to do to get a good nights sleep.  Suddenly I got so sleepy, that I only made it 30 miles up the road to the truck stop. I found a parking slot and shut off the truck, made it to the sleeper and got my shoes off and I was out! Talk about the power of suggestion! So much for me making it past 1 hour into Oklahoma.

Tuesday. 673 miles.  30 miles north of the Oklahoma/Texas line is Robertson’s Smokehouse and they have big truck parking. I almost always stop going north because they open at 9:30.  Anyone who has semi parking gets my business.  Today I  get my 1 or 2 sandwiches and a drink and chips too.  About 1 hour from my employer, the company phone rings.  I am needed to make another trip to Dallas and I agree to do it so I just head to the shipper.  When I arrive the trailer is loaded again and off I go.  Back in  Dallas I need to find another way to get to the reciever again as the I-635 and US 75 is shut off.  Looks like they are cleaning the road, but I’m not sure. At the reciever, I am told that they will be closed on Wednesday. I thank them for the info and will tell my employer so no one spends Thanksgiving waiting for someone to unlock the gate!  I leave for DFW to spend the night and deliver a crate in the morning.  

Wednesday.  I check in at the desk and show my papers like I have done before.  The person looks at them and says “follow me”.  I politely said that the last time I was here, the papers were signed and one copy given to me so I could take it to the dock people and then back the truck into the dock to be unloaded.  He again said, “follow me”.  Upstairs we went to look for someone who had not arrived to work yet. The person we need was approaching the building as we walked by a window. Downstairs we go.  The papers were given to a woman and she looked at them and said she or that man does not need this paper. It needs to go to the dock.  The person who took me on this walk then asks me if I have something on the trailer to be delivered!  WERE YOU NOT LISTENING TO ME?????  WHY WOULD I BE TRYING TO GET THIS PAPER SIGNED FOR A DELIVERY????

Again I say I am here to unload 1 crate for overseas just like my previous visits.  Back to the front desk we go and 10 minutes later I have my papers to give to the dock people and then I back the trailer into the dock.  All of this has taken 35 minutes and my patience is slim to none now.  My unloader gets his supervisor or at least someone higher up on the ladder than he is. I am told that the papers with the crate are not there and they can’t take it.  I inform them I did not drive 400 miles to put up with this and this is the same type of crate and same product that I have delivered in the past and you will take it. Now they tell me about a CA trucker who came here recently and the wrong items were put on the trailer and it was sent back.  I assure them everything is correct and in order. More looking at the crate is done. After much looking and talking, the crate is accepted.  All of this took 20 minutes plus the fun I had before getting to the dock.  20 seconds to take off the crate cost me 1 whole hour of delays.  If the public only knew what we put up with.  Maybe they wouldn’t care either till the shelves run dry at their favorite store.

Finally I am heading north and call my employer to let them know and to make sure that the reciever will be open tonight as I will not make the trip if plant is shut down.  Traffic is nuts due to the holiday.  At mile marker 72 in Texas a very slow moving car in the right lane jumps out into the passing lane RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME!!!  I slammed on the brakes and missed rear ending the idiot and blew the air horn for a long time and managed to get into the right lane and passed that very stupid 4-wheeler.  I hope they read my lips as I was talking to them!!  I was doing 65 mph and that car was doing around 45 and all of us were passing him. 

I stop for fuel at the place where the pumps were not working about 3 weeks ago.  I go in and say I am at pump 12 and if the diesel pumps are working will you please turn it on.  Clerk tells me they work fine now and I give him my fuel card. Clerk asks me if I want to purchase fuel. (were you not listening to me & why would I give you the fuel card???) Then I am asked if I am a truck driver. (can you not see that semi in front of your window???) I tell that clerk it is none of your business and to turn that pump on.  My nerves are shot with the stupid drivers and now I have to deal with the stupid questions. I am in no mood for this expecially when the men truckers do not get asked these questions. I purchase 195 gallons go back inside and get my fuel card and the fuel ticket.

