Hundreds of drivers were stranded in below-freezing temperatures overnight on I-95 in Virginia because of accidents caused by the snowstorm on Monday. Some drivers, including a senator and a former vice president, have been sitting on the highway for a day without food, water, or fuel.
Rusher was stuck on the road in Virginia with her co-driver for 14 hours before they were able to get her out. She was able to get off I-95, but is currently stuck in traffic on U.S. 1. We talked about how truck drivers deal with sudden road closings, what other drivers should do in similar situations, and how Virginia dropped the ball. The conversation has been edited for clarity.
Tell me about your work.
It was not easy to be a truck driver. This job is not for everyone. I love the equipment once I got past the fear. I can travel to 48 states. I've seen some of the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets. I get paid to go anywhere in the 48 and take time off and sightsee. I feel the need to deliver food and medicine. It makes me happy.
Have you ever been in this situation before?
In my three years of driving, I have been stuck four times: twice in Wyoming and once in Flagstaff. The weather was the cause of those accidents. If a police officer saw you out there, you would be in a lot of trouble. State troopers were there. Everyone stopped where they were, to sleep, or they had enough notice on the signs that they found a way off. They had signs that said where the interstate was closed. Sometimes they have a sign that says "if this is flashing, you're to take this exit." The arms are dropped like a railroad crossing to stop you from continuing.
Everyone slept on the road in Flagstaff. I gave all my bottles of water away because there were cars. We were there until 10 or 11 in the morning. I was stuck in Wyoming for three days. We were 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 Don't travel through Wyoming during winter. I don't think it's a good idea.
The situation in Virginia was completely different. You know how they have big electronic boards over the interstate to let you know if there is a car disabled or a road closed? I passed three of them, and all of them said their mission was to not have any deaths. There was nothing about this interstate being shut down. Not a word.
This situation seems less bad because you haven't been stuck for a long time.
I knew we were shutting down in those other cases. We were in the mountains and there was no other route. There was nothing else I could do. It was a national forest. I could have found another way around this if I had been told.
What is the current setup with your truck and co-driver?
Our wheels don't stop when you're a team truck. I can drive for 11 hours. We do between 912 and 10. This is a small studio. There are bunk beds in the back. I have a fridge, coffee maker, and an air fryer, and a microwave that is really cool. I also own an Instant Pot. We cook and stuff. The only thing we don't have is a bathroom. When it is shower time, I usually wash dishes. It is like camping. Emily is sleeping when I am driving. She has a 10-hour rest break. I wake her up 30 minutes before I go to bed. A solo driver has to stop and park for 10 hours.
Tell me about the events of the day.
We like to check our weather and route. I didn't see anything about the I-95 because I was kicked off of traffic. Everything was great until we got to Virginia. The roads were terrible, and then the roads were clear of salt trucks. All of a sudden, white. Couldn't see the lines. You couldn't see anything so we made our own lanes. I was driving and it did not snow. This was the aftermath of the snow.
A woman spun out. She spun out in front of me in the express lane. I thought to bring my speed down a bit after two drivers stopped. I brought it down to 50. It got really rough, and then it got clear, and then there were red lights. I turned on the CB radio and heard the chatter about the accident and how people had been sitting, and then Emily got up and said, "Hey, I looked on Waze and this is what's going."
We spent five hours around Lorton, Virginia. We went less than half a mile in five hours. Absolutely terrible. Drivers were talking about the U.S. 1 in the CB chatter. They said you can get through because it's called clean. There were young kids in the car next to me. I saw another driver talking to someone. I rolled the window down and heard him tell them to leave the exit. They are trying to get people off the road. I decided to follow suit. I had to get out of the truck and ask another driver to pull forward so we could get out, hoping this would be a better option.
When you got off I-95, how long was it before you had to stop again?
I was thinking, Score! We had to slow down. We were going for about 150 miles.
Were you panicked?
You cannot be in this. You don't have to panic. When I first started. That is when you get into trouble. That is when you make bad decisions. clearance on U.S. 1 is the only thing I was having Emily look at. I don't use my truck gps to help me with height or weight clearance. I had her look for me to make sure that the bridges I am going to build are able to fit 13 feet, 6 inches. I don't know anything about this road, and sometimes the U.S. roads, but I will panic when I see a sign that says no trucks. A little bit of fear sets in.
Where are you?
We are close to 95 on the U.S. 1. There are three tractor-trailers that have jackknifed. Who knows how long we will be here. We are dead stopped. There is nothing we can do. We sat here for three hours. It is bananas.
