In this episode of Beyond the Road, Anderson Trucking Service (ATS) Recruiting Manager Jeron sits down with Omar, a specialized flatbed driver who's become known for his calm, prepared, "one-step-at-a-time" approach to trucking. A quick exchange about football soon turns into a genuine discussion about winter driving tips, life on the road, and why mental resets, patience, and planning matter so much for professional truck drivers.

Key Takeaways:

Key Takeaways:

When winter weather moves in, the right equipment — and the confidence to use it — makes all the difference. After more than a decade behind the wheel as a professional truck driver and now working directly with drivers as a safety manager at ATS, I’ve seen firsthand how quickly winter conditions can change. This guide will help you understand tire chain laws, stay compliant, and make safer, more confident decisions when winter weather hits.

Winter means bright snow, hot cocoa, holidays with friends and family, and a pensive time for reflection. However, for truck drivers, the winter season is...less idyllic. While ice-covered roads and whiteout conditions can certainly take their toll on drivers, they're not the only things they have to worry about when temperatures start to drop. Because as cold as you might feel, remember that your truck doesn't get a break from the cold. Its engine feels every degree, and if not properly cared for, it'll stall up on you — or worse.

An auxiliary power unit, or APU, is a small diesel-powered engine attached to a semi-truck that helps control the cab temperature, charge the truck’s batteries, and warm the engine block without requiring the truck’s main engine to idle.