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They're equally all good.
No segregated truck speed limit, only traffic clogs are near the big cities, and the weigh station personnel treat you like human beings if you treat them just as well.
When it comes to inclement/winter driving conditions, they actually have multiple forms of advanced warning.
This way, you could decide if you want to push through, or just find some place to wait out the conditions.
And parking spots are quite ample and are always nearby cool things to do during off/down-time.
Anytime I roll through these areas, I never think twice about it.
Worst:
1)California(especially anywhere not in the desert)
2)Oregon
3)Washington
4)Long Island part of NY
5)Rest of New England states in general.
These particular states have it all in common to certain extents.
Segregated truck speed limits where it's usually 55mph for trucks and cars can do whatever.
Parking is usually limited to truck-stops and other rest areas located far out of the delivery city limits.(Although Portland OR's an exception with a couple of good T/S not far from downtown)
Traffic is pretty much a nightmare with the exception of a few hours during the late-night/early morning.
Weigh stations, it's all about microscope-inspections of trucks and getting shut down over the most minor of issues. And the inspectors/personnel treating you like garbage regardless of how well you treat them.
Then there's just the whole negative attitude towards big vehicles in general in these states.
I honestly don't know how many people actually drive or have driven commercial vehicles on this site.
There's forums out there dedicated to the profession, but anytime I put a posting up like this, most drivers on those forums take it as some sort of attack against the profession and the thread goes into "locked" land.
With a little bit of everybody in here, it's a bit easier to see where everyone stands when it comes to the 18-wheeled monstrosities of the asphalt!
Having driven truck in the past Ill agree with most of your list. Instead of individule states I would say that all northeastern states are more difficult to drive in. Strict laws, few truck stops, population unfriendly to truckers and of course awful traffic all contribute to this. Some areas of the northeast arent that bad like parts of Pa, or northern secions of New England but overall the region is a tough one for truckers. California is similar, not sure about PNW never got up there. Most of the rest of the country is not that bad, other than hotspots like Atlanta, DFW and Chicago. Most of the midwest and south are easy. Upper midwest states like Mi, Wi, Mn are easy except in thier legendary winter weather. The mountain west is only challenging because of grade and weather. Same thing for parts of the Appalachian area.
Having driven truck in the past Ill agree with most of your list. Instead of individule states I would say that all northeastern states are more difficult to drive in. Strict laws, few truck stops, population unfriendly to truckers and of course awful traffic all contribute to this. Some areas of the northeast arent that bad like parts of Pa, or northern secions of New England but overall the region is a tough one for truckers. California is similar, not sure about PNW never got up there. Most of the rest of the country is not that bad, other than hotspots like Atlanta, DFW and Chicago. Most of the midwest and south are easy. Upper midwest states like Mi, Wi, Mn are easy except in thier legendary winter weather. The mountain west is only challenging because of grade and weather. Same thing for parts of the Appalachian area.
I've driven all those areas and tend to favor sticking to the southwest in general, regardless of getting a local or regional OTR gig.
I will say that the Mid-West is pretty spot on as being fairly easy to deal with as well as the south.
However, it's been awhile since I last drove full-48 state, so I'll just go with your word and past experience.
These particular states have it all in common to certain extents.
Segregated truck speed limits where it's usually 55mph for trucks and cars can do whatever.
Parking is usually limited to truck-stops and other rest areas located far out of the delivery city limits.(Although Portland OR's an exception with a couple of good T/S not far from downtown)
Traffic is pretty much a nightmare with the exception of a few hours during the late-night/early morning.
Weigh stations, it's all about microscope-inspections of trucks and getting shut down over the most minor of issues. And the inspectors/personnel treating you like garbage regardless of how well you treat them.
Then there's just the whole negative attitude towards big vehicles in general in these states.
I honestly don't know how many people actually drive or have driven commercial vehicles on this site.
There's forums out there dedicated to the profession, but anytime I put a posting up like this, most drivers on those forums take it as some sort of attack against the profession and the thread goes into "locked" land.
With a little bit of everybody in here, it's a bit easier to see where everyone stands when it comes to the 18-wheeled monstrosities of the asphalt!
Never drove a trailer or articulated truck, but, when I was a teenager in Boston, I had a job (of questionable legality) driving a 22-foot Mitsubishi box truck for a company, which was just about the biggest thing you could drive in Boston. Man. What a god damned nightmare that was. Making turns, changing lanes, getting through intersections... on those tiny streets, you were basically everyone else's enemy.
It was a relief getting onto the Pike but in pretty much any of the towns you had to go through, you ran into the same issues of narrow streets, often one-way; unforgiving fellow motorists, bored and overzealous cops, etc.
I actually miss that truck though... I named it "Homie"
Never drove a trailer or articulated truck, but, when I was a teenager in Boston, I had a job (of questionable legality) driving a 22-foot Mitsubishi box truck for a company, which was just about the biggest thing you could drive in Boston. Man. What a god damned nightmare that was. Making turns, changing lanes, getting through intersections... on those tiny streets, you were basically everyone else's enemy.
It was a relief getting onto the Pike but in pretty much any of the towns you had to go through, you ran into the same issues of narrow streets, often one-way; unforgiving fellow motorists, bored and overzealous cops, etc.
I actually miss that truck though... I named it "Homie"
And yet these shippers think these 75' vehicles will navigate the antiquated streets with ease.
There are some that can hack it, then there's the rest of us that would rather drop it off at the city-limits.
And yet these shippers think these 75' vehicles will navigate the antiquated streets with ease.
There are some that can hack it, then there's the rest of us that would rather drop it off at the city-limits.
The worst experience i ever had was navigating a semi truck through the back streets of Fall River Ma to make a delivery there. The consignee had to clear a small back street just to make it possible to get my truck in there. Those 400 year old streets were made for the horse and cart, not 18 wheelers.
Judging by the thread, I guess it's safe to say that there aren't too many of us on this board.
Makes you wonder if the rest of everyone else driving gets sufficient breaks in loads, or just roll 'til you drop.
Imagine that the NE and Ca are anti business lol. Thanks for all you do to keep this economy working. I see a lot of trucks licensed in Oklahoma probably something to do with the tax or registration cost. Good thread!
Imagine that the NE and Ca are anti business lol. Thanks for all you do to keep this economy working. I see a lot of trucks licensed in Oklahoma probably something to do with the tax or registration cost. Good thread!
I think only commercial vehicles are given that exemption regardless of where the company could be based.
I've even seen it where all the tractors have base plates of either the home-state or another state, and the trailers could be anyones guess.
So far, there have only been two companies I've run with where the plates belonged to the state the business was located in.
TN and UT respectively.
Overdrive Magazine's annual survey consistently shows owner/operator truckers select the Tennessee part of I-40 to be the best stretch of highway and I-10 in Louisiana to be the worst which barely beat out I-95 near NYC as the worst.
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