Sent
Diesel finally gave a little back everywhere this week, but trucks got scarcer. DAT's flatbed board had its tightest week in a month, and a national survey of logistics managers says transportation capacity has now shrunk for 11 straight months. Veterans Day is next Wednesday and Thanksgiving is three weeks out, so the calendar is starting to close in. Here's what to plan around. As always, no rate quotes here. When you want one for a specific move, ask me.
Fuel
U.S. on-highway diesel averaged $6.292/gal in EIA's Nov 2 reading, down 6.0¢ from the week before, the first drop after two weekly increases. Every region fell. The West Coast excluding California (which includes Oregon and Washington) slipped 3.9¢ to $6.575, its second decline in a row. The Rocky Mountain region (which includes Idaho) fell 7.6¢ to $6.445, giving back most of last week's jump. California fell 7.9¢ to $8.076.
| Region | Nov 2 | Week | vs. year ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. average | $6.292 | −6.0¢ | +$2.539 |
| West Coast less California (incl. OR, WA) | $6.575 | −3.9¢ | +$2.454 |
| Rocky Mountain (PADD 4, incl. ID) | $6.445 | −7.6¢ | +$2.769 |
Even after the dip, diesel is still about $2.45 to $2.77 a gallon above a year ago across these three regions, so fuel remains a big share of the cost on any long or heavy move. EIA doesn't publish state-level weekly diesel figures for OR, WA or ID, so these regional averages are the closest public benchmark. Source: EIA Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update, released Nov 3, 2026 (prices include all taxes). More on the Market Conditions page.
Capacity
Flatbed's load-to-truck ratio on DAT jumped to 41.73 from 34.93 for the week ending Oct 31, as flatbed load posts rose 7.4% and truck posts fell 10.1%. That's about 80% tighter than the same week last year (23.14), and flatbed is still the tightest of DAT's three boards at 3.8 times the dry van ratio. On the van side, DAT says truck posts are about 26% below a year ago while loads are up about 27%.
Truckstop saw the same thing from the freight side: flatbed loads rose 11.2% for the week ended Oct 30 after four straight weekly declines, with gains in every region, and West Coast flatbed pricing firmed while most regions softened.
What it means for you: last week's breather is over. DAT expects construction and industrial shipments to slow around Thanksgiving and as year-end project work winds down, but until then open-deck trucks are scarce. If equipment or project freight has to move before the holidays, line up trucks and escorts now rather than the week of.
Sources: DAT flatbed report, Nov 2; DAT dry van report, Nov 2; FTR/Truckstop SMI weekly overview, Nov 2.
October LMI: capacity shrinks for an 11th month
The Logistics Managers' Index for October, released this morning, rose to 70.7 from 70.2, its second-highest reading in four years (anything above 50 means expansion). The transportation capacity component read 38.0, so capacity contracted again; FreightWaves notes that's 11 straight months of shrinking capacity, down from 54.5 a year ago. Retailers stocking up for the holidays pushed inventories up, and the index's measure of combined logistics costs hit its highest level since March 2022.
What it means for you: it's the same story the load boards are telling. Demand is building and there are fewer trucks to go around, which is why booking lead time matters more right now.
Sources: Logistics Managers’ Index, October 2026, released Nov 3, 2026; FreightWaves, Nov 3. ATA's October tonnage report is due later this month.
Veterans Day: no holiday stop, but watch permit offices
Veterans Day (Wed Nov 11) is not a holiday movement restriction in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, California, Utah, Nevada or Montana, so permitted loads can move that day under the normal curfew, weekend and daylight rules.
Permit offices are the catch. Nevada's over-dimension permit office is closed Wed Nov 11 (and again Fri Nov 27). Other state offices may keep holiday hours, so if a permit needs a person to review it, get it in by Tuesday Nov 10.
Sources: NDOT holiday travel restrictions · MDT 2026 holiday chart · WSDOT · ODOT.
Route watch: Oregon and SW Washington
A few changes since last week's issue. Dates are ODOT estimates and can slip with weather.
