Emergency Freight Resources

When a hurricane, wildfire, flood, or winter storm hits, relief supplies move by truck. Use these resources to find disaster relief freight, check road conditions and weather alerts, and understand which federal rules change during a declared emergency.

Disaster relief freight

American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN): A nonprofit that connects disaster relief organizations with the transportation, warehousing, equipment, and logistics expertise they need. Carriers and logistics companies can offer help through ALAN when a disaster hits.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. Find current disaster declarations and response updates for hurricanes, wildfires, floods, and more.
Understanding FEMA loads for truckers: Types of FEMA loads, what they pay, how to find them, and how to prepare before you haul disaster relief freight.

Emergency declarations and hours of service relief

When the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) or a state governor declares an emergency, some federal safety rules, including hours of service, may be temporarily relaxed for carriers hauling direct relief. Each declaration spells out which rules, regions, loads, and dates it covers, and plenty of rules stay in force. Read the declaration itself before you plan a run around it.

FMCSA Emergency Declarations, Waivers, Exemptions and Permits: The current list of federal and state emergency declarations, with the regions, commodities, and expiration dates each one covers.
DOT hours of service rules, exemptions, and violations: A refresher on the standard HOS limits and the exemptions that apply outside a declared emergency.

Road conditions and closures

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) traffic information: State-by-state links to 511 traveler information, road conditions, and closures so you know what to expect before you head into an affected area. Before you roll, or once you’re parked, you can also dial 511 in many states for current road conditions.
State DOT websites: Links to the department of transportation for all 50 states for local restrictions, permits, and detours.

Weather and hazard alerts

National Weather Service (NWS): Forecasts, watches, and warnings from NOAA for snow, ice, fog, high winds, flash flooding, and severe storms.
National Hurricane Center: Tropical storm and hurricane forecasts, watches, and warnings for the Atlantic and eastern Pacific.
InciWeb: The interagency wildfire incident information system, with fire locations, evacuation notices, and closures.
American Red Cross Emergency app: A free app with official National Weather Service alerts that you can customize by hazard and set for multiple locations, plus steps to take before, during, and after a disaster. Available in English and Spanish on the App Store and Google Play.

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