# Hours in your truck plowing



## PlowTeam5 (Nov 14, 2010)

Whats the longest you been in your truck plowing without any breaks of any sort besides driving to another lot to plow. I am curious to see who has the longest length of time. I personally went 28 hours straight in my truck 2 yrs ago during the blizzard we had. I came home and slept for 4 hours and showered and went back out for another 20 hours. Came home and passed out for almost a full day. Whats your personal best?


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## bigw (Nov 8, 2008)

PlowTeam5;1132406 said:


> Whats the longest you been in your truck plowing without any breaks of any sort besides driving to another lot to plow. I am curious to see who has the longest length of time. I personally went 28 hours straight in my truck 2 yrs ago during the blizzard we had. I came home and slept for 4 hours and showered and went back out for another 20 hours. Came home and passed out for almost a full day. Whats your personal best?


19 hrs straight 2 x with in a few days just last year with the 2 big storms we had here.and it sucked!!!!


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## JDiepstra (Sep 15, 2008)

Oh geez, anther one of these threads? Do a search, there is a thread with pages and pages of comments.


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## AA+ Landscaping (Nov 12, 2008)

Try 36 hours between the truck and skid steer saw the sun rise twice. Did that two times last year it took a lot of coffee.


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## paponte (Oct 28, 2003)

Yeah there is a thread somewhere on here already. I think the worst was the December blizzard we had the end of last year. I know I did at least 36hrs straight, I took a nap in my office chair briefly before the phone woke me up again, prob about two hours. We had guys in and out for 5 days though I think in five days I slept a total of 5hrs. I have plenty of stock in redbull and 7-11 coffee.


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## Mick76 (Aug 2, 2009)

38 and I hope to never do it again!


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## Triple L (Nov 1, 2005)

Based upon all the other threads about this topic, I always get a kick out of how many people stop working to go home and grab a shower... Honestly, your sitting in your truck doing nothing... Who really cares... JMO


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

Triple L;1132652 said:


> Based upon all the other threads about this topic, I always get a kick out of how many people stop working to go home and grab a shower... Honestly, your sitting in your truck doing nothing... Who really cares... JMO


I work alone cause I like to fart.... my record is 48... Hrs not farts.


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## mercer_me (Sep 13, 2008)

I have done 24 hours strait of plowing. After 24 hours I like to get a nap.


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## GMCHD plower (Nov 27, 2009)

Mercer how many drives do you do?


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## mercer_me (Sep 13, 2008)

GMCHD plower;1132686 said:


> Mercer how many drives do you do?


Not enough............Plus some of that 24 hours was riding in my uncles plow truck (plowing roads) between plowing drive ways.


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## PlowTeam5 (Nov 14, 2010)

Triple L;1132652 said:


> Based upon all the other threads about this topic, I always get a kick out of how many people stop working to go home and grab a shower... Honestly, your sitting in your truck doing nothing... Who really cares... JMO


A shower always makes me feel better and wakes me up a bit.


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## pvtben121 (Aug 22, 2010)

30 hrs when we had 20 inches in 08


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## plowatnight (Mar 10, 2010)

The runny farts suck! If I said how many, nobody would actually believe me.


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## clark lawn (Oct 7, 2005)

i did 40 some back in 95 started friday night and didnt get done till sometime sunday eveing.


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## snorider075 (Apr 3, 2010)

with how many farts or hours? lol


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## L.I.Mike (Dec 28, 2002)

26 hours in last years blizzard. Went home and slept for 12.


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## Pinky Demon (Jan 6, 2010)

18 hrs. is my record. As far as I'm concerned, I see no glory in staying up as long as possible and I frown upon it. All it takes it one mistake to make you regret staying up that long and then you lose any possible profit you could have had. 

I think I also read in one of the snow mags, that staying up for so many hours straight is the same as having a blood alcohol content of ....


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## sven_502 (Nov 1, 2008)

Agreed with pinky demon, its dangerous. My personal record was 40 something ( I could hardly count at that point) on the shoveling crew. I went home and passed out for almost a whole 24 hours. I know a few of those guys have ran a truck for over 70 hours, I know I wouldn't feel comfortable past 20 or so without sleeping for an hour. To top it off I don't drink coffee either.


