March is the transition month. The ice and snow of January and February give way to mud, rain, construction, and longer daylight. The seasonal shift brings its own set of challenges — and the drivers who adapt early are the ones who don't get caught by them mid-route.
Construction Season Begins Now
Road construction restarts in earnest as temperatures rise above freezing. Routes that ran clean all winter can develop new detours, lane restrictions, and parking closures by late March. Routes that were familiar in January may have meaningfully changed.
Adjust your pre-route review in spring: check for any active construction notices in your delivery area. Google Maps and Waze will show active work zones, but they don't always have small-scale residential or commercial construction flagged. Driving a familiar route and hitting an unexpected closed block is a setback — one that knowing about in advance prevents.
Mud and Soft Surfaces
Residential deliveries in March often involve driveways and walkways that are thawing and soft. A delivery path that was fine in January (frozen solid) may now sink under foot, and your delivery vehicle has no business on a soft, muddy residential driveway.
Stay on paved surfaces. If a delivery approach requires walking on grass or soil, use a path if one exists. Mud tracked into a delivery van is a mess. A van stuck in a soft driveway is an emergency.
Pollen and Windshield Visibility
In many parts of the country, March and April bring heavy pollen. A windshield coated in yellow-green pollen in low-angle morning sunlight creates genuine glare and visibility issues. Check and top off windshield washer fluid at the start of each spring shift. Clean your windshield at the depot and mid-route if necessary.
Longer Days Mean Evening Light Considerations
By mid-March, daylight extends into early evening. Glare from a low setting sun — particularly the 4:30–6:00 PM window — can be severe. Keep a good pair of polarized sunglasses in the van. Late-afternoon routes that were running in the dark in January now run in direct sun. Adjust accordingly.
Spring Vehicle Checks
The beating your vehicle took from winter road salt and cold temperatures should be addressed in spring. Key items: wash the undercarriage to remove salt deposits, check brake components for winter-related corrosion, inspect wiper blades (winter blades can be swapped for standard ones), and recheck tire pressure now that temperatures have stabilized.
Each season brings its own set of challenges. The drivers who anticipate the transition do better than those who just react to new conditions on the road. JWA Logistics routes stay current with road and construction changes — keep the feedback coming as the season shifts.