Anyone who has worked a CDL driver job in PA or NJ knows that every season presents its own unique challenges. Winter is known for harsh weather conditions like snow and ice, fall brings wet leaves that can create hazardous road conditions, and spring is infamous for unpredictable rain showers. Some people may overlook summer as a season that truck drivers need to prepare for, but this should not be the case.
Like any other season, summer can create problems for truck drivers that can be catastrophic to the bottom line. The good news is that with adequate preparation and awareness, you can make sure this summer is full of smooth, relaxing driving with no serious hiccups. Here are some simple steps any CDL driver can take to make sure their summer driving is successful and relatively enjoyable:
Watch Your Tire Pressure & Temperature
Over a long day on the hot asphalt, tires will inevitably heat up. Tires that become too hot can blow out or even catch fire if they have not given a chance to cool down. During the summer, it is vital to keep your tires fully inflated, which makes them less likely to blow out. If you’re driving in the sun, take a break to let them cool off every few hours. Simply pulling into the shade for a while or dousing your tires with some cool water can prevent blowouts, and the time spent doing this can save you the trouble of waiting for a tow later.
Check Your Cooling Fluids
When driving long distances in the hot weather, your truck’s ability to keep itself cool is paramount. Before every trip, you should make sure that your engine’s cooling system has high enough levels of water and antifreeze. Your engine burns through these liquids more quickly when it’s hot outside, so their levels should be checked more frequently in the summer than in other seasons. Overheated engine fluid can lead to severe problems like engine failure and fires, though this can be easily avoided by regularly monitoring your cooling system.
Inspect Your Hoses and Belts
An unchecked loose belt can make your engine more susceptible to overheating, which becomes even more likely in the summer heat. Hoses can also contribute to your engine overheating if they are cracked, especially on hot days. Inspect your belt and hoses before every trip to avoid engine failure and costly repairs.
Summer presents unique challenges for commercial truck drivers, but the risk posed by these challenges can be lessened by awareness and monitoring of the tires and engine. To learn more about class A driver jobs and the critical work done by commercial truck drivers, contact the experts at TQM Logistics.