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## serafii (Nov 29, 2009)

If I remember correctly my longest was 48 hours. Went home and slept for about 36 hours after that. Redbull coffee n cigarettes helped me get through that


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## cubicinches (Oct 19, 2008)

36 hours straight. March 1993. After that long, your ability to reason or make rational decisions is completely gone... It's like being a zombie. Not good.


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## Premier (Nov 20, 2007)

Pinky Demon;1133154 said:


> 18 hrs. is my record. As far as I'm concerned, I see no glory in staying up as long as possible and I frown upon it. All it takes it one mistake to make you regret staying up that long and then you lose any possible profit you could have had.
> 
> I think I also read in one of the snow mags, that staying up for so many hours straight is the same as having a blood alcohol content of ....


I agree with you on this, but there is also the point that the work needs to get done and the customer doesent care how long we've been up ect....


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## DobbinsINC (Jan 20, 2010)

i dont stay in my truck long bc i have back problems so i get out to stretch every hour or so and take a wizz bc of the redbull and iced coffee...but i was plowing almost 48 hours with no sleep but after that 48 i slept for 4 hours then back up at 3am to re salt


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## Pinky Demon (Jan 6, 2010)

Premier;1133825 said:


> I agree with you on this, but there is also the point that the work needs to get done and the customer doesent care how long we've been up ect....


Then maybe it's time to re-evaluate the battle plan.


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## BlackIrish (Dec 22, 2007)

Did 72 hrs straight in Nov '95.
Lots of storms at 32+, a 24hr shift was " being done early".
It was a bad winter.


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## plowatnight (Mar 10, 2010)

Pinky Demon;1134416 said:


> Then maybe it's time to re-evaluate the battle plan.


I just don't see it. If you have work, it needs to get done. The margins are tight and if I spend the $$ on a sub or back-up, and the rest of the winter gets slim, than you don't make the dough. It's just the nature of the beast, you work a lot of hrs when it snows and goof off ( or do something constructive) the other 90 days of winter.


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## Tubby's Snow Plowing (Dec 13, 2009)

I make 4 hour shifts then a 15-30 minute break. Safety is more important than money.


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## triadpm (Sep 26, 2009)

snorider075;1133067 said:


> with how many farts or hours? lol


How many farts per hour


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## CGM Inc. (Dec 15, 2008)

We usually schedule 5-6 hours per route. Usually we don't have to to things more then twice unless it is a bad storm.


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## jk4718 (Nov 30, 2010)

38 straight, came home for christmas for 6 hours (slept for 4), then back out for 12. I think I slept for 14 hours when I finally made it home. That was during the big storm about 4 years ago here in Ohio.
The hardest part always seems to be in the hour after dawn, around 8am. That's where my body seems to say "wth, you didn't sleep"! After I make it past that hump each morning it's smooth sailing.


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## Lugnut (Feb 25, 2006)

36 here, did that last winter when we got 3'


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## rusty_keg_3 (Dec 6, 2008)

I went 36 (+/-) er somethin last winter... We usually go in shifts, but a driver was sick, so i did my 12, his 12, and my next 10... Then some... I will never do that again, its not safe... After like 20 hrs i had to keep the windows down and raido up so i didnt fall asleep... Then i got a 3 hr break and went back out for like 15 hrs... The whole time i did the same places... Tv station, school 1, school 2, sears (plow side walks, then salt, dont even get to get out and stretch)... I did all like 3 or 4 times, i cant really remember... And the last few was spent at jeep helpin clean up...


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## fordpsd (Aug 23, 2008)

Last winter during our first big storm i did 30 hrs straight, thats right after spending 9 hrs the day of the storm getting ready. By 10pm we started plowing and didnt come home till monday morning.


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## lude1990 (Jan 19, 2010)

Last xmas the blizzard we had I did just over 90 hours no sleep. Left Wednesday afternoon and got home sunday night. Watch the sun set 4 times and rise 4 times. Only went home for 4 hours on xmas for food and gifts with family. Lots of redbull. I was plowing and shoveling between work and my own company. I came home sunday night and slept till monday when i was woke up for dinner. Went back out for just over 24 hours then after that.


