Record-breaking temperatures in Chicago cause health and economic impacts.
Temperatures dropped to -30 C on January 30th, with the wind chill making it seems more like -45 C in some areas. Chicago was put on a severe weather alert, warning pedestrians and drivers to cover up as frostbite can occur within minutes on exposed skin. Drivers were put at risk if their cars broke down or were stranded and were cautioned to watch out for icy and slippery road conditions.
By analyzing data derived from an average of 7,500 vehicles equipped with Geotab services, the impact of the weather on commercial vehicles and overall fleet activity can be seen. According to the data, there was a 51% reduction in total miles driven by all fleets, who were forced to suspend their operations at times to ensure the safety of their drivers. Some affected fleets included the United Parcel Service (UPS) for services in New York and the Midwest U.S., the UPS World-port hub in Kentucky, and the U.S. Postal Service.
The weather is expected to improve this week to above normal temperature, which will allow fleet activity to resume.
