Predictive HyperLocal Weather Helps Fleets Adapt to Bad Weather in Real Time

As another winter looms in North America and brings with it cold, snow and ice, carriers everywhere are preparing for one of the most challenging periods of their year. But our new Predictive HyperLocal Weather solution is poised to help reduce the stress and strain of the season by providing real-time alerts for both back office staff and drivers of potential weather risks along their routes. 

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reports that in 2020 (the most recent year with complete data), nearly 13% of all fatal crashes involving a large commercial vehicle were a result of inclement weather. And the U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that, “each year trucking companies or commercial vehicle operators (CVOs) lose an estimated 32.6 billion vehicle hours due to weather-related congestion.” They go on to say that, “nearly 12% of total estimated truck delay is due to weather in the 20 cities with the greatest volume of truck traffic.”

Within just the last year, North America has seen several major weather-related traffic incidents that have resulted in massive pile-ups and charges against drivers. A Louisiana “super fog” in October, for instance, resulted in a 158-car pileup that left seven people dead, 25 injured, and dozens of cars wrecked. In each instance, the costs to carriers go beyond time wasted. Weather-related incidents on the road are not only expensive; they put both commercial drivers and passenger vehicles at great risk. 

That’s why we’ve created our Predictive HyperLocal Weather solution in partnership with WeatherOptics Inc.: a new integrated service available within Trimble back office solutions and CoPilot, our commercial driver navigation application. This service is designed to help drivers and fleet managers plan ahead and avoid potential delays and hazardous conditions on the road, looking ahead along a route and then alerting the back office or driver to any weather issues they might encounter.

“We believe Predictive HyperLocal Weather will revolutionize how drivers and fleets deal with weather risks on the road. By providing more precise warnings, we can greatly improve safety and prevent accidents,” said Rishi Mehra, sector vice president of Trimble’s commercial mapping and routing technology. “And this service doesn’t just give you a speed reduction alert. It provides proactive engagement that goes beyond current weather apps by offering a level of advisement that redefines the standard.”

Predictive HyperLocal Weather alerts are generated in real time as the driver progresses along their route and weather impacts road conditions, with new alerts generated in accordance with when a driver is expected to reach certain points in their route. The service will display these weather alerts as icons along the road map and play an accompanying voice alert with more details.

Back office staff can also view these alerts and communicate route changes to the driver before risks become problems, and keep customers better informed of potential changes to their deliveries’ ETAs. Plus, fleet managers can customize the alerts sent to their drivers, so they are notified of only the most important risks along their route.

Back office staff can review alerts in real time to notify drivers and customers of adverse conditions.

Drivers are shown several different alert icons along their planned route depending on the type of weather they’ll encounter.

Beyond the route alerts, Predictive HyperLocal Weather provides weather risk summaries that describe the risks in greater detail, including temperatures, danger level (moderate, high or extreme), and a complete trip forecast which outlines all weather events along the route. And once a weather alert is provided, it will automatically close after a time to avoid distracting the driver.

It’s critical that drivers are prepared with the most current information available, so they can make the right decisions on the road. And it’s vital that customers be informed of the most recent developments and current ETAs when their deliveries could be delayed. Plan for inclement weather before it hits with Predictive HyperLocal Weather.

Interested in learning more? We’re committed to refining this service to meet the industry’s needs. Contact us for early access.