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## Pinky Demon (Jan 6, 2010)

jk4718;1135581 said:


> 38 straight, came home for christmas for 6 hours (slept for 4), then back out for 12. I think I slept for 14 hours when I finally made it home. That was during the big storm about 4 years ago here in Ohio.
> The hardest part always seems to be in the hour after dawn, around 8am. That's where my body seems to say "wth, you didn't sleep"! After I make it past that hump each morning it's smooth sailing.


Truth. I wish it would stay dark all the time when I plow.


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## osbo68 (Dec 1, 2004)

let's see it was 23 1/4 hrs drove 5 min home took 45 min. nap quick shower for a pick-me up back out for 20 more hours then 5 min back home 4hr nap a quick shower again then back out for 18hrs of clean up. I want to say that was '03 and we ended up with something like 34"-36". That was fun..payup


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## OC&D (Dec 2, 2009)

sven_502;1133188 said:


> Agreed with pinky demon, its dangerous. My personal record was 40 something ( I could hardly count at that point) on the shoveling crew. I went home and passed out for almost a whole 24 hours. I know a few of those guys have ran a truck for over 70 hours, I know I wouldn't feel comfortable past 20 or so without sleeping for an hour. To top it off I don't drink coffee either.


I was one of those guys....once. My first year plowing I picked up a bunch of residential accounts from a friend of mine who had lost some of his employees and most of it was sidewalks. My buddy and I worked for 74 hours straight clearing drives and sidewalks during a 3 day blizzard. After that, I vowed I'd change how I did things....and I've never worked more than 16 hours straight since.


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## Kale Lawn (Dec 12, 2009)

18 hours here... safety first...$70,000 rig + no sleep + white out conditions= accident and the last time I checked you don't make profit by accident


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## PLOWTRUCK (Sep 25, 2010)

7-8 years ago we got a storm on Christmas day that totaled about 28 inches. I was in the truck/backhoe for about 30 hours. But that wasnt the longest because 5 days later we got almost another two feet of snow. I was plowing my own accounts for about another 36 hours straight, than spent another 40 + hours stacking snow and loading dumptrucks for a friends company that had a huge account and of the 40 hours 21 hours straight was spent loading dumptrucks. That second storm totaled about 76+ hours straight.


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## Brando55 (Jan 6, 2008)

Mine was last year when we had a big storm in december and I was out for 26hrs i believe. They were calling for 15-20cms and we ended up getting somewhere around 55cms.tymusic


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## BossPlow2010 (Sep 29, 2010)

lude1990;1135874 said:


> Last xmas the blizzard we had I did just over 90 hours no sleep. Left Wednesday afternoon and got home sunday night. Watch the sun set 4 times and rise 4 times. Only went home for 4 hours on xmas for food and gifts with family. Lots of redbull. I was plowing and shoveling between work and my own company. I came home sunday night and slept till monday when i was woke up for dinner. Went back out for just over 24 hours then after that.


I think you accidentily typed a "0" after your nine 

Why don't you guys hire some people, then you won't be sitting in your trucks for long hours.


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## Pinky Demon (Jan 6, 2010)

osbo68;1135956 said:


> let's see it was 23 1/4 hrs drove 5 min home took 45 min. nap quick shower for a pick-me up back out for 20 more hours then 5 min back home 4hr nap a quick shower again then back out for 18hrs of clean up. I want to say that was '03 and we ended up with something like 34"-36". That was fun..payup


I don't know how you guys do the whole shower thing before going out. All that does is make me cold, and it makes me want to curl up in bed and sleep.


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## lude1990 (Jan 19, 2010)

BossPlow2010;1136322 said:


> I think you accidentily typed a "0" after your nine
> 
> Why don't you guys hire some people, then you won't be sitting in your trucks for long hours.


lol i wish i could hire people for my company but i cant afford it yet. I do all all my accounts after for my company after i get done with another company. The cold keeps you up. lol


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## show-n-go (Feb 5, 2009)

2 years ago i got in my truck tuesday afternoon and got back to my house on saturday evening, I did catch a few 10min naps but when i got home i slept for a day and a half. I did that in a 3500hd regular cab and had blisters on my fingers from running the plow. After that storm i hate driving a regular cab truck, and all that time i was subbing, i spent most of the time at the same 5-8 accounts. 

