Two-Faced Winter

Trucking has faced the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde of weather so far through the winter of 1998-99.

The good doctor has treated truckers and their employers in most sections of the country to unseasonably mild temperatures, great for traveling and making deliveries on time. But when his evil personality has emerged, Old Man Winter has grabbed his pound of flesh.

Knee-deep snow, dangerous ice storms and tangled traffic lurked along many roads in the Midwest and Northeast in January. The severe conditions forced those in trucking to take measures such as rerouting or idling shipments until major thoroughfares were cleared.

Each company and organization in the northern snowbelt area had a different horror story to tell about its encounter with the winter wrath of Mr. Hyde.

Heavy snowfall in the upstate region forced the New York State Motor Truck Association to petition the state department of transportation for waivers on hours of service, so that drivers could work overtime to deliver heating oil and fuel.

One of the hardest hit regions was the Midwest, which received an onslaught that combined days of snow with temperatures so cold that diesel fuel began to gel.

For the full story, see the Feb. 2 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.