Dozens of truck drivers spent most of last week buried under snow drifts at the Coffee Cup Fuel Stop located in Vivian, South Dakota.
Last week, Winter Storm Diaz dumped as much as 30 inches of snow on parts of South Dakota during a three day long storm. Gusting winds made matters worse, causing tall snowdrifts in many areas.
According to reports, 10 foot snow drifts and widespread road closures trapped between 70 and 80 trucks at the Coffee Cup Fuel Stop in Vivian.
During their time stranded at the truck stop by the snowstorm, truck drivers said that they slept inside the store on the tile floor.
The truck stop became so full by Saturday that local emergency management services issued a public notice from the Coffee Cup asking people to stay away.
Some truckers reported being stuck at the Coffee Cup Fuel Stop for as long as six days, with most drivers finally able to dig out (with help) and get moving again by Sunday.
On December 17, trucker Conrad Quail shared video that has since gone viral showing the otherworldly conditions at the truck stop on his sixth day of being snowed in.
“They scooped the front of the truck out so it could breathe and I could get out the front.
They say there’s a truck full of buffalo , a snow plow and a wrecker all flipped over around close on the interstate. No plows out or nothing yet. I was supposed to deliver today about 30 miles north of Seattle. because I’m an oversized load I’ll be the last allowed to get on the road. Hopefully I’ll be able to go Monday and will a little luck I’ll be home in time to Christmas or the day after,” Quail said in a social media post.
After having been stuck since about 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, The Drive reports that Quail is finally free and hoping to make his delivery of a refrigeration unit to Washington state by Friday.