Last year i went 34 hours plowing then i had go to my regular job and plow them out and work a 9 hour shift, they ended up letting me go home early because i was falling asleep at my desk once i ate and got warmed up..


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## BMB Plowing (Nov 20, 2010)

The longest I've ever gone without a single break or stopping was last year when we had another driver break down and I had to cover his route, I went 17 hours nonstop. But a few years ago I plowed basically all day long 24-25 hours with some breaks in between and drive time. Last year and again this year I have a full time day job in the winter time, So on a good day I'll go out and plow around 1-2am and finish around 8am and go to my second job and will probably have to go out again in the evening to clean up and start over again at 2am.
It's just the nature of the beast this time of year, I love it for the first couple of months, but around Feb/March I'm ready for it to be over.


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## EdNewman (Jan 27, 2004)

Last year for the 26" storm just before xmas. About 12 hours of panic prep to help out a friend and then plow plow plow for about 36 hours. It was brutal, never want to do it again.


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## dumbyankee (Jul 30, 2010)

After 8 hours I no longer count, I just keep going. Its not my record but who cares. I like to fart when im in the truck to. I once farted and it made me throw up out the window.


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## Pinky Demon (Jan 6, 2010)

dumbyankee;1138424 said:


> After 8 hours I no longer count, I just keep going. Its not my record but who cares. *I like to fart when im in the truck to. I once farted and it made me throw up out the window.*


:laughing: :salute:


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## dumbyankee (Jul 30, 2010)

I was in a Mack, it must have been a dog fart.


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## joe2113 (Jan 27, 2008)

I plowed for a week straight one summer.......cocaine's a helluva drug....


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## dumbyankee (Jul 30, 2010)

That it is Joe, Ive been awake for three months. I'm afraid to stop, if I do now I will sleep all winter and miss the plow season all together. Its what we live for. RIGHT.


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## 496 BB (Feb 11, 2010)

What DOES everyone take to stay awake? I dont drink coffee so its usually Amp but that crap makes you crash hard and your worse off then what you were. Cigs help too I guess. What about hot chocolate? Ok nevermind that sounded super gay.

I swear Ive seen some plowers go for DAYS and not even appear to be tired and its not just when they are plowing. Maybe just pop a few Percs and have at it :laughing:


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## ford550 (Nov 9, 2008)

more than an hour :laughing:

all I can say is it sucks at 4am and your in the middle of nowhere with no bathrooms around and you have to take a ................................
thats why I carry a roll of TP


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## joe2113 (Jan 27, 2008)

TP's a good idea, I installed a portapotty in my rig for that purpose. All right it's just a hole in my tailgate but it does the trick Thumbs Up

I drink a lot of coffee during big storms and sometimes I'll go for those 5 hour energy drinks which really do work.


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## Mike_13 (Oct 17, 2008)

x2 for the 5 hour energys.


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## OC&D (Dec 2, 2009)

These days I throw a 12 pack of Mountain Dew in the truck when I start......I've never been one for energy drinks or No Doz or whatever, then again, I've never really needed them.


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## Brant'sLawnCare (Jun 29, 2007)

I think almost 30 hours straight is my longest. It's not much fun at that point...


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## 90w250mm (Dec 3, 2009)

22 hours working for someone else in one of their trucks, it was a F550 ^speed manual, with a 10' BOSS V-blade on it, talk about being wore out


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## joe2113 (Jan 27, 2008)

90w250mm;1141998 said:


> 22 hours working for someone else in one of their trucks, it was a F550 ^speed manual, with a 10' BOSS V-blade on it, talk about being wore out


Where are the plow controls mounted in that truck?

With the right control layout plowing with a manual seems like it would be kinda fun. I'd like being able to choose my gears, probably spend more time in second (or third depending on the first and second gear ratios) to get a little more torque on those big pushes.

Plus my left leg gets bored in an automatic.


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## Chineau (Aug 24, 2010)

Something to keep in mind as you go about your business, a year or two ago a plow operator ran over an elderly couple in Motreal Que. I can't remember if he killed one or both. A coroners inquest was held and it came out that the operator had been at it for I think 30 plus hours. This is only my second year in this business and I want my operation to grow but certainly not at the expense of some ones life.

