This chapter is for the benefit of most of you who have not driven a big rig, probably never will and have little knowledge of trucks. I will describe some aspects of driving my truck that are typic … Read more
Truck Handling Characteristics and Limitations Introduction
Last Edited: July 23, 2017 // by TruckerScape, Inc.
Caution Zones Introduction
Last Edited: July 22, 2019 // by TruckerScape, Inc.
BASICS The chapter on Risk Zones focuses on personal vehicle moves into and out of risk zones from behind and in front of trucks on the open highway (typically on interstates or major highways with t … Read more
Truck Length
Last Edited: July 23, 2017 // by TruckerScape, Inc.
Turning The most obvious characteristics of my truck are its size and weight. Total length of my tractor trailer is about 73 feet. This is without the folding/unfolding spoiler (also called “tr … Read more
Truck Width
Last Edited: July 23, 2017 // by TruckerScape, Inc.
Width of my trailer is 102 inches. Maximum width of my truck including the side mirrors on my tractor is about 118 inches (nearly 10 feet). So the spare space for me even in standard-width traffic … Read more
Truck Height
Last Edited: July 23, 2017 // by TruckerScape, Inc.
As mentioned in the Vision tip, an important advantage the height of my truck affords is a good view of road conditions and traffic ahead of me. There are a couple of disadvantages, one being the po … Read more
Truck Weight
Last Edited: July 23, 2017 // by TruckerScape, Inc.
Total allowable weight of my truck including freight is 80,000 pounds in most states. My tractor weighs about 21,000 pounds including fuel and me, and an empty dry van trailer weighs around 14,000 p … Read more
Lights
Last Edited: July 23, 2017 // by TruckerScape, Inc.
Truck Lights and Their Functions It has been my experience that my truck signal lights don’t get enough attention from some personal vehicle drivers occupying certain positions around my truck. T … Read more
Vision
Last Edited: January 26, 2020 // by TruckerScape, Inc.
Basics The key vision advantage I have in my truck is a higher observation point than you have in your car or pickup truck. I can look well ahead over the tops of personal vehicle traffic, spot pos … Read more
Vision—Advanced Notes
Last Edited: January 29, 2020 // by TruckerScape, Inc.
Basics The sections of this Advanced Vision tip contain detailed and somewhat technical and complicated descriptions of my tractor’s mirrors and views they provide. Some description from the prim … Read more
Hearing
Last Edited: July 23, 2017 // by TruckerScape, Inc.
As you would probably guess, the noise level in my truck cab is higher than that in most personal vehicles. This is in spite of improved sound-proofing in the relatively new model I drive. On surface … Read more
Truck Horns
Last Edited: July 23, 2017 // by TruckerScape, Inc.
While I may not hear your personal vehicle’s horn on the open road (typically on interstates or major highways with two or more lanes in each direction, in sparse traffic, usually in rural areas) or … Read more
Acceleration and Speed
Last Edited: July 23, 2017 // by TruckerScape, Inc.
As you no doubt have observed, big trucks accelerate slooowly, from a standing start or in motion. My truck is no exception and because it has a relatively small engine block with less power, gets u … Read more
Brakes and Stopping
Last Edited: July 23, 2017 // by TruckerScape, Inc.
Service Brakes Air brakes (service brakes) are the primary means of slowing and/or stopping big trucks such as mine. In conventional systems, braking is performed with compressed air in lines leadi … Read more
Steering
Last Edited: July 23, 2017 // by TruckerScape, Inc.
As you would expect, steering such a large vehicle takes extra care. Power steering eliminates “muscling” the steering wheel as was necessary with early model trucks. In good weather on a leve … Read more
Transmissions and Shifting
Last Edited: July 23, 2017 // by TruckerScape, Inc.
Manual Transmissions There are obvious differences between manually shifting a personal vehicle through its gears and doing so in a truck. A truck has more forward gears, required to get to and mai … Read more
Suspension/Ride/Tires
Last Edited: July 23, 2017 // by TruckerScape, Inc.
Suspension and Ride The ride in my truck is an additional, if not primary, factor for me to deal with when driving. When cruising on a new, smooth highway, I enjoy a ride that approaches that in a … Read more
Risk Zones Introduction
Last Edited: April 16, 2017 // by TruckerScape, Inc.
Assume you are driving close to my truck on the open road (typically on interstates or major highways with two or more lanes in each direction, in sparse traffic, usually in the countryside) and it is … Read more
Risk Zone: Close and Directly Behind My Truck
Last Edited: January 16, 2020 // by TruckerScape, Inc.
