Commerce Express Weekly Road Map: January 4th, 2021
Keeping you informed on the latest news/insights in our industry.
Commerce Express Blog
Increased prices were not an issue for customers this holiday season as holiday sales rose 8.5% this season compared to 2020, according to CNBC. These results were covered between November 1st and December 24th. Not only was it a significant increase from last year but it was the biggest annual increase in 17 years. Experts in the retail industry expect this momentum to continue in the following weeks after the holidays, and some even say into the first half of 2022.
Trucking Update
- As of this morning in Northern Virginia, drivers have been stuck on I-95 for more than 15 hours. This is the effect of a six tractor-trailer crash that occurred early afternoon on Monday, as Virginia was hit with more than 14-inches of snow, which also caused multiple treefalls. According to Insider, both north and southbound lanes of I-95 were blocked near Fredericksburg. However, according to Josh Lederman with NBC News, things northbound have started to move again. Many of the drivers stuck on I-95 are running out of fuel (for heat) and have limited or zero food or water supplies. As of early Tuesday morning, temperatures in Fredericksburg were 16 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Insider. Many truck drivers, who are well equipped with extra fuel, food, and water for driving emergencies in the winter, have been sharing some of their supplies with drivers nearby. According to the Virginia Department of Transportation – Fredericksburg branch and reported by Insider, crews have started to mobilize and begun taking people that are stopped on the interstate off to nearby interchanges and bringing them to alternate routes.
- A transmission tower in southeastern Virginia was struck by a barge early Monday morning during a rainstorm. According to Freightwaves, crews believe this was caused from the high tide, as well as the 40 MPH wind gusts that occurred during the storm, which caused the river barge to hit the tower. Thankfully company officials at Dominion Energy have said all power lines are intact, and if needed, power would be able to be redirected to other lines – no widespread power outages were reported as of late Monday afternoon, according to Freightwaves.
- Once again, the Pacific Northwest has been getting hit hard with heavy snow and rain, that most likely will continue throughout this week, at minimum through Thursday. On Sunday, parts of the Cascades and northern Rockies saw 12-24+ inches of snow, according to Freightwaves. With a few additional storms impacting the region throughout the week, travel for truckers going over mountain passes could be significantly impacted. According to Freightwaves, some main lanes of concern are:
- Interstate 5 from Bellingham, Washington to Redding, California
- Interstate 15 in Montana from Great Falls to Dillon
- Interstate 84 from Twin Falls, Idaho, to Portland
- Interstate 90 from Butte, Montana, to Seattle
- S. Highway 101 from Eureka, California, to Olympia, Washington
- Trans-Canada Highway from Vancouver to Sikhist Provincial Park
Industry FAQ's
How does the truck driver shortage look for 2022?
The truck driver shortage will continue to be an issue in 2022 but will depend a lot on how the current market conditions continue to evolve.
How will the Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force improve driver recruitment?
The Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force is focusing on getting more drivers to obtain their CDLs easier, accelerating the expansion of registered apprenticeships, conduct veterans-focused outreach & recruitment, as well as launching joint DOT-DOL Driving Good Jobs Initiative.
Rail Update
- Recently, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced it has terminated its lease with a south Texas seaport, which is a major trade channel between the United States and Mexico, according to Freightwaves. As of Saturday, CBP’s personnel and operations moved from the Port of Brownsville to the Brownsville-South Padre Island International Airport, according to Freightwaves. All of CBP customs services will now be managed from the new CBP’s offices at the airport. However, CBP’s move to the airport doesn’t change anything as far as trade activity is concerned. The only change is the CBP will not have a presence inside the Port of Brownswille, said Eduardo Campirano, director, and CEO of the Port of Brownswille. CBP officials have not given a reason for termination of the lease, or how many employees will be moving to the airport
- Last Thursday, an explosion at the CSX Curtis Bay Coal Terminal in Baltimore occurred, the cause of the incident is still under investigation. According to Freightwaves, all employees have been accounted for and as of last Thursday there were no injuries. The Baltimore City Fire Department confirmed that no gases were detected from the site.
Follow Us on LinkedIn!
If you are enjoying our weekly content, check out our LinkedIn to see our weekly blog posts, updates and more!
Recent Comments