Automotive Fleet
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Florida Escapes Worst of Irma, Impact Felt Across State

Hurricane Irma's late shift to the west seems to have spared Florida the worst of the storm, but even with reduced impact, its effects are widespread.

by Staff
September 12, 2017
Florida Escapes Worst of Irma, Impact Felt Across State

Coast Guard Flood Punt Teams conduct rescue operations in Jacksonville, Florida, Sept. 11, 2017. Photo: Courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard District 7

3 min to read


Coast Guard Flood Punt Teams conduct rescue operations in Jacksonville, Florida, Sept. 11, 2017. Photo: Courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard District 7

Hurricane Irma's late shift to the west seems to have spared Florida the worst of the storm, but even with reduced impact, its effects are widespread.

A combination of influences caused Irma to lose strength over the northern coast of Cuba and shift westward. That put it on a path that reduced the impact of high winds and storm surge on major urban centers in the southeast of the state, including Miami.

Ad Loading...

Recent estimates for total damage costs in the state are at $58 billion. That is far less than earlier numbers, which reached as high as $200 billion, according to Bloomberg. The current estimate is still higher than the total for Hurricane Andrew in 1992, which cost nearly $48 billion when adjusted for inflation, but is below the estimates for Hurricane Harvey, which may run upwards of $75 billion.

Fuel prices were up again in the latest numbers from the Energy Department. The average price of diesel fuel increased 4.4 cents for the week ending on Sept. 11 and stands at $2.80 per gallon. This is a week after jumping more than 15 cents in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Perhaps more telling than the increase in price was a note in the report stating that data on Miami’s gas prices were unavailable due to the insufficient response from retailers.

A Florida Trucking Association representative told HDT that in the immediate aftermath of the storm, most Florida-based trucking companies are "still in damage assessment and power restoration mode and are doing the obvious things they need to do.”

As of Sept. 11, every major interstate and turnpike in the state was reopened. U.S. 1 South, which runs through the Florida Keys, is still being assessed for damage and no residents or visitors are permitted in the Keys until it is complete.

Florida residents are still being asked not to rush back to their homes and businesses as power, fuel, and other infrastructures are not restored in some places and congestion from returning Floridians is likely.

Ad Loading...

“Don't think just because this thing passed, you can run home,” said Florida Gov. Rick Scott in a briefing. “We've got downed power lines all across the state. We've got roads that are impassible still across the state. We've got debris all over the state."

Millions of residents are still without power a day after Irma moved through Florida. At the the worst of it, the hurricane left more than half of the state’s residents without power, according to a Washington Post report. But crews are working to repair damaged power lines and the number of people with power, especially on the east coast, is steadily increasing.

Ports from South Florida to South Carolina are slowly reopening, bringing back goods and fuel supplies to the region. With minimal damage, most are expected to reopen by Sept. 13.

More Operations

Commercial Fleet
SponsoredJuly 23, 2026

The Top 300 Commercial Fleets

The Top 300 Commercial Fleets: See the List

Read More →
Cover of the "Top 50 Green Fleets" report presented by Automotive Fleet and Inspiration Fleet, featuring an aerial nighttime photo of a lit highway interchange with looping ramps.
SponsoredJuly 16, 2026

The Top 50 Green Fleets

The List Is in: The Top 50 Green Fleets

Read More →
A car dealership with added inscription "Every fleet vehicle eventually becomes local."
Operationsby Chris BrownJuly 15, 2026

Your Local Dealer Knows More Than You Think

Your local dealer can provide an information advantage that extends well beyond courtesy deliveries.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Portrait of Austin Schutte, founder and CEO of Anew Solutions, featured in Automotive Fleet's Fleet Meets series highlighting his career, leadership philosophy, and fleet industry insights.
Operationsby Faith HowellJuly 14, 2026

Fleet Meets: Austin Schutte

Here are some industry insights, personal touches, and words of advice from the CEO and Founder of Anew Solutions.

Read More →
Photo of Team Brown building soap box derby
Operationsby Chris BrownJuly 13, 2026

Soap Box Derby Challenge: What’s Powering Team Brown

The car is coming together, the students are solving real build problems, and the fleet industry is helping push Team Brown toward the starting line.

Read More →
Green and black bar graphs showing 2026 versus 2025 fleet sales.
Vehicle Researchby Martin RomjueJuly 8, 2026

Commercial Fleet Sales Contribute To June, YTD Gains

The fleet sector has boosted its vehicle purchases at a reliable pace in the first half of this year compared with 1H 2025.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A black square with white color font text
SponsoredJuly 2, 2026

What Fleet Managers Really Want From Vendors

From customer service frustrations and technology breakdowns to RFQs, change management, and the growing impact of turnover across the industry, this conversation pulls back the curtain on the real operational challenges fleet managers are navigating every day.

Read More →
A black square with white color font text
SponsoredJuly 2, 2026

Fleet Safety Masterclass: Industry Leaders on Storytelling, Strategy & Innovation

In this special masterclass episode, industry leaders break down what it really takes to build safer fleets in today’s increasingly distracted and data-driven world.

Read More →
A black square with white color font text
SponsoredJuly 2, 2026

Integrating Legacy Fleet Systems and Historical Data

In this episode, we bring together fleet and technology leaders to unpack the realities of data integration, system migrations, and the evolving role of AI in fleet management.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A black square with white color font text
SponsoredJuly 2, 2026

From Resistance to Results: Change Management Strategies for Fleets

From new technologies and safety programs to evolving regulations, fleets are under constant pressure to adapt. But as Dr. Betz explains, success isn’t about the system you implement—it’s about whether your people actually use it.

Read More →