XENIA — A local trucking company announced it will keep its drivers off the road on Friday due to concerns over dangerous wind gusts.
As reported on News Center 7 at 11:00, the decision follows a temporary ban issued by the state on Thursday for high-profile vehicles traveling on the Ohio Turnpike.
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Our Storm Center 7 team of meteorologists said wind gusts between 50 mph and 60 mph will be felt from Friday morning into the early afternoon hours.
The safety precautions come after two semi-trucks lost control on Interstate 75 in Shelby County on Wednesday, an incident the National Weather Service later classified as an EF-0 tornado.
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Tom Milby, vice president of operations for Home Run Inc. in Xenia, said the company prioritizes driver safety over schedule when weather conditions are uncertain.
“We have a policy here when in doubt, don’t go out, and that keeps our drivers safe,” Milby said.
He explained that high-profile vehicles are particularly vulnerable to strong gusts.
“It only takes a 50 mph wind to push over a semi truck,” Milby said. “That truck is just like a sail on a sailboat, and it can be pushed over.”
Truck drivers at a stop in Piqua expressed similar concerns about the upcoming conditions.
Robert Meer referenced the recent accidents in Shelby County while discussing the potential for more crashes.
“There were two that could very well happen tomorrow, too,” Meer said.
However, Meer noted that his specific vehicle type provides some protection against the gusts.
“I’m a tanker there. So it goes, the wind goes over, it’s a little better,” he said.
For drivers already in transit, Home Run Inc. is providing accommodations to ensure they stay off the highways.
Milby said any driver currently on the road will stay in a hotel until it is safe to resume travel.
“One day, ain’t going to hurt anybody,” Milby said.
Other drivers at rest areas along Interstate 75 said they were getting on the road Thursday night to try to beat the winds.
Home Run Inc. officials said the company will return to normal operations on Monday.
Drivers will use that time to catch up on deliveries that were missed during the Friday safety stand-down.
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