Snowstorm hampers Northeast freight deliveries
Freight shipments along the eastern seaboard are experiencing delays as the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions dig out from a record snowstorm over the weekend.
Airlines cancelled hundreds of flights on Saturday and Sunday due to the weather, effecting cargo shipments that were scheduled to move on passenger planes. Officials at Reagan National Airport in Washington said no flights would operate until at least noon because taxiways are still being cleared. Workers there are having a difficult time finding space to put the snow.
Railroads are also working to clear tracks and restore freight service. The Norfolk Southern said snow and power outages are impacting service in western North Carolina, western Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and eastern Pennsylvania and that shippers should expect delays of up to 48 hours.
The snow storm and slick roads also caused hundreds of highway accidents during the weekend. Slick roads are also expected to slow some truck deliveries, primarily on local roads.
The weather conditions pose a problem for online retailers and people trying to send packages in time for Christmas. FedEx and UPS said they would be mostly on schedule today. FedEx hubs were outside the storm zone, but some planes were unable to land at airports that were closed. The company intends to respond by flying additional planes and putting extra trucks into service where possible, according to USA Today.