As for the guy who chucked after farting what the heck were you doing have a nap with your azz checks spread, something must have crawled in from the cold up the chute and died.tymusic


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## clanier01 (Dec 8, 2010)

*Stuck in the truck*



PlowTeam5;1132406 said:


> Whats the longest you been in your truck plowing without any breaks of any sort besides driving to another lot to plow. I am curious to see who has the longest length of time. I personally went 28 hours straight in my truck 2 yrs ago during the blizzard we had. I came home and slept for 4 hours and showered and went back out for another 20 hours. Came home and passed out for almost a full day. Whats your personal best?


About 8 years ago we had a REALLY bad ice storm and we got 7 inches of ice with temps not reaching above 20's. I worked 96.5 hours in a week (7 days) and took 2 breaks with a total of 4 hours each time. The other time was salting which I did not track. I remeber the hours because of the bill. Contract was for hourly and they said they wanted it clear. Unless you count when I feel asleep driving the truck and ran into the snow pile.  My guys got on the radio and started yelling and all my tires were spinning, glad it held me still. That was one of my first large plow jobs. 2 truck stops basically across the street from one another. My friends would call me and say they don't know what they were doing by volunteering but that I was going to the closest house that I knew and sleep for a while. One of them was a semi driver and he said if he could drive all of those big loads he could figure out a plow truck. At the end of it all, I slept all day and would wake up and eat and go back to bed. We do things way different now.


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## ADLAWNCUTTERS (May 24, 2001)

I just did a quick 14 hours during the last storm.I did stop for an hour to use the bathroom.The most i did non stop is 23 hours straight.The most i ever did plowing was 3 days with bathroom breaks.. I have to be somewhat clean,.You can never have to clean of an rear end...


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## SkyhawkSteve (Sep 14, 2010)

You stopped for an hour to go to the bathroom


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## yardsmith (Jan 3, 2000)

last year we had a pretty good one- about 37 hours out, home for a 4 hr nap, then back out for another 14-18. I was pretty worthless after that for a day or two.

As far as glory stories; it ain't about that. Its about keeping your lots from getting buried & keeping them open for business as long as possible=makes them happy=keeps us employed.
If I went home after 12, I wouldn't be able to sleep for one, knowing what kind of disaster was waiting for me once I got back out there. I would much rather stay up & almost stay caught up than have a mountain waiting for me at every lot when I came back. Thats how you destroy a truck, let alone if you should get freezing rain percolating into all that snow:realmad:


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## 90w250mm (Dec 3, 2009)

joe2113;1142266 said:


> Where are the plow controls mounted in that truck?
> 
> With the right control layout plowing with a manual seems like it would be kinda fun. I'd like being able to choose my gears, probably spend more time in second (or third depending on the first and second gear ratios) to get a little more torque on those big pushes.
> 
> Plus my left leg gets bored in an automatic.


it was the hand-held remote so yes you could hold it while shifting but the majority of these trucks are almost too big for what he plows. There are a few open lots, for a couples years straight i was stuck in a truck that had 4.88 gears (f550) so it was alot of gear shifting. Yes i agree on it being nice being able to choose what gear you are plowing in but dang. He was also a guy that really did not understand the concept of ballast. This truck specifically was a flatbed with no spreader so it was basically using the front wheels.


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## G.McNeill&Son (Nov 19, 2009)

My old man & I did 72hrs straight. Between plowing, sanding, & moving snow. Towards the end we started seeing things and had to wrap it up for a few hours. After that storm we decided to hire more help, Thought I was going to die, we watched the sun come up & go down a couple times. Never again


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## fisherv (Jan 21, 2009)

This should be available for the homeowners and everyone else to see because not to many people seem to understand what turn around time is. My longest has been 48 hrs. My route takes me six hours to plow then five to sand. The whole time tax payers are wondering where I have been but they dont see that i havent stoped and am not screwing around. To everyone on this site I hope that christmas is clear so nobody has to work, because I know Its hard to comprehend but everyone has FAMILY they would rather be with.