I think the issue with the U.S. 1 is that a lot of people think they can get around I-95. I don't know if this road is open or closed, or if three trucks have jackknifed up here. People on this road were all driving like they forgot about the accidents on I-95. The roads were not good. Even though it is warming up, it was still a little hairy when we got off the I-95. The two-lane was only one lane, there were areas that had not been salted, and people were trying to pass me, thinking it would be easy to do. We don't know when we're going to move again. There is no chatter or information. None.
Did you learn how to prepare or what to do in a situation like this?
We did. Prime has a very good training program, and that is not just because I work for them. I did a lot of research before I started working in this business. He could tell me stories all day long. I was taught to make sure that I had enough food, water, and blankets during the winter months, even though I didn't understand it. I have a ceramic heating element in case my truck's heating element goes out.
What are you carrying?
People produce. They are the odd little vegetables that they don't sell. We are going to Ellenwood, Georgia, to FedEx.
I saw your co-driver encouraging stuck drivers to ask for food and water. Did anyone approach you or send a message to you?
Nobody said, "Hey, where are you?" We were talking about making some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the kids next to us, but I didn't know how I would feel about a plate of food from a stranger.
You never know how people will feel about it.
We have stuff on the truck in packages, even if you wanted to make it yourself.
In case of a real emergency, a truck full of misfits will produce.
We would have to talk to FedEx.
Is this something you would recommend to people? Do you want to ask the truck driver for food?
Absolutely, 100 percent. Nine times out of 10 the driver will give you something. These drivers are stereotyped. There may be some strange people in our society. A lot of the guys out here are really nice people, and they will help you. Being a truck driver is a group of people. We look out for each other. I will pull over if he tries to get over or if his truck is on fire, and I will give him my fire extinguisher. It is like a group of bikers. They look out for each other.
Have you been talking to other drivers?
Yes. Even if it is on the opposite side of the interstate, I always send out a warning. I get my mile marker, which is "I-95 South, brake check, mile marker 163." I will say that a few times.
What was the scene like on I-95? There were people walking.
A couple of people take a potty break, and I saw a couple of people stretch. It was 19 degrees. I don't think they wanted to mess around a lot.
When you are stuck, how do you get to the bathroom?
You can get a small engine funnel at Walmart for 89 cents. It looks like a small urinal, and we use empty bottles and baby wipes. It is very simple and effective. I am not the kind of girl that is going to squat under my trailer or go outside and use the restroom. I am not. I will find a different way. At the height of carbon dioxide. Some places wouldn't let us use the bathroom. Pennsylvania closed their rest areas. There are no bathrooms. It wasn't enjoyable.
Are you upset that Virginia dropped the ball?
I am disappointed. Lots of people have dropped the ball. The people who have been here since yesterday are more frustrated than I am. I think there was a guy who had a medical issue. They were able to get to him, but you have a lot of people out here. They aren't giving anyone a time frame or letting anyone know what's going on. You can't send someone out here in an emergency vehicle with a bunch of water for people who have been here for a long time? That is the part that I am most upset with. They should have shut this down further down the line when Virginia was aware of it. This was mishandled poorly. Not at all.
It's harder for people to conserve gas when they don't know the time frame.
Yeah. We are dipping into the red, so we have our truck off. I don't want to have a tow truck come and give us fuel because I'm worried about that. It will cost us $500 and they won't give me much.
At the beginning of your career, you had to get past fear. Is that fear of getting stuck a part of it?
That was not part of the fear. I am a small car driver. I don't want to go down a 6 percent grade in West Virginia on the 81. The size of the vehicle and the responsibility that you have when you are behind the wheel is what determines it. It was difficult to drive at night. My first winter was terrible. I cried a lot. People don't understand the mental and emotional toll this takes on the driver. That is the reason I like to team. It is nice to have someone with me. A lot of these guys have been here a long time. The mental part of this job is not prepared for until you get out here, and you watch these people on the internet. It is frightening at the beginning. I quit when I called my dad, but I don't know how many times. I can not do this. It is not me. You have Jersey barriers on both sides of you when you are 812 feet wide. Your stomach is where your heart goes. My fear was that.
Do you want to tell people about this in the news?
I hope that this will be a lesson that you should always be prepared, even if you are not a truck driver. You can not avoid crashes. It has caught us off guard at times. Make sure you have an extra jacket, blanket, food, and water. Even if it is snacks. You don't have to have a full-blown Salisbury steak to cook underneath your hood. Just like you have a spare tire, keep that stuff in your trunk. If you live in an area that gets snow, you should have that stuff.