I head for home and less than 1 mile from my employer, a tow truck driver towing a car was on the shoulder and about 1/2 back by my trailer. He had just hooked up to it. I had on my right turn signals and was first in line at the light.  When I started to turn when the light turned green, he also tried sneaking in beside me & turn right too!  I let him have it with the air horn as I was 1/4 of the way doing my right and was now stuck, unless I drove the trailer wheels up and over him. He had to back up.  This is a bad turn to begin with and many drivers try using that shoulder as a right turn lane.  I do make it to the yard safely and give thanks.  I saved one person from dying today in Texas and the actions of drivers being in a hurry to get to grandma’s for turkey is not worth hurting/killing anyone.  308,846 tractor-trailer accident free miles at end of this trip.  None of it easy.

I do not get to use the same tractor on this Dallas trip so I will be in a rented one for today. I put my beaded seat cushion on the drivers seat and hook up my CB and did the mileage sheet left in the truck and start a new one when I leave for Dallas.  I check the truck out for oil and lights and trailer too. Going to need them because of the rain. I leave a little early–3 pm– hoping that my load is ready and that will give me extra time for rainy driving weather.

At the shipper my load is ready and sitting off to the side and I count 30 pallets for now. The loader is busy and when my trailer is loaded, the pallet count is now at 39 and I assist with the counting in the trailer with loader on one side and I on the other.  The code and piece count and weight is needed so I can get the papers for the load. I read them off and loader writes them down. When I get the printout it shows the weight at 42,000 pounds.  I sign the paper and shut the trailer doors and I leave at 4:45 for the truck stop across town to weigh the load.  I should have left at 4 or shortly after.

At the truck stop I pull onto the divided scale and have a set of axles on each section. I press the button to notify the fuel desk I am on the scale. I give them the company name and truck number and when they tell me to move off the scale, I pull thru the fuel island. Inside I get my scale ticket for $8. I have another trailer that is very difficult to slide the tandems so I am relieved that I do not have to go back to shipper or my employer to get this done.  Steers are 12,044, the drives are 32,480 and the trailer is 32,060 for a total weight of 76,580.  Our legal limit is 80,000 pounds with no more than 34,000 on drives and trailer axle. It is now 5:15.  So much for my idea of leaving early.

This truck stop needs a stop light as you can not turn left at this time of day or almost anytime with the Interstate just 2 blocks away.  I turn right and decide to stay on US 412 to US 69 in Oklahoma and pay $7.50 for the turnpike. Once there the speed limit is 75 mph and it took almost 1 mile to get to that speed with the weight of the load and I also have 3/4 tank of fuel.  At the end of the turnpike there were 7 of us in a row and the lead semi was doing about 40mph 1 mile from the ramp/curve and no time to pass him or even the others. When all of us got past that ramp/curve we sure passed him and it took me another mile to get up to speed again. With the delay at the shipper, weighing the load and this slow truck holding us up and the rain too, I was begining to feel like I just may make Dallas by noon tomorrow!

I was passing thru McAlester Oklahoma at 7:45 which will put me at my reciever at 11 pm.  I stopped for a bathroom break and get my evening milk and a cookie at 8:30. This is now 2 hours from my appointment. I made up some time by having green lights going thru some of the towns.  I cross the Texas line at 9:30 and I pulled into the reciever at 10:45!  The gate is locked so I call my contact to have them come and let me in. Soon I am backed into the dock and I was given a Pepsi by the unloaders. I am there for 1 hour and decide to head back and not sleep here. As I head north, I am not tired so I keep on going.

I stop at McAlester for fuel at 2:15am and the fuel is not pumping fast, there is a problem. I tell this to the clerk and he knows it and are waiting for someone to fix it. I go back to the pump and see only 12 gallons are pumped and I need 130. I go to the main pump and its at 15. I shut off the pump on the passenger side and put the fuel cap on. Back on the drivers side we are now at 20 and I shut the pump off and put the fuel cap on.  I pay for the 20 gallons purchased and leave. 30 minutes for 20 gallons does not work.  I will have to stop at another place on the way home.

