Every part of the USA has some amount of detrimental road conditions to deal with, and Houston, TX, is no different. The extreme southern heat can lead to some major road issues that may not manifest in other parts of the country, but still require a flexible, action-ready truck driver at the wheel to navigate them. Bay and Bay Transportation drivers should be ready to tackle anything from deep potholes to endless construction when they’re on the road in the great state of Texas.
Thanks to major heat and heavy traffic flow in Texas, many roads experience significant degradation of road conditions. For truck drivers, this means cracked roads, unexpected drop-offs, large potholes, and occasional large road debris. All of these factors together mean that both rural roads and areas that may see lots of traffic should be approached with caution and carefully surveyed as you drive. This is a good rule of thumb in general, but special attention should be paid to bridges as well. Since bridges have similarly suffered from these conditions, if you’re approaching a new route you should carefully review weight limits and any posted warnings and make adjustments if necessary.
These generally poor road conditions have only been compounded by recent weather events. The flooding from Hurricane Harvey combined with drought conditions can lead to and have resulted in unexpected standing water. Not only is this a risk to truck drivers in itself, but it can also conceal additional truck driving hazards such as the ones listed above. Areas with standing water should be carefully avoided and planned around. Luckily, many such areas are still being reported publicly for drivers so problem areas can be avoided with a little research.
Truck drivers will also have to contest with the people working on these problem areas on a daily basis. Construction zones and inadequate signage are a fairly common occurrence on long Texas trips, and as soon as confused pedestrian drivers enter the mix, truck drivers suddenly have their work cut out for them. Along with keeping an eye on the non-commercial drivers trying to navigate detours and construction zones, be sure to keep an eye out for workers and poorly parked construction equipment. It can be difficult to predict worker behavior in a construction zone, so your job as a truck driver is to play it as safe as you can for the benefit of everyone involved.
These road hazards can be found in different forms all over the country, but thanks to the size of Texas, you’re likely to encounter several at a time on a long trip. Prepare yourself for whatever may come your way. If you’re a Houston, TX, area driver interested in truck driving work or becoming a professional truck driver, contact Bay and Bay Transportation at (888) 801-3026 or visit their website here for additional details.