Portland I-5 night closures (new dates): ODOT updated the schedule this morning. All northbound lanes in Wilsonville close 1–4 AM Thu–Fri Nov 5–6, southbound in Tigard 1–4 AM Mon–Tue Nov 9–10, and northbound in North Portland (Lombard to Marine Dr) 1–4 AM Wed–Thu Nov 11–12. Each uses a signed detour on local streets, so check that your load fits the detour before planning a night move through there.
Extended: I-84 Huntington (MP 351–356), 16 ft max at all hours, now runs through about Nov 9 (it was due to end Oct 31).
New: I-84 at Mosier (MP 71.16), 17 ft max daily 7 AM to 7 PM, about Nov 9–11. I-5 southbound Exit 140 off-ramp at Oakland closes nightly 6 PM to 7 AM, Nov 8–13. I-205 northbound in Oregon City (MP 8.5–9.6) closes all weekend, Fri Nov 20 at 10 PM to Mon Nov 23 at 5 AM.
Still in place: central Portland I-5 night width limits of 14 ft and night height limits as low as 14 ft 7 in, through about Nov 30. I-205 Oregon City night width limit of 18 ft through about Nov 21 northbound and Nov 30 southbound.
Washington commuter curfews still apply Monday to Friday to loads that need “Oversize Load” signs: near the Oregon line, I-5 Vancouver northbound 3–6 PM and southbound 6–9 AM, and I-205 northbound 4–7 PM and southbound 6–9 AM. Chain season is on: through Apr 1, every vehicle over 10,000 lb must carry chains on WSDOT's listed routes, including I-90 Snoqualmie, and permit loads can't move where traction-advisory or chains-required signs are posted. In Oregon, chain up when chains are required; traction tires don't substitute.
Sources: ODOT I-5 closure notice, Nov 3; ODOT TripCheck commercial vehicle alerts, checked Nov 3, 2026; WSDOT curfew hours; WSDOT chain requirements; ODOT chain law. Check TripCheck the day you move.
Thanksgiving: three weeks out
Oregon: nothing over 8 ft 6 in wide from noon Wed Nov 25 until a half hour before sunrise Mon Nov 30, with daylight exceptions up to 14 ft Thu–Sat on Interstates, US 97 and listed routes east of US 97. No overwidth movement at all on Sun Nov 29.
Washington: permit loads restricted from noon Wed Nov 25 through Thanksgiving Day and Fri Nov 27.
Idaho: red-coded routes stop at 2 PM Wed Nov 25. On black-coded routes and Interstates, loads over 12 ft wide, 120 ft long or 15 ft high stop at 4 PM Wed Nov 25.
California: loads that need a pilot car can't move 4 PM to midnight Wed Nov 25, or noon to midnight Thu Nov 26 through Sun Nov 29.
Utah: loads over 10 ft wide, 105 ft long or 14 ft 6 in high stop from 2 PM Wed Nov 25 until sunrise Fri Nov 27.
Nevada: holiday hours (noon to midnight) apply Wed Nov 25 and Sun Nov 29, with weekend and darkness limits in between.
Montana: MDT lists Thu Nov 26 through Sun Nov 29 as restricted days.
Rule of thumb: a load that can't deliver by midday Wed Nov 25 is probably a Mon Nov 30 delivery. Looking further out, Christmas falls on a Friday this year. Oregon stops loads over 8 ft 6 in wide from noon Thu Dec 24 until a half hour before sunrise Mon Dec 28, and Washington restricts permit loads from noon Dec 24 through Christmas Day.
Sources: ODOT · WSDOT · IDAPA 39.03.01.305 · Caltrans · Utah R909-2-13 · NDOT · MDT. Full breakdown: Thanksgiving 2026 oversize restrictions.
State by state details: Oregon · Washington · Idaho · California · Utah · Nevada · Montana permit guides. Go deeper: Permits by State · Market Conditions · Heavy Haul FAQ · Oversize Permit Checker.
This is a summary, not legal advice. Confirm permits with the issuing state. Market data from the public sources cited above; no freight rates.