Truckers at a Standstill: Blizzard Keeps Semis Off the Roads

 With the North Dakota Department of Transportation shutting down roads due to the storm, some drivers had to change their plans.

The snow had many trucks piling up.

“We checked 511 and all the weather channels that we have on our phones and it’s already…at 5:30 they were saying there was no travel advised,” said driver James Lang.

Although this is some of the first snow of the season, truck drivers say waiting around is nothing new.

“During the winter months, you have to stop a lot. You have to go through you know, the Mother Nature thing,” said driver Derici Moore. “Other than that, you know it’s pretty easy going.”

“A lot of us have TVs in the trucks. A lot of us will take taxis and go to the malls. We stay busy,” said Lang. It’s like I said, it’s something we’re used to…it’s part of the industry.”

Some drivers don’t find the stop an inconvenience.

“I’d rather sit still and wait for the roads to be better to move safe instead of trying to move out in this stuff,” Lang added.

Moore says the weather does have an effect on his job.

“It affects my business a lot for the simple fact that I’m not able to deliver the loads so I’m not able to reload and keep the cash flow flowing,” he said.

One driver says he plans to go to the gym while another plans to spend time with his wife.