Add us to your Google preferred sources What is a “Google Preferred Source”?

Donner Pass was closed yesterday, but now we are slowly seeing trucks passing through trying to reach their destination.

Officials tell us that when storms come around, it has a huge impact on how many hours a truck driver works. They say legally, truck drivers can only drive for eleven hours straight. 

Paul Enos, the CEO for the Nevada Trucking Association, explains, "When storms and traffic have an impact, that can have effects on supply chain down the road, it means that that driver may have to park for ten hours and reset that clock and be able to go."

The Nevada Trucking Association used grocery stores as an example for delayed deliveries. Enos says a grocery store can typically have a three day supply, but when a storm hits and deliveries are delayed... is when we start seeing empty shelves.

Often when storms come through the mountains, you'll see truck drivers chaining up on the side of the road.

This can delay drivers even more when trying to get to their destination.

Enos says "It takes a long time to chain up and you're doing it in dangerous conditions where the weather is bad, so I just ask everyone who is driving past them to slow down." Enos says it might also be beneficial for truck drivers to look into alternative traction devices that are easier to put on their tires. "Things like the auto sock, which instead of taking 30 minutes to chain up a truck, you can put those auto socks on a truck in five minutes."

He also mentions one of the biggest issues across the country for truck drivers is finding spaces to safely park, which is why we see so many drivers on the side of the road waiting for closed roads to open. Enos says he hopes in the future, they can create spaces for truck drivers to go during bad storms.

"Where truck drivers have a safe place to park, that is well lit where they have services like being able to use a bathroom, you know, being able to park and get some sleep, get that rest. So that is really important to us and something we've been advocating for in all levels of government," said Enos. 

Tags