Definition of “Close” and Following Distance Guidelines By “close” behind my truck I mean a distance less than the distance your personal vehicle travels in one second. For example if my tr … Read more
Risk Zone: Close Behind My Truck but in the Left Lane Next to Mine, Where I Can See You in My Large Left Mirror
Last Edited: May 13, 2019 // by TruckerScape, Inc.
Risk Zone Pluses and Minuses On multi-lane highways or streets, drivers often settle in the lane to my left with the front of their personal vehicles even with, or only one or two car lengths behind … Read more
Risk Zone: Close Behind My Truck but in the Right Lane Next to Mine, Where I Can See You in My Large Right Mirror
Last Edited: April 16, 2017 // by TruckerScape, Inc.
Risk Zone Pluses and Minuses As a general rule, risk zones on my right side are more hazardous than the corresponding positions on my left. Optics are more restrictive--the distance between me and … Read more
Risk Zone: Alongside the Rear Section of My Trailer on My Left Side, Where I Can See You in My Large Left Mirror
Last Edited: April 16, 2017 // by TruckerScape, Inc.
Risk Zone Pluses and Minuses There are pluses and minuses for you in this risk zone extending from the trailer tail to the tandems in their full forward position. On the plus side, you may feel sec … Read more
Risk Zone: Alongside the Rear Section of My Trailer on My Right Side, Where I Can See You Partially in My Large Right Mirror and Fully in the Small Convex Mirror Below It
Last Edited: April 16, 2017 // by TruckerScape, Inc.
Risk Zone Pluses and Minuses The pluses and minuses for you in this risk zone, extending from the trailer tail to the tandems in their full forward position, are similar to those in the corresponding … Read more
Risk Zone: Alongside the Middle Section of My Trailer on My Left Side, Where I can See You Partially in My Large Left Mirror and Fully in The Small Convex Mirror Below It
Last Edited: April 16, 2017 // by TruckerScape, Inc.
Seeing You When you’re in the left lane next to mine on the open highway (typically on interstates or major highways with two or more lanes in each direction, in sparse traffic, usually in the coun … Read more
Risk Zone: Alongside the Middle Section of My Trailer on My Right Side, Where I can See You in The Small Convex Mirror Below My Large Right Mirror
Last Edited: April 16, 2017 // by TruckerScape, Inc.
Seeing You When you’re in the right lane next to mine on the open highway (typically on interstates or major highways with two or more lanes in each direction, in sparse traffic, usually in the cou … Read more
Risk Zone: Alongside the Front of My Trailer on My Left Side, Where I Can See You in the Small Convex Mirror Below My Large Left Mirror
Last Edited: April 16, 2017 // by TruckerScape, Inc.
Seeing You When you’re in the left lane next to mine on the open highway (typically on interstates or major highways with two or more lanes in each direction, in sparse traffic, usually in the coun … Read more
Risk Zone: Alongside the Front of My Trailer on My Right Side, Where I Can See You in the Small Convex Mirror Below My Large Right Mirror
Last Edited: April 16, 2017 // by TruckerScape, Inc.
Seeing You When you’re in the right lane next to mine on the open highway (typically on interstates or major highways with two or more lanes in each direction, in sparse traffic, usually in the cou … Read more
Risk Zone: Alongside My Tractor on My Left Side, Where I Can See You out My Left Side Window and in the Convex Mirror over My Tractor’s Left Front Fender
Last Edited: April 16, 2017 // by TruckerScape, Inc.
Seeing You When you’re in the left lane next to mine on the open highway (typically on interstates or major highways with two or more lanes in each direction, in sparse traffic, usually in the coun … Read more
Risk Zone: Alongside My Tractor on My Right Side, Where You Show Up in the Convex Mirror over My Tractor’s Right Front Fender but Only Partially out My Right Side Window
Last Edited: April 16, 2017 // by TruckerScape, Inc.
Seeing You When you’re in the right lane next to mine on the open highway (typically on interstates or major highways with two or more lanes in each direction, in sparse traffic, usually in the cou … Read more
Risk Zone: Alongside the Front of My Tractor on My Left Side, Where I Can See You out My Left Side Window but Only Marginally in the Convex Mirror over My Tractor’s Left Front Fender
Last Edited: April 16, 2017 // by TruckerScape, Inc.
Seeing You When you’re in the left lane next to mine on the open highway (typically on interstates or major highways with two or more lanes in each direction, in sparse traffic, usually in the coun … Read more
Risk Zone: Alongside the Front of My Tractor on My Right Side, Where You Do Not Show Up Well Directly out My Right Side Window or in the Convex Mirror over My Tractor’s Right Front Fender
Last Edited: April 16, 2017 // by TruckerScape, Inc.
Seeing You When you’re in the right lane next to mine on the open highway (typically on interstates or major highways with two or more lanes in each direction, in sparse traffic, usually in the cou … Read more