The Heat Is On: Exploring the Impact of Extreme Weather on Transportation

The headlines are clear: rising temperatures are not an anomaly, they are a long-term trend. According to NASA, the Earth has been continually warming over the past 40 years and the last ten have been the warmest on record. As a result, we’re encountering more severe and challenging weather events than ever, at a much higher pace. How can transportation companies—which depend on safe and open roads to keep supply chains moving—adapt? 

In this entry of our “Full Circle of Safety” series, Trimble experts discuss the many weather events fleets need to contend with, how they are worsening and what can be done to overcome these challenges to ensure the safety of drivers and vehicles. 

The Importance of Being Prepared

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that 2023 was the hottest year since 1850 and likely the hottest in the last 2,000 years. NOAA also projected that this year has a better than 60 percent chance of breaking that record.

With most forecasters anticipating more years of extreme heat, extreme weather conditions, such as tornadoes, wildfires, hurricanes and floods, are also expected to worsen. For trucking, transportation and logistics operations, the effects of heat waves and those events on vehicles, drivers and operations can’t be ignored.

When you consider the impact that hotter weather can have on vehicles, maintenance preparedness takes on a higher degree of importance, noted Brian Mulshine, Senior Director of Product Management for Trimble’s TMT Fleet Maintenance solution and Connected Maintenance team.

“The challenges now extend beyond things like ensuring coolant additives are at the right levels and air conditioning systems are functioning properly to ensure driver comfort,” he said. “There are risks to other vehicle systems and components that come with higher temperatures.”

Among them are the effect that higher thermometer readings can have on brake lining performance, tires, air systems, electronic components and even suspensions. Hotter weather also puts greater demand on refrigeration units. That can potentially cause accelerated wear and the associated need for more frequent routine maintenance, especially during normally warmer times of year and when demand for perishable goods increases.

Extreme weather events can also force unexpected changes in truck navigation and routing plans, impacting deliveries and customer satisfaction. 

“When an extreme weather event causes service delays, the optimized routes that carriers build may need to be changed quickly,” said Steven Kalnitzky, Product Manager for Trimble’s Appian route optimization solution. “Building routes to reduce mileage and drive time may yield a highly efficient planned route in advance, but all of that can change with real world conditions.”

The solution to effectively addressing those scenarios, noted Susana McLoughlin, Director of Sales for Appian, is to enable drivers and dispatchers to be highly proactive when extreme weather events affect even the best prepared routing plans. “That adaptability also promotes safety for both drivers and loads by getting them out of harm’s way,” she added.

Taking a Proactive Approach

Extreme weather risks and challenges can be addressed and mitigated with management technologies and systems. For example, Brian Mulshine related how the features and capabilities of TMT Fleet Maintenance software can help facilitate a proactive approach to vehicle service.

“An end-to-end solution that streamlines each step in the equipment maintenance and repair process can be a powerful and proactive tool,” Mulshine said. “That includes the ability to create customized inspections, set reminders, schedule PMs and make sure the right parts in the right amounts are in your inventory.”

TMT Fleet Maintenance also enables fleets to implement and manage service campaigns aimed at helping avoid weather related issues with trucks, tractors and trailers, Mulshine noted. “Using service history data, fleets can define indicators that will help prevent equipment breakdowns,” he added. “With that information you can establish service schedules that will help limit downtime for unscheduled service and repairs. 

“And don’t forget that effective and proactive maintenance not only improves safety,” Mulshine said. “It can also measurably increase driver satisfaction and boost retention.”

Navigating Extreme Weather Conditions

Trimble technologies like the CoPilot commercial driver navigation application can mitigate the impact of challenging weather on vehicles, operations and drivers, Steven Kalnitzky pointed out.

“CoPilot is fed with up to the minute information on issues with planned routes,” Kalnitzky explained further. “Drivers can then be immediately prompted to make changes that will help them avoid situations that can cause delays or increase the potential for accidents.”

The real time information capabilities in CoPilot now include Trimble’s Weather Intelligence solution. Developed in partnership with WeatherOptics Inc., the integrated service helps avoid delays and hazardous conditions on the road by looking ahead along a route and then alerting drivers to any weather issues they might encounter.

“Trimble Weather Intelligence revolutionizes the way drivers deal with weather risks on the road,” Kalnitzky said. “By providing precise warnings in real time it can help avoid delays and greatly improve safety.”

Hyperlocal weather alerts are generated as a driver progresses along a route and weather impacts road and traffic conditions. Updated notifications to drivers are provided based on when they are expected to reach certain points on a route. The solution displays several different alert icons along a planned route depending on the type of weather a driver will encounter and provides an accompanying voice alert with more details.

Beyond route alerts, Weather Intelligence provides weather risk summaries that describe temperature and risk level (moderate, high or extreme) details. A complete trip forecast, which outlines all weather events along the route, is included as well.

Dispatchers and administrative staff can also view these alerts, communicate route changes to drivers or issue a route shutdown order to protect the driver, equipment and load. The information sent to drivers can be customized so they are only notified of the most important risks and adverse weather conditions along their routes. For fleet managers as well, knowing real time changes to routes can help keep customers better informed of potential changes to their delivery schedules.

“It’s critical that drivers are prepared with the most current weather information available so they can make safer decisions on the road,” said Kalnitzky. “And it’s vital that customers be informed of the most recent developments and current ETAs when their deliveries could be delayed.”

Connected Solutions Provider Greater Value and Resilience

Automated, real-time alerts for changing weather conditions are a great example of how integrated systems work effectively for trucking operations and their drivers, Susana McLoughlin noted.

“Data on extreme weather along a planned route, for example, feeds navigation systems and allows for up to the minute changes in routes, which are sent to drivers via mobility solutions,” McLoughlin said. “At the same time, the information is relayed to transportation management systems for customer service and load planning updates.

“When technology is connected, trucking, transportation and logistics companies are better equipped to meet the general challenges of summer trucking, and the more frequent extreme weather events that are now impacting operations, vehicles and drivers,” McLoughlin added. “In the end, these capabilities mitigate risk, avoid problems before they arise and help improve safety.”

Contact our team to learn how Trimble’s TMT Fleet Maintenance, CoPilot and Appian solutions can help your fleet optimize operations and better prepare for extreme weather events.