Strong winds and flooding can make travel risky, if not dangerous, but the combination of hours of service and a driver’s schedule doesn’t leave a lot of wiggle room to wait out the storm’s forecast.
“Since hurricane paths are projected with a wide cone a week ahead of time with a narrower cone days before land fall, it’s best to have actions that mirror the words,” said J.J. Keller Editor Rick Malchow. “Many carriers cease sending vehicles into the forecasted area days before the expected landfall. Forecasts though are not infallible. What then?”
Officials in Florida on Wednesday declared a State of Emergency – suspending some hours of service regulations – five days in advance of what is forecast to be a Category 4 hurricane when it makes landfall Monday and bringing along a potentially powerful storm surge, high winds and flooding across east and central Florida.
“Because of the uncertainty in the track of this storm, every resident along the east coast needs to be ready,” said Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Jared Moskowitz.
For drivers heading in or out of the area over the weekend, and possibly into next week, the decision to forge ahead could mean driving into a problem that could only be compounded by HOS restraints.
Hours of service have already been suspended in 26 Florida counties: Baker, Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, Indian River, Lake, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Nassau, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Putnam, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Volusia and Union.
