Automotive Fleet
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Winter Storm Stella Wreaks Havoc in the Northeast

Winter Storm Stella has hit the Northeast, dumping snow in New England and freezing rain in warmer areas, and causing road closures along the East Coast.

by Staff
March 14, 2017
Winter Storm Stella Wreaks Havoc in the Northeast

Photo via NYS Thruway Authority Twitter 

2 min to read


#BlizzardStella - Heavy tow operator Gallagher's Garage performs a winch-out on I-87 at milepost 103 southbound pic.twitter.com/68JWipMWrL

— NYSThruwayAuthority (@NYSThruway) March 14, 2017

Winter Storm Stella has hit the Northeast, dumping snow in New England and freezing rain in warmer areas, and causing road closures along the East Coast.

Ad Loading...

Stella has dropped more than a foot of snow already in areas of New York and Pennsylvania and brought freezing rain and ice to the Washington, D.C., and Baltimore areas. The rain and snow led to the declaration of states of emergency in New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia, according to the Washington Post.

Several major roads have been closed in the area. The storm is expected to continue through Tuesday and into Wednesday as it moves in a northeasterly direction. In New York, the state has issued a tractor-trailer ban on the full length of Interstates 81, 84, 86, 88, Route 17 and the NYS Thruway.

Pennsylvania is joining New York in restricting all trucks from Interstate 84 and is advising truckers to avoid Interstate 81 although trucks are not officially banned. The state is also imposing restrictions on interstate roads in central and eastern Pennsylvania. Speed limits are reduced to 45 mph and the affected interstates are closed to tandem trailers, empty trailers, buses, motorcycles recreational vehicles and towed trailers.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie authorized road closures in the state in anticipation of the storm and directed travelers to use 511nj.org to keep up with the latest road conditions. Connecticut has issued a statewide travel ban, authorizing only essential travel on state roads.

Earlier in the week, Stella left behind several inches of snow in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin, in some cases exceeding a foot.

Ad Loading...

Southern states also received snowfall, though in smaller amounts in parts of Georgia, Arkansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

More Operations

Two employees pull opposite ends of a rope in a tug-of-war, illustrating workplace conflict and the leadership strategies fleet organizations use to improve communication and teamwork.
Operationsby Faith HowellJune 8, 2026

How to Manage Conflict for Your Fleet Operations

Conflict management is becoming a core leadership skill. Here are five strategies fleet leaders should know.

Read More →
wheel geotab image
SponsoredJune 1, 2026

Turning Connected Vehicle Data Into Decisions That Matter

Fleet leaders have more data than ever, but turning that data into clear, actionable decisions remains a challenge. This white paper shows how leading organizations are using connected vehicle data to improve safety, reduce costs, and optimize fleet performance. Learn how to turn insight into action across your fleet.

Read More →
A person holding a clipboard and writing on an inspection checklist beside the wheel of a large white vehicle, likely conducting a fleet or safety inspection.
SponsoredJune 1, 2026

Cameras, Safety and Insurance: From Reactive Claims to Real-time Prevention

Commercial auto remains one of the most challenging and costly lines of coverage for fleet operators and insurers alike. Learn more about how to effectively address these issues from Onur Aksan, Enterprise Business Development Executive, Geotab.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
fleetio coast pay
SponsoredMay 29, 2026

Are You Tracking Your Fleet's True Total Cost of Ownership?

Bobit Business Media surveyed 190 fleet professionals and found that while most fleets are tracking costs, fragmented systems and data gaps are keeping true TCO visibility out of reach. With rising pressure to control spend in an increasingly volatile environment, the gap between what fleets think they know and what the data actually shows is wider than you might expect. See how your peers are managing costs today and where the industry still has room to improve.

Read More →
Promotional graphic for a fleet management whitepaper titled “From Data Overload to Decisive Action: 5 Steps to Drive Smarter Fleet Decisions.” The design features a row of white commercial fleet vans, blue and lime-green branding, and supporting text about using telematics data to improve fleet performance, driver behavior, safety, and operational decision-making. A highlighted quote reads, “The challenge is no longer collecting data. The challenge is using it effectively.” The Utilimarc logo appears at the bottom alongside the website URL.
SponsoredMay 28, 2026

Turn Fleet Data Into Smarter Decisions

Fleet leaders have access to more operational data than ever, but disconnected systems and unclear metrics often slow decision-making instead of improving it. This article outlines five practical steps fleets can take to transform fragmented data into actionable insights that improve planning, safety, utilization, and long-term performance.

Read More →
SponsoredMay 15, 2026

Hybrids: Electrification Without the Challenges

For fleet managers, fuel is one of the biggest line items in the budget — and it's one hybrids can shrink without changing how your people work. Download the eBook to see the numbers, understand the technology, and get a step-by-step guide to making the switch.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Man speaking during an Automotive Fleet interview beside text reading “The 60% Driver Improvement Nobody Expected!” with blue motion graphics background.
Operationsby Chris BrownMay 14, 2026

How NOV Uses Telematics to Improve Fleet Safety Across 160 Locations

James Victory of NOV discusses how the company manages fleet safety, maintenance, and telematics across more than 150 locations supporting oilfield operations throughout the U.S.

Read More →
A graphic with Ford Pro's Steven Sanstostasi's headshot on it representing the Fleet Meets series.
Operationsby Faith HowellMay 14, 2026

Fleet Meets: Steven Santostasi

This edition of the Fleet Meets series features Steven Santostasi, the current TSP channel manager for Ford Pro.

Read More →
Cover of a whitepaper titled “The Hidden Costs of Departmentally Assigned Vehicles on Your Fleet” featuring a black fleet vehicle driving on a road at sunset. Subheadline reads: “Discover how your fleet can reduce costs and minimize risk by implementing vehicle sharing.” The document focuses on fleet optimization, vehicle sharing, cost reduction, utilization tracking, and risk management for fleet operations.
SponsoredMay 13, 2026

Why Fleet Managers Are Replacing Departmental Vehicles with Shared Motor Pools

Departmentally assigned vehicles often create hidden costs through underutilization, poor visibility, and increased administrative burden. This white paper explores how shared motor pool strategies help fleets reduce costs, improve accountability, and optimize vehicle utilization.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Three team members in shop with Chris
Operationsby Chris BrownMay 12, 2026

Soap Box Derby Challenge: Assembling the Crew

Meet Gabriel, Matthew, and Angel — the team helping bring this soap box derby build to life.

Read More →