Have you ever gone shopping during a rainstorm or unusual weather? You may have noticed that grocery stores and other markets were low on inventory for certain products. This happens because weather has an enormous impact on the freight industry—and in a variety of ways. Even the best trucking companies with the most efficient systems experience delays due to inclement weather. In Southern California, we are also affected by fires that cause obstacles in the form of dangerous conditions and the closing of major highways.
Bad weather is a serious safety hazard for drivers. Driving in bad weather or even after a storm is risky—nearly 50 percent of accidents occur when it’s raining. Truck drivers must use extreme caution so that they minimize the risk of having an accident and ultimately flipping their load. They need to be careful and even stop altogether sometimes when roads are too slippery or gridlocked, or their vision is impaired by rain. Poor weather can also result in roads being closed or the occurrence of a natural roadblock.
Snow and ice are typically the greatest factors that slow down truckers and overall shipping speed. While these conditions are rarer in Southern California, when they do occur, most drivers do not have the experience to navigate their vehicles safely. These inexperienced drivers often cause the majority of accidents occurring in bad weather.
California’s biggest culprit for slowing shipping speeds is rain and high winds. Research shows that rain can slow down truckers by 25 percent. High winds are also dangerous because they can negatively affect a vehicle’s stability and create roadblocks by pushing branches, rocks and tumbleweeds onto the road.
Rains and winds can alter a driver’s visibility which almost doubles the chance of an accident happening on the road. This past January, winds in coastal areas of California reached 50 mph while areas in the valley and mountain regions hit highs of 75 mph. The unpredictable changes in weather, coupled with a few inches of rain sitting on the roads, creates a very dangerous situation for drivers to take light loads through.
Fortunately, most companies that offer Less-Than-Load (LTL) Shipping services companies, like Best Yet Express, do their best to offset the impact of weather issues. We maintain a large fleet of trucks in case an incident occurs and one of the trucks is damaged. We may also use containers designed to protect cargo that is susceptible to spoiling from temperature change.
Best Yet Express is proud to be one of the freight companies located in Southern California that you can trust, whether it’s hiring us for freight shipping, cross-docking services, or any other of our services. Click here to learn why Best Yet Express is considered one of the best trucking companies in the state.
