FMCSA WEATHER-RELATED HOS WAIVERS NOW COVER 20 STATES
FMCSA expanded and extended emergency hours-of-service relief for heating-fuel and storm response freight across a wide swath of the Northeast and Midwest, with most waivers running to Jan. 15 and a separate Washington flooding waiver to Jan. 23. Carriers hauling propane, natural gas and heating oil are among those covered; normal safety rules still apply.
POWERFUL WINTER STORM BRINGS BLIZZARDS, ICE AND DAMAGING WINDS ACROSS U.S.
A coast-to-coast system is slamming the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes with blizzard conditions and pushing icing into New England today, threatening road closures, power outages and freight delays at the peak of holiday returns season.
NORTHEAST STORM TRIGGERS EMERGENCIES AND TRAVEL CHAOS; COMMERCIAL RESTRICTIONS REPORTED
Snow and ice snarled the New York–New Jersey corridor Saturday into Sunday, with thousands of flight disruptions and road advisories; officials urged motorists to stay off the roads as icing lingers into Monday, impacting trucking and air cargo connections.
I‑5 NEAR CASTAIC REOPENS AFTER GAS LINE EXPLOSION SHUTS CORRIDOR FOR HOURS
A gas line explosion north of Los Angeles forced an hours-long shutdown of I‑5 on Saturday before reopening around 9 p.m., stalling holiday traffic on a critical LA–Central Valley freight route and delaying truck movements through the Grapevine.
CONNECTICUT UNDER FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY TONIGHT; ICING COULD SNARL FREIGHT FLOWS
The National Weather Service warns of up to two-tenths of an inch of ice statewide between 5 p.m. and midnight Sunday, with slick roads and possible outages likely to complicate overnight trucking and Monday morning deliveries.
EASTERN NEW YORK BRACES FOR ICING SUNDAY NIGHT; TRUCKERS URGED TO AVOID UNNECESSARY TRAVEL
Freezing rain is forecast across the Capital Region and Hudson Valley with up to 0.2″ of ice, prompting warnings of treacherous road conditions and advising caution or delays for runs into Monday morning.
BLIZZARD WARNING FOR WEST TEXAS/SE NEW MEXICO AS STORM BUILDS; HIGH WINDS, HEAVY SNOW AHEAD
Gusts up to 50 mph and several inches of snow are expected in the Guadalupe and Delaware mountains with broader winter advisories west of Midland–Odessa, threatening reduced visibility and closures on key freight corridors into Monday night.
MICHIGAN’S HARBOR TRANSIT TO RUN LIMITED SERVICE MONDAY AMID WINTER STORM WARNINGS
Grand Haven’s transit agency will prioritize essential trips Monday as the NWS issues a winter storm warning, signaling potential first/last‑mile disruptions for regional shippers and workers along the Lakeshore.
CROSS-BORDER ROUNDUP: TCS OPENS MONTERREY OFFICE; UP PLANS 2,000-ACRE TEXAS INDUSTRIAL PARK
As nearshoring deepens, TCS expands in Monterrey to manage U.S.–Mexico freight while Union Pacific advances a massive Houston‑area industrial park and Waco’s 1.06M‑sq‑ft bottling plant is redeveloped into an I‑35 logistics center.
FEDEX FLAGS WEATHER-RELATED OPERATIONAL IMPACTS; SHIPPERS SHOULD CHECK LOCAL ZIP CODES
FedEx notes potential pickup and delivery delays tied to storms Dec. 27–29, urging customers to use its operational impacts tool and alerts as carriers balance safety with holiday‑period demand surges.
PENNSYLVANIA LIFTS TIER 3 BANS; 45 MPH SPEED CAPS REMAIN ON KEY INTERSTATES AFTER STORM
PennDOT removed Tier 3 commercial restrictions but kept reduced speeds on I‑78, I‑80, I‑81, and others as plow crews work to keep freight corridors open; additional advisories are possible with refreeze and high winds.
PORT OF GALVESTON TURNS 200; $90 MILLION CARGO EXPANSION HIGHLIGHTS GULF GROWTH PLANS
Marking its bicentennial, the Texas Gulf gateway details a cargo facility build‑out alongside cruise growth, underscoring continued infrastructure investment for breakbulk, vehicles and project cargo on the Gulf Coast.
LAREDO UNDER WIND ADVISORY AS FINAL 2025 RAIN MOVES THROUGH THE BORDERLANE
Gusts up to 43 mph are forecast Monday in Laredo, with light rain and a colder push; cross‑border truckers using the World Trade Bridge should anticipate high‑profile vehicle cautions and brief slowdowns.
BORDERLANDS: ENFORCEMENT, TARIFFS AND THEFT CONTINUE TO RESHAPE U.S.–MEXICO FREIGHT IN 2025
This week’s Borderlands coverage highlights nearshoring momentum alongside compliance and security headwinds at key crossings such as Laredo, Eagle Pass and El Paso, with implications for 2026 capacity and pricing.
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