We are close to the end of the year, which means that the weather is changing, bringing challenges and the need for new modes of operating during this season, and it’s important to prepare your team to deal with this situation. The website Guttman Energy states that, “According to AccuWeather and the U.S. Department of Transportation, a review found that each year trucking companies lose an estimated 32.6 billion vehicle hours due to weather-related congestion. They also found that nearly 12% of total estimated truck delays are due to weather in 20 of the metropolitan cities with the greatest volume of traffic, with the estimated cost of weather-related delay to trucking companies ranging from $2.2 billion to $3.5 billion dollars annually” 

We spoke with experts in our company, and this is what they had to say: 

Daniela Lezcano, Carrier Sales Representative, says that drayage services can be affected by vessel delays.  At the port, the service must be suspended when heavy winds and rising sea levels are unsafe, and this can affect suppliers’ assets, leading to service delays and, even worse, loss of business or customers. In addition, trucking services are highly impacted by snowfall, flooding and ice, putting drivers in danger and causing delays with deliveries.  She points out that closing business is a little bit harder when weather conditions are tough, which affects everyone involved in the logistics industry and when demand is slow, profit will be low. 

Jassir Jair, Shipper Sales Representative, states that weather plays a very important role in the logistics and transportation sector and during inclement weather, low temperatures cause a decrease in some sectors of the economy.  Another factor to consider is high fuel costs that prevent stable profitability for the winter season. He believes that venturing into areas that are sustained during the winter season can be a good opportunity to obtain new clients and generate opportunities that lead to the creation of good labor relationships and help to counteract the impact of the winter wave. 

To conclude, Carlos Bravo, Carrier Sales Representative, says that when he hears winter is coming, he immediately knows that he must be prepared to anticipate situations that will be affecting his job.  He states that ensuring shipments arrive on time and undamaged when you’re facing some of the coldest temperatures in the world, as well as heavy snowfall and icy roads, is not an easy task.  So, keeping fluid communication with all parties involved is one of the best solutions that you can have at this point; and finally, driver safety always matters. 

Watch now!

Based on our expert’s points of view, let us know what you think about How Does the Weather Affect the Logistics Industry?  

To learn more about Hubtek services, click here.

You can also Contact Us or Schedule a call!