Long grades in the Appalachian's
Drove through the Appalachians on interstate 64 going to Virginia Beach in the car and noticed a 7% grade east of Beckley, WV. I'm not sure I want to tackle that in my truck with my 5th wheel without ...
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I've done this highway many times pulling my 31' 5th wheel with an 05 Dodge Cummins with no exhaust brake. I just start at the top by reducing to about 50 to 55 mph and then as speed starts to go beyond that I brake rather hard to bleed off about 10 mph then get off the brakes until speed picks back up to about 50. By "braking hard" then "coasting to cool" I have traveled many roads without incident.
There have been many recorded incidents by 18 wheelers on this road but I personally believe it is because many commercial drivers today are not experienced or even trained properly and should not even have a CDL. Many trucking companies just want "meat in the seat" and allow incompetent people to drive. A couple of years ago we witnessed a trucker obviously from Mexico who stopped at a rest stop. He went around and opened the passenger door to help his very pregnut wife and 4 little ones out of the cab. A guy this young with his family in tow has no business with a CDL. But like too many things in today's world, laws are in the books but not enforced.
There have been many recorded incidents by 18 wheelers on this road but I personally believe it is because many commercial drivers today are not experienced or even trained properly and should not even have a CDL. Many trucking companies just want "meat in the seat" and allow incompetent people to drive. A couple of years ago we witnessed a trucker obviously from Mexico who stopped at a rest stop. He went around and opened the passenger door to help his very pregnut wife and 4 little ones out of the cab. A guy this young with his family in tow has no business with a CDL. But like too many things in today's world, laws are in the books but not enforced.