I go to Eufaula 30 miles away and get there at 3:15 and I put in 138 gallons and am done and leaving in 12 minutes!!!!!!  That is how it should work. I am now just over 2 hours from home and about 1 hour from home it turned out to be hard as the sleep was starting to come. Deer are out thick tonight and there is some low ground fog too. I arrive at our  lot and complete 679 miles safely again.

I get to take another rented semi because the one I was using is not here.  It is a International 10 speed and the front bumper is not hanging right on the right side, but its still OK. It is not in any danger of falling off but it has been bumped into.  There is a slight shimmy around 60 mph but not bad. I’ll write it up so it can be checked out. This unit also had some guages/switches that I have not seen. There was one for the brakepressure when you used the jakebrake and that was neat to see how much PSI you used. There was also a temp guage for the front axle and one for the rear axle and for the tranny temperture too.  The radio even worked better as I could listen to the country station from Fort Smith all the way to Texas.  The radio on the other truck did not work that well. 

I left the shipper at 4 and all the way to Fort Smith, another semi and I played leap frog. This gets really old for an hour but it can’t be helped as both trucks are wanting to stay at the same speed and the one with the heavier load will loose some speed going uphill and the lighter truck will get out in the passing lane knowing that you probably can not pass but you can keep your same speed and get up to the slower trucks trailer wheels or just ahead of it.  To have to stay behind that slower truck in this situation will slow you down 10 mph.  Once to Fort Smith it was flat land and our “game” was over.

I need to buy fuel so I decide to do it going to Dallas shortly after getting on US 69  and I knew the time picked at the 6pm hour would be crowded but I sure did not expect to find myself sitting on the highway waiting to get into the fuel lane!!!  I was not a happy person but I was stuck and had to wait till I could get to the fuel entrance where I did a U turn and left.  About 5 pumps with at least 10 trucks waiting behind those fueling for their 50 to  300 gallons.  I can fuel at another stop or even this one on the way back tonight or tomorrow.  I also turned on the weather channel as there is lightning to the south and west and a chance of hail and 60mph winds that was passing thru Oklahoma City and other points to the south and west.   I hate storms and can do without all of this excitment.  It was pretty to watch the sunset and the storm approach and see the lightning.

I got a lot of green lights going thru McAlester and that helped me gain back some of the lost time. There were a lot of semi’s out tonight heading to Dallas and beyond and we were doing the posted 75 mph. Lightning all the way to Dallas.  I even passed a slower moving semi and that driver had his TV on the passenger seat and was watching it!!  I do not agree with that at all but is it any different from glancing at your map while driving, drinking, eating, using the CB or phone??????  I had a trucker pass me with a GOAT in the passenger seat!  I about drove off the road when seeing that one. 

 I arrived at my reciever at 9:45!  I was happy with that time as we need to be here my midnight and my personal goal is 10 pm.  Soon I head northbound for home.  For some reason I am not tired so I keep on rolling and watch the lightning. I stop for fuel at the same place I tried to stop going to Dallas.  I purchase 165 gallons. 

When I left, a 4-wheeler followed me and stayed behind me from the truck stop to just nano seconds from the ramp of I-40.  It was then that this idiot jumps into the left lane goes around me and squeezes in front of me and behind another big truck at such a speed he SWERVED into our lane.  Its a wonder he did not hit any of us, or I hit him. Its even more amazing he did not roll the vehicle.  OK, the signs for this exit have been up and readable to all so why did this idiot do this stupid thing???  I have learned to watch for this and perhaps that saved 3 of us from an accident or at least me.  And the public wants to know why there are wrecks between us and them!!!  And all think it is our fault.  It takes us a football field to stop this rig and maybe even longer.  Law enforcement is now doing something about this.  In the latest trucking magazine, the State of Washington is now having police ride with the drivers to report this activity and the cop waiting will pull car over and give out a ticket.  (many more states are now doing this.) I make it back to the office and park the truck and go home.  This trip pushed me over the 300,000 mile mark on tractor trailer.  Thats something considering I never wanted to drive a semi to begin with!  Its a wonder how I ever got  just over the 300,000 miles accident free so far with the stupidity on the highways.

