Question:
(edited and re-posted from a previous Roundtable thread)
California is a huge state -- the 5th largest economy in the world -- and is very "diverse" with several mountain ranges, 1000 miles of Pacific Ocean coastline, deserts, thousands of small towns and several major cities. You can be running chains at 7,500 feet thru Donner Pass one day, and running your ac through the Mojave Desert the next. It has some of the most spectacular scenery of any state -- bar none. It's a leading producer of cattle, produce, hightech, banking, porn, entertainment, aerospace, manufacturing, import/export......you name it, California does it.
Suggestion: Keep an open mind about the stereotype California attitude. Most Californians are just normal folk.
Bug Stations:
All trucks entring California must clear a Department of Agriculture inspection site. Unless you're hauling produce, you usually just stick your bills out the window and say "dog food" or whatever you got on and they wave you thru before you come to a complete stop. Fresh produce and some other food/nursery products require them to stamp your bills, which may include breaking your seal for inspection. They'll re-seal your load and document it on your bills.
Border Patrol:
When traveling near the Mexican border, you may encounter a Border Patrol inspection station. You're usually asked, "Are you a U.S. citizen?" or "Where where you born?" and "Anyone else in there with you?" Then they let you pass. But be real careful with these guys. They're looking for all sorts of clues in your behavior - kind'a like customs - and you'd better tell the truth. They usually have German Shepards sniffing your truck as you pass.
Scales:
California has a lot of permanent DOT scale stations and they have a reputation for being tough. Your need to be legal on all axels, and the rear axel of your trailer tandem must be no more than 40 feet from the kingpin - no exceptions (bridge law). California does a lot of equipment and logs inspections. Make sure your stuff is in order and always act professionally when dealing with DOT staff.
California also has one of the best pre-pass systems in the country. Once they get your truck in their system, you rarely get a red light if you scale legal through the weigh in motion.
Exits and on-ramps:
California has some creative road designers. It's not a state where you can take just any exit ramp willy-nilly to water the tires. Many ramps loop around so you can't get back on without doing a u-turn, and sometimes there's not enough room. If you need to pull-off for a minute, make sure you can see how you'll get back on before committing to the exit ramp.
55mph
The maximum speed limit for semi-trucks in California is 55mph. Most speed limit signs for cars are followed by a "trucks 55 mph" sign, but if it's missing, the truck speed limit is never more than 55mph.
But for all practical prurposes, CHP and local enforcement usually allow trucks to run up to 60mph on highways where it's safe to do so.
(suggestion: If you stay in the right lanes, keep a good following distance and drive lke a pro, there's little chance of being ticketed up to 60mph. It happens, but it's very rare and usually involves something else like holding up traffic in the second right lane, or frequent lane changes, or pushing the traffic ahead of you..)
Hazardous Materials
California is one of the states with tough new hazmat laws. You MUST have ANY hazmat load padlocked. A hazmat load without a padlock will get you the death penalty....I think. Be extremely careful how you position your truck when it's stopped or parked. California's day-driver gasoline tankers run a smooth, steady 55, mostly in the far right lane. They're the best. Do what they do especially with hazmat.
Truck Lanes
Trucks are restricted to the right lane, or right two lanes. The rule depends on the number of lanes available in your direction:
2 lanes
You must stay in the right lane except to pass. When you pass, get it over with. CHP has no tolerance for trucks passing slowly in the left lane while blocking traffic behind them. Put your foot on it and get back over. CHP is more concerned with safe traffic flow than the technicalities of exactly how fast you were going when you passed (most of the time). The easiest way to get a speeding ticket for 60, is with a bunch of impatient traffic stacking-up behind you as you creep by a truck doing 59.
3 lanes:
You must stay in the right lane, exept to pass. Then you must get back in the right lane when it's safe to do so -- CHP watches for this, as many drivers mistankenly believe they can travel in the middle lane on a three lane stretch. Wrong. You may NOT run the middle lane. They want to see you back in the right lane when there's a space. If not, well..... there's another ticket for 60 in a 55. See the pattern here?
4+ lanes
You may use the right two lanes, and use the second right lane for extended periods if it doesn't restrict traffic flow. What's important here is watching what's behind you. If a truck wants to pass and you're blocking them in the second right lane, you should move over -- no matter how fast you or they are going. CHP watches for this too. Even if the truck behind you wants exceed the speed limit, YOU may get the ticket for blocking their path. Of course, the ticket will be for 60 in a 55....
You may never use the third (fourth, fifth, sixty, seventh, eighth...) lane for any purpose at all.
Feeder lanes