Merry Christmas


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## 02powerstroke (Nov 7, 2006)

19 in the truck then another 2 in the loader


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## dumbyankee (Jul 30, 2010)

I was heading out to plow and my wife was giving birth. When I got back the kid had his licence. That was a storm.


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## Pinky Demon (Jan 6, 2010)

dumbyankee;1167310 said:


> I was heading out to plow and my wife was giving birth. When I got back the kid had his licence. That was a storm.


:laughing:


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## dubya (Dec 30, 2010)

43 hours in the seat back in 2003 I think. After about 35 hours I kept hearing people calling me as if someone at houses I was passing was trying to get my attention. Then I realized it was 2-3am and the windows were closed and I was hallucinating. That was an interesting experience.


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## cutbetterthanyo (Feb 3, 2010)

Last year i went 4 days str8 no idea of hrs but saw the sun rise and set 4 x's. I took a 3 hr nap in a random parking lot cuz i couldn't see the end of my hood any more. When the snow stopped i went home and got a 5 hr nap then went for 2 more days. It SUCKED, but i made money. I had 8 big red bulls,two big bags of doritos,half of a case of mt dew, alot of really loud music, and alot of wawa sandwiches cuz they were the only place left open. I did it on a 26 hp mahindra tractor, and shoveled all buy myself. This year i have a few more accounts. I now have a plow on my truck, another old plow truck, a skid steer, and the same tractor. I will be the first to admit i was stupid i was in no shape to drive safe. This year i am ready, and i am hiring help.


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## GMCHD plower (Nov 27, 2009)

cutbetterthanyo;1174648 said:


> Last year i went 4 days str8 no idea of hrs but saw the sun rise and set 4 x's. I took a 3 hr nap in a random parking lot cuz i couldn't see the end of my hood any more. When the snow stopped i went home and got a 5 hr nap then went for 2 more days. It SUCKED, but i made money. I had 8 big red bulls,two big bags of doritos,half of a case of mt dew, alot of really loud music, and alot of wawa sandwiches cuz they were the only place left open. I did it on a 26 hp mahindra tractor, and shoveled all buy myself. This year i have a few more accounts. I now have a plow on my truck, another old plow truck, a skid steer, and the same tractor. I will be the first to admit i was stupid i was in no shape to drive safe. This year i am ready, and i am hiring help.


Did the tractor have a cab?!?!?!?!!


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## mercer_me (Sep 13, 2008)

6am Sunday - Woke Up
9pm Sunday - Started Plowing
7pm Monday - Went To Bed
That's 37 hours strait awake and 22 hours strait plowing.


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## cutbetterthanyo (Feb 3, 2010)

GMCHD plower;1174668 said:


> Did the tractor have a cab?!?!?!?!!


Yeah i built one right b4 that storm it was nice, but no wiper was a pain .I used one of those gas station cleaners about every 10-15 mins.


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## ChesapeakeWash (Dec 21, 2009)

My longest time behind the plow was 24hrs straight. The hardest part for me is when the sun is coming up. I get tired for about an hour, and once the suns up, I'm wide awake again.


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## snowman91 (Aug 31, 2007)

38 hours between my truck and our skid steer then went home slept for 3 hours then out for 14 more then 8 more.


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## Grassman09 (Mar 18, 2009)

Triple L;1132652 said:


> Based upon all the other threads about this topic, I always get a kick out of how many people stop working to go home and grab a shower... Honestly, your sitting in your truck doing nothing... Who really cares... JMO


Yea I see your point Chad esp how you mentioned once that you prefer a golden shower when you are done plowing. Whatever floats your boat.


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## mwadeson (Nov 29, 2010)

i will not let my guys go more than 12 without a few off i will run 18 strait but that is it


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## BossPlow2010 (Sep 29, 2010)

SkyhawkSteve;1143497 said:


> You stopped for an hour to go to the bathroom


:laughing: I thought the same thing :laughing:

guess he stopped at Taco bell a few too many times!

The most I've done is 27 hours straight, that was Dec. 10th I believe.

Oh one more thing, "two diffrent spellings two diffrent meanings "
Straight: direct path not curved, also means not gay.
Strait: connector
we went straight through the straits of Mackinaw.


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