There is hope that data collected from multiple sources will soon provide actionable insights into how to better move people, goods, and services in preparation, evacuation, and recovery from a storm.

Altitude by Geotab has presented findings at our BBM Fleet Forward conferences in recent years that dive into future tech and where data, safety, and sustainability are heading. I was impressed by a recent Altitude e-book that shared data insights from three recent disasters, which are summarized below.

After the Storm – Lessons from Hurricane Helene’s Disruption in North Carolina

When Hurricane Helene slammed into North Carolina in late September 2024, it wasn’t just wind and water that brought the state to a halt, it was a complete collapse of movement. Roads disappeared under floodwaters. Bridges were torn away. Aid and rescue efforts stalled not from lack of urgency, but from a landscape rendered unnavigable.

Commercial vehicle traffic told a quiet but telling story in the days surrounding the storm. Two days before landfall, volumes dropped as drivers rerouted or stayed home. By the time Helene’s rains hit, traffic in western regions like Asheville had nearly vanished. Even after the skies cleared, the region’s transportation arteries remained choked, some by standing water, others by structural damage that would take weeks or months to repair.   

This wasn’t just a matter of convenience. Emergency response was slowed. Freight routes were disrupted. The real cost wasn’t measured in gallons of water, but in hours lost, deliveries missed, and lives complicated by an invisible barrier: inaccessibility.

Satellite data and vehicle movement analytics — used retrospectively — help us map this disruption in striking detail. Roads that normally buzz with activity appeared silent. Travel “hotspots” turned cold. The recovery was as uneven as the storm’s path, with some areas bouncing back quickly and others lagging behind due to the damage to their infrastructure.

Helene made it clear that disaster preparedness can’t start when the clouds roll in. It begins with understanding how a region moves and how quickly that movement can grind to a halt. The state’s recovery wasn’t just physical; it was logistical. And if we’re to build real resilience into our infrastructure, we need to see traffic patterns not just as data points, but as lifelines.

Icebound – What New York’s Winter Storms Revealed About Road Resilience

In January 2024, two back-to-back winter storms swept through western New York, blanketing the region in heavy snow and sleet. While the images of snow-covered highways and stranded vehicles told one part of the story, a deeper narrative unfolded beneath the surface; one of slowed movement, cautious behavior, and infrastructure pushed to its edge.

Between January 13 and 18, roadways in Erie, Genesee, and Niagara counties saw sharp drops in commercial vehicle traffic. Traffic volume fell by over 60% at the height of the storms, and miles driven dropped even further. Major arteries like I-90 were technically closed, but still saw some movement, likely from drivers unwilling or unable to find alternatives. The result: isolated pockets of activity amid widespread paralysis.

But this storm didn’t just slow traffic, it changed behavior. Data on harsh driving events showed subtle shifts: less aggressive acceleration, braking, and cornering. Drivers were proceeding with caution, aware that even routine maneuvers could turn risky on icy roads. Meanwhile, average travel times ballooned — by as much as 233% in some counties — turning short hauls into grueling treks.

Perhaps the most telling was what happened when vehicles stopped. The average roadside stop nearly doubled in duration. Drivers either had nowhere safe to go or simply waited out the worst conditions. Buffalo and its neighboring towns became clusters of long, unintended layovers.

The lesson? Winter weather doesn’t just inconvenience fleets and businesses, it restructures mobility. Emergency plans must account not only for closures, but also for the behavioral adaptations they trigger. Slower speeds, longer stops, and rerouted journeys aren’t anomalies; they’re predictable responses. Understanding these patterns means we’re better equipped to survive the next storm and keep people and goods moving through it.

In the Fire Zone – Mobility Lessons from Los Angeles’ Wildfire Crisis

When the Palisades and Eaton wildfires ignited across Los Angeles in January 2025, it wasn’t just homes and hillsides that burned, it was the delicate choreography of movement across a vast, urban ecosystem. With wind gusts exceeding 80 mph and tens of thousands of acres scorched, the fires didn’t just threaten lives; they disoriented entire communities trying to flee, respond, or return.

Mobility data from those weeks paints a stark picture. In the days leading up to the fires, vehicle volumes were steady. Then came the collapse. Roadways in Santa Monica, Topanga Canyon, and Altadena emptied.

Evacuation routes eastward (toward Culver City and Mid-City) saw corresponding spikes. This was not just chaos; it was directional. People fled with purpose, even if the routes they chose weren’t preordained by planners.

But unlike a hurricane or snowstorm, fire is unpredictable. Its path is shaped by wind, not weather forecasts. By January 9, vehicle volumes around Palisades Park had plummeted, while traffic slowly shifted to less-affected zones. In Altadena, however, the response was more scattered. There, movement slowed without a clear directional trend, suggesting confusion, limited evacuation capacity, or infrastructural constraints.

Over time, recovery became visible. By January 17, traffic volumes around both fire zones edged back toward normal. Aid efforts? Returning residents? Likely, both were contributors. But the key takeaway is this: Fire may be fast, but its mobility shadow lingers.

We often think of wildfires as natural disasters, but they also produce transportation disasters. Understanding how people evacuate — where they go, how quickly they leave, and when they return — offers planners a map not just of movement but of vulnerability. The roads we take in a crisis are more than concrete; they are choices, patterns, and, ultimately, indicators of how prepared we truly are.

Download the ‘Altitude by Geotab’ e-books at altitude.geotab.com