For the bigger compainies there is training before just handing you the keys and saying get in truck number _______ and hook up to trailer number______ and take the load to Chicago.  You just can’t do that as there is so much to learn and know to operate that vehicle safely.  First thing is to see if you can actually drive that 65 foot vehicle.  You may have problems with depth perception and how to turn the vehicle.  That is a big problem to have.

Many of the big companies training program are similar with the knowledge needed to operate that semi and the classroom work and driving is about the same—-5 weeks to 2 months. For example, mine taught us what we should not eat cause it makes you sleepy. Other drivers from the bigger schools were not taught that when I asked them at that time. Nothing wrong with that as my employer thought it was needed.  You also have drivers who get sleepy if they eat anything before driving so they don’t eat.  Nothing wrong with that.  I can’t have tea when driving any vehicle as there are not enough bathrooms close by for me and even less in a semi! So it is up to the driver to know what they can and can’t do.  

Seeing the semi’s up close is awesome and also frightening. We all are close to them on the roads, but to be this close and actually see one while its not moving it looks even bigger.  Part of the training naturally consists of learning how to back under the trailer and hooking up the hoses from the tractor to the trailer so it can be moved. There is driving in a parking lot of just the tractor using 1 or 2 gears to get used to it and later you get the trailer.  There is more learning on how to shift in a semi as its not like your personal vehicle if you know how to do that.  There is backing too, straight line backing, 45 degree backing, 90 degree backing and serpentine backing.  Now you would think straight line backing would be as easy as going forward but its not. A little turn on the steering wheel causes the trailer to move way out of line.   After more practice you get to go out on the streets and highways and terrorize yourself and the motoring public!

In the classroom I had these topics with quiz’s and/or homework: hazmat, truck computer (Qualcomm) logs, winter driving and tips, safety films (accidents, safe driving and more) , trip planning, map reading, fatigue prevention, your internal body clock, nutrition suggestions, how alert are you when driving, safety on the road for you and your rig, what to do if your rig is stolen or you get hijacked. (this is a billion dollar issue in the trucking industry) loading procedures, weighing the load, sliding the tandems, mechanical knowledge, how much fuel to buy and where to buy it, breakdowns, accidents, weather and the list goes on and on.

One does not just pull into any truck stop and fill up. You have to buy fuel where your company is authorized on the major truck stops so your fuel card will work.  And you do not just fill up. The full tank of fuel could put you over legal weight.  You have to know how much fuel to buy at 8 pounds per gallon. Sliding your tandems 4 holes either forwards or backwards is 250 pounds per hole and that is 1000 pounds that is now shifted to balance your load. Lets say the trailer tires are closer to the nose of the trailer and the rear axle is 800 pounds over gross weight. To fix that problem you slide your trailer tires BACK 4 slots and now 1000 pounds is shifted to the front of the trailer.  You could go more holes if there is room for more shifted weight to be on the tractor tires.   

 I even had jackknife training and that was scary in a controlled setting doing about 25mph on the skid pad in September.  I learned that I never ever wanted to have this happen in a real world at faster speeds.  We have all started to loose control/slide in our personal vehicles and know what that does to you. Now imagine doing the same in a 65 foot rig on the same road/street. Not pretty.  So the next time you are behind that slow semi in the winter, it is going slow due to a empty or light load in the trailer and that driver could be scared to death of jackknifing and hurting or killing him/her and others who may be in the way.

Soon your training is up with this learning and now you go out on the road with a trainer for the required time. For me it was almost 3 weeks AFTER my 2 weeks at corp office and 1 week at regional office for my practice driving and tests. When I went out on my own, all of this fell into place and it was much easier with all the training that I was given. I also had the SPRING and WINTER training required of every driver. For me, I got comfortable with all I am to know and do in about 6 months. It takes awhile to catch on. Just like when you learned how to drive mom and dad’s car. You wonder if you will ever get it like they did. And you do. Just takes time.

