Navigating the Elements: How TCI Responds to Weather Challenges

The transportation industry is constantly at the mercy of Mother Nature. From seasonal hurricanes to sudden wildfires, weather events can disrupt supply chains, delay shipments, and pose significant safety risks to drivers. At TCI Transportation, we take a proactive approach to these challenges, ensuring the safe and efficient movement of goods while prioritizing the well-being of our drivers.

Predictable Weather Patterns: Planning for the Expected

Certain weather challenges occur annually and require consistent preparation. TCI actively monitors and prepares for predictable weather seasons, including:

• Hurricane Season (June – November): We coordinate with customers to stage freight ahead of landfall, schedule early deliveries, and avoid high-risk areas to minimize delays and ensure the safety of our drivers.
• Tornado Season (March – June): Our teams stay in close contact with drivers operating in high-risk regions, providing real-time updates and alternate routing when necessary.
• Wildfire Season (July – October): For anticipated wildfires, we stock safety supplies such as N95 masks, adjust routes to bypass affected regions, and communicate evacuation plans when necessary.
• Flood Season (Varies by Region): Heavy rainfall, hurricanes, and snowmelt can lead to dangerous flooding. TCI prepares by monitoring flood-prone routes, scheduling deliveries to avoid peak flood risks, and ensuring our drivers have alternative routes planned.
• Blizzard Season (November – March): In regions prone to extreme winter storms, we take steps to equip our vehicles with snow chains, provide cold-weather gear for drivers, and adjust routes to avoid hazardous conditions.

Unpredictable Weather Events: Responding with Agility

Not all weather disruptions follow a predictable pattern. A recent example is the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, an unusual event occurring well outside of California’s typical wildfire season. When these wildfires erupted, TCI swiftly implemented its emergency response protocol:

• Early Coordination with Customers: We worked closely with our partners to expedite deliveries before fire conditions worsened and to stage critical shipments in safer locations. “We make changes to delivery schedules to ensure customers have the goods they need in time for our driving team to be safely back at home when the storm hits,” Wynn explains.
• Driver Safety First: Our priority was ensuring the safety of our team members by allowing time for evacuation, adjusting routes away from fire-affected zones, and supplying drivers with protective gear such as N95 masks.
• Post-Disaster Planning: After the fires, we held strategic planning meetings with customers to assess infrastructure damage, identify alternative routes, and refine future response strategies. “It’s important to talk candidly about how the event plan worked out, looking at what went well and what needs to be improved. Driver feedback is crucial to guide future planning.”

One standout example of effective planning came during the most recent hurricane event in Florida. “Our Flowers Bakery team held meetings with the customer and altered their production schedule. This allowed our drivers to deliver products before the storm hit,” Wynn recounts. “The storm’s path was monitored closely, with updates provided multiple times daily. Drivers were encouraged to inspect equipment thoroughly so we could ensure they were ready to bring themselves home safely.”

At locations, TCI cleared storm drains, repositioned trailers to face the wind to reduce tip-over risk, and removed equipment from low-lying areas prone to flooding. Messages were also sent reminding drivers about best practices for navigating severe weather—and when to cancel a trip altogether.

Proactive Communication & Preparedness

TCI’s ability to manage both predictable and unexpected weather disruptions stems from our commitment to proactive communication. “Multiple forecasting sources are utilized to track the precise path of a weather event,” says Wynn. “We rely on the National Weather Service and local forecasts to keep our teams updated.”

We maintain an open line of dialogue with our drivers and customers, ensuring:

• Real-time updates on changing conditions and schedule adjustments
• Early warnings and contingency planning for weather disruptions
• Post-event debriefs to improve future preparedness

Our Samsara software allows for timely communication, sending messages to individual drivers or entire terminals. “In addition, most drivers utilize hands-free Bluetooth technology to receive calls while remaining compliant with hands-free laws,” Wynn adds.

Driver safety is embedded in TCI’s culture. “Our team is key. Safety always comes first. No load is worth risking harm to ourselves or others,” says Wynn. “Managers encourage employees to implement our ‘Stop Work Authority’—if it’s not safe, don’t do it. That’s part of our everyday culture.”

Collaboration with customers is another pillar of our resilience strategy. “We meet with customers to understand their priorities,” explains Wynn. “When severe weather is forecasted, we adjust schedules to ensure the most critical items are covered first.”

By staying ahead of the storm—literally and figuratively—TCI keeps freight moving and people safe, reinforcing our commitment to operational excellence in all conditions.