How to Lock-in a Winning Winter Transportation Strategy

Weather is the cause of 23% of all road delays in the U.S. and costs trucking companies annually from $2B to $3.5B a year, according to The Economist. For shippers, those delays and costs directly impact delivery reliability and transportation budgets, which are two KPIs no supply chain manager can afford to compromise.

The difference between shippers who weather winter storms successfully and those who don’t is a solid winter transportation strategy built before the first snowflake falls. 

As a 3PL with deep roots in Wisconsin’s winter conditions, WSI has helped countless shippers navigate seasonal disruptions with strategic rerouting, contingency planning, and expert freight brokerage support.

Prepare your winter transportation strategy in advance

Winter weather happens, but that doesn’t mean you have to pay for it. If you plan well enough, you can mitigate the risks of seasonal weather patterns and problem highways.

For shippers located in the coldest reaches of the country, that most often involves strategically redirecting freight for the season. The southern route is just one of five options highlighted below, and each of those has many variations.

Shippers have other options, including front-loading shipments before the season, stockpiling inventory close to markets, and shifting modes in some cases. With all these options, advanced planning is essential.

Rate volatility is common. Southern route rates can rise as capacity tightens. They can also spike as a result of snowstorms. In northern regions costs can swell with seasonal surcharges. For these reasons getting a jump on the season can help you lock in lower rates.

“The best time to meet with transportation partners is in September to early November so you’re all set with alternate routing, know your primary and secondary carriers, establish rates, and have contingency plans in place for a host of weather possibilities,” advises WSI Freight Brokerage Leader, David Stone.

Shift freight to the Southern Route and other options

Creating a plan to avoid highways with a reputation for snow, wind, ice, and freezing temperatures starts with knowing the classic alternate routes. The basic strategy is avoiding elevations above 4,000 feet and sticking to interstates offering the safety of food, fuel and accommodations. Alternate routes can become the default during winter or the go-to when weather threatens northern or other high-risk routes.

1. Cross-country detours for hauls starting out West

These routes that begin on the West Coast help avoid the snow, ice, wind, whiteouts and mountain pass closures of the Cascades, Rockies, and Great Lakes. They provide alternates to fair-weather favorites, the I-90, I-94 or I-80.

Los Angeles > I-40 > Memphis > I-30/I-20 > Atlanta > I-10 > Jacksonville

Or

Seattle > I-5 > I-10 eastward > I-95 northward to the East Coast

2. Southern route go-tos to avoid northern routes

These alternates promise warmer weather, with low-to-no chance of snow closures. They help truckers avoid the flat expanses that expose truckers to ground blizzards and road closures common in Nebraska, Iowa, and the Dakotas.

I-10     Los Angeles > Phoenix > El Paso > San Antonio > Houston > New Orleans > Jacksonville

Or

I-40     Barstow > Flagstaff > Amarillo > Oklahoma City > Memphis > Nashville > Raleigh

I-20     Dallas > Atlanta > Columbia > coastal ports

3. Alternative routes around the western mountain regions

Keep these options handy when snow is forecasted for the Cascades, Sierras, and Rockies. These routes can help truckers avoid steep grades, icy downhills, avalanches and snow chain checkpoints that make I-80, I-90, I-70, I-94, and I-35 especially dangerous during winter storms.

I-5 corridor from Seattle to Los Angeles

Or

I-40 (Barstow–Flagstaff–Albuquerque–Oklahoma City)

US-30 / US-20 (southern Idaho route)

Or

US-50 or US-160 (via southern Colorado)

4. Options to avoid the Midwest and Great Lakes freezeout

Carriers who want to get away from the risk of heavy lake-effect snow prevalent in the upper Midwest and Chicago-to-East-Coast corridors can turn to these options. They are are more southern and better cleared than snow magnets, the I-94, I-90, I-80, and I-75.

US-30 (Iowa–Ohio)

Or

I-70 (via Akron, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia

Or

I-76 (via Indianapolis, Columbus, and Pittsburgh)

5. Ways to escape winter weather of the Northeast Corridor

Heavy snow, freezing rain, icy bridges and urban congestion make I-81, I-84, I-87 and I-95 routes to beware of during winter months. The reroutes below enable drivers to avoid the Lake Erie and Adirondak snow zones. Their lower elevations and proximity to warmer coastal zones also make for milder weather and temperatures on these routes in winter.

I-88 > I-86 > I-84 (southern approach)

Or

I-78 or I-76 through Pennsylvania, connecting to I-287/I-95

Experience to navigate the complexities

Rerouting is more difficult than it looks. Route optimization is hard enough to do right in the fair-weather months. A freight broker like WSI leverages experience from many past winters to find the ideal lanes and carrier options for your load or loads. Whether you need dedicated service or a one-off delivery, freight brokers are experts at mitigating risk and maximizing value no matter where you’re shipping. Experienced freight brokers like WSI bring an invaluable view of the full range of possibilities and solutions. You can’t beat first-hand experience in situations where agility and decisiveness are required.

Timing and pricing advantages

Rerouting usually leads to an increase in transit time and transportation costs. A freight broker’s job is to compare options. That includes the do-nothing option. “Part of WSI’s due diligence involves comparing the rates and transit time with your pre-winter routing pricing and timing. That includes any surcharges for winter driving as well as estimated days from potential weather delays,” Stone explains. He adds that the results aren’t always what you’d think. Sometimes costs are lower and transit times shorter when shippers stick with northern routes.

Connections to help you find capacity

A freight broker’s key strength is the ability to contract with the best carrier for the lane without limitation. WSI has a network of 75,000 vetted carriers across the country. That means WSI can access drivers with experience running the alternate routes shippers need. It also provides shippers with access to equipment and experienced drivers for any specialized freight they’re shipping.

Your technology-enabled single point of contact

When you’re shipping in new territory, it is a great comfort to have an expert handling everything for you. WSI customers shifting to alternate routes during the winter don’t have to know the carrier they’re using because they’re vetted and verified by WSI. WSI’s connections are amplified by a technology platform that provides control tower support, facilitates dynamic rerouting to avoid weather disruptions, ensures real-time tracking of loads, and maintains continuous communication with drivers and all parties.  

An invaluable partner in a cold, hard season

The winter months create variability that can easily blow-up shippers’ transportation budgets and destroy the dependability they work all year to achieve. Freight brokers like WSI help shippers take control by providing accountability from beginning to end of the storm, season or shipment. Winter doesn’t have to mean delivery delays and exorbitant rates. With the right freight broker, shippers can take a different route.

Plan to love winter a little more this year

Winter storms in early 2025 caused OT to drop 13.8% on average throughout the industry, project 44 estimates. Now’s the time to beat the average and outperform your competition in reliability. It’s never too late to make sure your winter transportation strategy accounts for seasonal weather patterns and provides contingency plans for major storms.

With the right moves you can be more prepared than ever this year. Shifting truckloads to southern routes is only one way you can plan your way around disruption this season. Establishing warehouses that are closer to markets is another. And sending shipments with longer lead times by weather-resilient rail is yet another .

Reach out to WSI before the snow starts to explore your options, discuss solutions, and build a winning winter transportation strategy.