The public just does not understand us and what we do and give up so the items to be bought are fully stocked on the shelves of your favorite place to shop.  Its tough out there when it comes to how to deal with being away from home. Each driver finds a way to deal with it. You have too. It may be calling friends and family to talk or leave a message. I used to watch my friends cat and dog when I lived with them while my house was being built. I found myself calling their house to leave messages for the cat and dog!!!! The lack of contact from your friends and family and just to talk to someone like you do at other jobs is not there.  And when you do get to be home for 1 to 3 days, you do not want to go anywhere as you just want to stay home and do your thing in your own home and be normal. You invite your friends over but they want you to come to their place. Again no one understands the need to be home except for you.  At least this is how I had to have it.

During your mandatory break it is rough or it can be at times. If you were still at your other job, you would be out on the patio now grilling steaks and having fun with family and friends. Tonight is also a big doings at your church that you would go to if you had a “normal” job. Tomorrow is a birthday dinner for your mom/dad/wife/husband/child. Today you find out that a loved one died, someone you were really close to for 20 years. But you won’t be able to go to the funeral because you are in a truck and you can’t get home for it. You are just too far out to make it back. It makes it worse when you call your employer to talk to a specific member of the office staff only to find out that person is not there as they left early to go to a funeral/go to a birthday dinner/go to the big event being planned at church and etc… OK, so they can come and go, but you can not.  No one is doing their work and it will be there for them when they return. But you are not human, you are part of that truck. Once in it, its hard to get out of it. You have no life. The freight has to be delivered. America is set up for JUST IN TIME (J.I.T.) freight to keep the inventory supply down at the place its going to. There is a lot that drivers give up and some is by choice.  It is also not for everyone and many don’t make it for many reasons. Drivers can not be successful in delivering the products if it wasn’t for all the people behind the scenes that are there for us. They too give up a lot. Your night shift dispatcher and others on call,  24 hour truck stop employees, mechanics, truck and trailer dealers, the 24 hour business’s that make the product or where we deliver it to and many more on the list too. 

Spring is something that everyone looks foward to after driving in the winter. The snow and ice and cold just wear a person out. Dealing with coats and boots and frozen brakes has worn out its welcome. Driving is not “easy” like it is in the spring and summer months.You eagerly look forward to not wearing coats, boots and gloves. Your thoughts turn to all the things we do in the spring—outdoor sports, lawn care, gardening, grilling out and the list goes on.

With this change of seasons comes another area of concern for all travelers of the highways. Storms with the hail, high winds and tornadoes. This affects all OTR truck drivers. (just like the snowstorms/blizzards we deal with) Most of the semi’s have the weather radio and you can get it also with your CB. And with many truck stops having the weather channel on and drivers talking to one another, you have the capability of knowing what is coming or what you are heading into.

Sometimes these storms pop up suddenly and you do the best you can. Nature is awesome and scary at the same time. You will be driving in blue, black, green, pinkish sky and rain and wind and still maybe wearing sun glasses which is really weird. You are watching nature and hoping you can reach the nearest town before you get hit with this storm.

The local station is talking about seeking shelter NOW if you are in the area of the voice speaking to you. You do not recognize any of the town names being mentioned in the path of the storm, but you do catch a couple of county names and know you are next to that county. But that does not help you knowing where you are in relationship of that tornado on the ground. You never know how that tornado is moving or growing. If you do not like storms like I do, this does not help the situation you are in.

As a professional driver, you should be aware of your location but afterall you are human. You do know you are near a major city but the announcements are talking about Small Town USA and its just impossible to know the name of every Small Town USA. Its at this time you wish more info would be given, like if you are on Interstate/Highway and approaching this mile marker GET OFF THE ROAD NOW AND FIND SHELTER!

You do make it thru this weather and make your delivery and return home the same day on the same roads. But your hours are up and you reach a truck stop about 11pm with some rain and a thunderstorm and 30 mph winds. You are tired and while in the sleeper, the winds rock the truck gently and you are listening to the rain come down and finally drift off to sleep.