Analyzing the Effect of Hurricane Helene on Freight Movement in Western North Carolina Using Telematic Data

Hurricane-induced disruptions pose significant risks to freight transportation systems, particularly in mountainous regions with limited redundancy. This study investigates the effect of Hurricane Helene on freight movement in Western North Carolina using Global Positioning System-based telematics data from heavy commercial vehicles. Freight activity was temporally segmented into before, during, and after hurricane periods to evaluate changes in truck movement, corridor performance, rerouting behavior, and recovery patterns. A geospatial analysis framework integrating telematics trajectories, Shuttle Radar Topography Mission elevation data, and official roadway closure information was developed to identify disrupted freight corridors and adaptive routing responses. The results show substantial reductions in freight activity along I-40, particularly near the Pigeon River Gorge, where severe flooding and infrastructure failure caused prolonged disruptions. Freight traffic was rerouted toward higher-elevation corridors, including I-240, demonstrating the role of topography in shaping the resilience of the network during extreme weather events. Corridor performance analysis further revealed the deterioration in travel conditions during the hurricane period, with median travel times and travel time index values increasing substantially along the affected routes. Although freight movement partially recovered after the event, traffic intensity and reliability metrics indicated that corridor operations remained below pre-event conditions in heavily affected areas. The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of telematics data in capturing real time freight system disruption and recovery dynamics under extreme weather conditions. This study provides a foundation for developing policy strategies and decision support tools to improve freight network reliability under future climate risks.