Large interchanges sometimes add several extra right lanes to accomodate traffic entering and leaving the main flow. You're not expected to make multiple lane changes through these "feeder lane" areas to accomodate the right lane rules. If you started in the far right lane, you'll probably be in the far right lane again when the feeder lanes end.
Exceptions
The only exceptions to the right lane rules are always posted. Example:
I-5 through Scaramento and Stockton has overhead signs with arrows that say "Trucks OK". These are supplemented with pole signs that say "Trucks Right Three Lanes Only".
Certain major "splits" -- where large highways meet -- may require you to exit from the left lanes. Permission for trucks to set-up in these left lanes is usually posted above with "Trucks OK" or a white line separating multiple lanes to the separate highways. You use this new white line to determine your new right lane.
Sometime you'll see "Trucks Right Lane Only" on multi-lane stretches. (I-5 in downtown Los Angeles, for example) They mean it.
Mile marker signage:
California has been out of compliance with federal mile marker signage protocal for decades. Most mile markers are little white signs or blue call-box signs that start over at each county line -- fine for bear reports but useless for navigation. California is finally starting to catch-up on the major interstates (5, 8, 10, 15, 40) but for the most part you'll need to navigate by highway and exit name, not the mile number. This can be very trying for drivers new to the area. (Best advice -- check and recheck your customer directions, watch for your signs like a hawk, and never wing-it. Certain areas of Los Angeles are just as daunting as NY and you want to avoid blowing any turns.)
California drivers:
California gets a bad rap for it's driving "style" -- both amateurs and professionals. But it's really not that bad. California four-wheelers are the most experienced drivers in the world -- they virtually live in their cars -- and as a group, do a pretty good job. Sometimes they feel like flies buzzing around your truck as they dart in and out of lanes and dive for the exit ramps. But in general, they're pretty good little reckless drivers. Don't expect much cooperation if you want to move over or change lanes. You need to be a little aggressive sometimes, but they're used to it. Opening your window and establishing eye contact in the mirror helps, but some of these folks would rather meet you in civil court than yield, so be careful. Watch out for street racers -- little imports that weave in and out trafic at 100+. Once they get under your trailer, it takes forever to get them back out.
Chains:
California has very strict chain restrictions. If there's a storm brewing, DOT sometimes "screens" trucks for chains on-board before letting you head up the hill. You must be able to install "full chains" -- eight wheels -- and they are:
4 front drive wheels.
2 rear drive wheels, outside.
2 trailer wheels, outside - either axel (called "drag chains").
Cables are legal in California but must be installed as "full chains" on all eight wheels when you're allowed any lesser chain requirement for your axel configuration using iron chains.
"Single Drive-Axel Chains Required" makes smaller LTLs tractors (Roadway, Yellow, Old Dominion) chain their single drive axel wheels. A regular twin drive axel sleeper truck, with all weather traction drive tires (chunky tread) does not have to chain-up under a "single drive-axel" restriction.
The "Voice Activated Cal-Trans Highway Information Network" keeps an updated recording for every road in California
---> 916-445-7623 is your official advisement approaching any pass. Put it on speed-dial.
(Regional drivers carry chains all winter in California just in case. It's not required like Oregon and Washington, but it gets you past the screening stations even if you don't have to put them on)
Rush Hour:
Los Angeles is the worst of course. The commute starts at 430am, and by 600 or 630 you'll be hitting stopped traffic. Leave lots of extra time and assume a few rolling stops. The "Inland Empire" (Fontana/San Bernadino/ Riverside) to greater Los Angeles is 50-60 miles and could take 2-3 hours during morning rush hour. Same thing leaving Los Angeles after 3pm. And God help you if you have to drive from L.A. to Las Vegas on a Friday afternoon.
CB Channels:
The I-5 corridor and any major north/south highways run channel 17. The exception is the I-5 "grapevine" north of LA, which runs channel 15. There's some dispute where you switch from 17 to 15, but everything leading up to and over the hill is 15 for sure.
The east/west highways (10, 8, 40) run channel 19. Los Angeles is a mixed-bag of 17 and 19. If in doubt, do a radio check.
California -- and western regional drivers in general -- don't do a lot of CB chatter like some areas of the country. They especially don't like outsiders trashing their home on the radio. Each to his own on this one of course, but the old saying, "when in Rome..." sort'a applies here. California regional drivers have mastered a lot of patience and tolerance for the difficult conditions they face everyday. The smart, successful ones don't drive angry, and don't think much of the drivers who bicth and complain about every little thing like the speed limit and the four-wheelers and the traffic jams...yada yada yada..... They stand-out like the smart-azz newbies they usually are, and nobody's really interested anyway. So be cool, relax and try to get through California like a pro without losing your emotional control or acting like a jackazz. If you just can't stand California, don't drive into California.
Leaving California:
California sure looks good in your rear-view mirror as you cross the state line.

