SANDThe major problem sand presents is to gain tractionwithout digging in. Sand can be stabilized with a largevolume of water but loosens as soon as it dries out.Often, tires spin and dig into the sand rapidly whichcauses a jerking motion in the drive line.NOTE: This jerking motion can cause severedamage to axles, differentials, and propeller shafts.All-wheel drive vehicles have less difficulty, but theyconsume considerable power.Should you have to operate in sand, there are someactions you can take to help you out when a winch is notavailable. Partially deflate your tires; this gives yourtires a wider footprint for traction. You can use mats ofbrush, wire, grass, lumber or anything that can “bridgeover” and allow you to spread the load of your vehicleover a larger area.CROSS-COUNTRYDriving cross-country can produce many problems.Should you have to drive cross-country, it is best to havesomeone walk in front of your vehicle to look for holes,stumps, and ditches that may damage your vehicle.Proceed slowly and use the lowest gear possible. Avoidwet, marshy areas if possible because a marsh will crustover and break through if you drive over it. When itbreaks through, there is little you can do but call forassistance to be towed.Watch out for stumps, rocks, or anything on whichyou may get high center. Sometimes it is better to keepyour tires on large rocks and go over them, rather thanstraddle them. Stumps may be cut off for your vehicleto clear.DRIVING HOURSDriving hours are regulated by the U.S. Departmentof Transportation, Code of Federal Regulations, Title49. These regulations are reflected in the Federal MotorCarrier Safety Regulations Pocketbook, ORS-7A. Youare restricted to drive no longer than 10 hours in a15-hour period after 8 hours off duty. You, the operator,are responsible for the safe operation of your vehicle.As a safety measure, an operator should take breaksor rest stops when becoming fatigued or sleepy. Afterparking the vehicle, get out and walk around to stretchyour muscles. Rest stops are especially important on along trip requiring many hours of driving.WARNINGExtended periods of driving often results indriver fatigue. Physical and mental fatiguebrought on by extended periods of time behindthe wheel is a frequent problem encountered byoperators. If operators are exhausted, they maydoze at the wheel and lose control of the vehicle,resulting in a serious or fatal mishap.MOUNTAIN DRIVINGThe force of gravity plays a major role in mountaindriving. If you have a heavy load or a fully loaded bus,you must select lower gears to climb the hills. Whengoing down steep hills, the pull of gravity speeds youup. You must go slow so your brakes can hold you backwithout overheating. If the brakes become too hot, theymay start to “fade.” This means that you have to applythem harder and harder to get the same stopping power.When the brakes continue to be used hard, they continueto fade until you cannot slow down or stop at all.Use of GearsNo matter what size of vehicle you are descendinglong, steep grades in, going too fast can cause yourbrakes to fail. Lower gears allow engine compressionand friction to help slow the vehicle. This is true whetheryou have an automatic or a manual transmission.When you are operating a large vehicle with amanual transmission or a fully loaded bus, do not waituntil you have started down a hill to shift down. Youcould get hung up in neutral and find yourself coasting,which is not only illegal but is also dangerous.Remember: Choose the right gear before starting downa hill.For older trucks, the rule of thumb for choosinggears is to use the same gear going down a hill that youwould use to climb the hill. New trucks have low frictionparts and streamlined shapes for fuel economy and oftenhave more powerful engines. This allows them to go uphills in higher gears. They also have less friction and airdrag to hold them back when going down a hill. For thisreason, operators of newer trucks often have to uselower gears going down a hill than needed to go up thehill.Proper BrakingWhen going downhill, brakes tend to heat up. Whenengaged, the brake pads and shoes rub against the brake5-7
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