Snow Strapped

Winter wasn’t the same, for Canada and those old enough to know what weather used to be like during the months of November to April this mild weather could have been considered spring. It was so mild that more people had been seen in shorts and t-shirts than winter coats and boots. The news was telling people that the conditions are changing due to global warming and people were starting to relax. Jim was one of those people who felt that he could beat anything, he was a new driver with only a couple of years experience and was just starting to be awarded longer runs. He had never experienced any problems on the road other than traffic and the odd driving rain.

The company had been awarded a special contract running freight into Denver Colorado. Two trucks would be sent with specialized freight and the boss thought it would be a good learning experience for Jim as he was sending one of his most experienced drivers in the other truck to help him along. Jim was warned that the weather can change drastically in that region and to be prepared for the worst. Unfortunately the worst that Jim had experienced was considered the best for some so he didn’t think of things other than a heavy coat.

The trucks roared out onto the highway. Nothing but clear sailing for the pair and they made good time their first day. The only thing that Jim noticed about his partner was that while Jim had been buying things like chips and pretzels for the road his partner was stocking up on canned goods and crackers. When Jim asked why he was buying that stuff the old timer just kept saying, “You never know!” Jim didn’t understand, but he would. After another day of decent weather and then things started to change, the mountains had a way of creating unexpected changes in a hurry. As the snow started to fall it changed in intensity and turned it icy at the same time. As they approached traffic stopped ahead and the C.B wrung with chatter about the set of trains that had flipped over at the bottom of the hill closing the road. They were now idle with an unexpected wait time ahead. As the hours passed hunger set in. Jim had run out of junk food and was concerned it would be morning before things got underway. The thought alone was making him hungry. With the weather it turned to a 10 hour wait before the accident was cleaned up. Thanks to an experienced driver, and some canned goods and crackers, hunger for Jim would have to wait for another day.

Severe weather, accidents, and many other conditions can change or block our routes to customer destinations. Always plan for the worst and your survival. Food, shelter, and heat should always be priorities to think about on any trip.

About the Author

Bruce Outridge has been in the transportation industry for over 30 years and is the author of the books Driven to Drive and Running by the Mile. To learn more about Bruce and his work please visit his website at www.outridgeenterprises.ca