Answer:
"....The smart, successful ones don't drive angry, and don't think much of the drivers who bicth and complain about every little thing like the speed limit and the four-wheelers and the traffic jams...yada yada yada..... They stand-out like the smart-azz newbies they usually are, and nobody's really interested anyway. So be cool, relax and try to get through California like a pro without losing your emotional control or acting like a jackazz."
Good stuff Shuffler...in particular, the above.
However, you forgot to mention how to get out of California when you really, really need to avoid a scale or a CHP. There are ways though they may not be on the Dudley Do-Right list of rules.......
Ya think the board fairies would object...?????
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Answer:
Well......unless you're talking about abondoning your truck and flying out, or stowing away on a cargo ship....or suicide..... ...I'd say go for it! Please share.

Answer:
Shuffler, thanks for the tips. Question, does Werner advise drivers of such special laws and requirements via qualcom when they are dispatched into those areas?

Answer:
that was some good postin and great tips for the newbies, all i can add is if your going into the bay to wear a swimsuite but seriously the tolls are one way,eastbound on the first I-80 bridge and eastbound on all other bridges...and they ain't cheap either. Oh, and i didn't see it, but use the brake check because occasionally there will be a bear waiting for billy bigrigger to blow by it without stopping.

Answer:

There are a bunch of channels used in CA. Eureka north on Hwy 101 is 17, Eureka south is 19 and Hwy 299 is channel 3.

Answer:
We were in CA last week and it took a bit of channel surfing to find the truckers. We always knew that I-5 was CH 17 but Hubby was told by a couple of people that I-5 south of Hwy 46 at Lost Hills, CA is CH 15, north of there is CH 17. I presume that applies to all of I-5 south of hwy 46. Hard to tell, not much conversation out there anyway.
Hope this helps.
Answer:

That's the portion of I-5 over the "grapevione" pass north of L.A. where you switch to channel 15. On the north side of Grapevine Pass, most drivers make the 17/15 switch where SR-46 crosses I-5 at Lost Hills. Once you get over the pass on the Los Angeles side, everyone switches back to 17, which runs to the Mexican border.
To my knowledge all of the I-5 corridor, Mexico to Canada, runs 17. So does 97, 99, 101....all the major north/south routes on the western side of the pacific mountain ranges. The only major exception is channel 15 over GrapeVine Pass.