Trucking News Roundup: Truck Capacity Shrinks for an 11th Straight Month as Logistics Costs Rise at the Fastest Pace Since 2022, Diesel Dips to $6.29, a Lawsuit Targets 2027 UCR Fees, Texas Lands Truck Parking Safety Grants, and the LA–Long Beach Watchmen Deadline Is Today (Nov 4, 2026)

Supply chain managers: truck capacity shrank again in October, and logistics costs are climbing fast

Logistics Managers' Index via FreightWaves (Nov 3, 2026): The October LMI, a monthly survey of supply chain managers, came in at 70.7, its second-highest reading in more than four years. Transportation capacity read 38, the 11th month in a row below 50, which means respondents saw less truck capacity than the month before. Transportation prices read 88, still rising very fast, and transportation utilization read 63.5. Companies pulled in inventory at the fastest pace in four years ahead of the holidays (inventory levels 66.9), inventory costs hit their highest reading since March 2022 (88.8), and the index of total logistics costs rose 11.4 points to 257.5, its fastest growth since March 2022. Looking 12 months ahead, respondents expect capacity to stay tight (49.3) and prices to keep rising (90). FreightWaves also noted that recent truckload contract renewals are averaging about 13% higher than the contracts they replace, according to SONAR data, and that Knight-Swift is going into bid season targeting at least double-digit contract increases.

What it means: What it means for shippers: These are survey and market readings, not anyone's price for your lane. But when inventories are rising, warehouses are fuller and trucks are scarcer, planning ahead is cheaper than scrambling. Lock in holiday freight now; our peak season guide has a checklist: https://maaslogistic.com/blog/2026-11-01-peak-season-freight-shipping-truckload-shipper-guide. Maas runs asset-based dry van and reefer full truckload with our own trucks, never re-brokered: https://maaslogistic.com/services/full-truckload · https://maaslogistic.com/quote.

• Source: FreightWaves — Holiday inventory surge supportive of double-digit-plus TL contract rates

Diesel eases 6 cents to $6.29 after three weekly gains

U.S. Energy Information Administration (Nov 3, 2026): The national average for on-highway diesel was $6.292 a gallon for the week of Nov. 2, down 6 cents from the week before and the first drop after three straight weekly increases. Every region EIA tracks went down. The Gulf Coast region, which includes Texas, averaged $5.912, down 3.9 cents. California stayed the most expensive at $8.076, and the Lower Atlantic was the cheapest at $5.814. Diesel is still about $2.54 a gallon higher than a year ago. Oil prices fell more than 6% on Monday on hopes for U.S.–Iran diplomacy, but distillate inventories remain about 10% below their five-year average, according to CDLWire.

These are national and regional averages from EIA, not Maas prices or fuel surcharges.

What it means: What it means for drivers and shippers: A few cents is welcome, but fuel is still the biggest swing cost in trucking. Owner-operators should keep watching cost per mile week to week; shippers should expect fuel surcharges to track these weekly numbers. Learn about leasing on with Maas: https://maaslogistic.com/drive-with-us/owner-operators.

• Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration — Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update
• Source: Blue Book Services — Diesel prices drop, ending three-week climb

Small-carrier group sues over the 2027 UCR fee rule, but registration is still due by Dec. 31

FreightWaves (Nov 3, 2026): The Small Business in Transportation Coalition (SBTC) has asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (Case No. 26-1297) to set aside FMCSA's 2027 Unified Carrier Registration fee rule, arguing the UCR system was never set up through the required rulemaking. The UCR Plan says it was lawfully established and warns that a ruling against it could disrupt fee collections that many states use for truck safety enforcement. 2027 UCR fees are going up about 20%. SBTC is asking for a fast ruling, not an emergency stay, and both SBTC and the UCR Plan say carriers should still register and pay 2027 fees by Dec. 31, since enforcement starts Jan. 1, 2027 unless a court says otherwise. Registration opened Oct. 1.

What it means: What it means for owner-operators and small fleets: Do not skip your 2027 UCR registration while the case plays out. Put it on your December checklist.

• Source: FreightWaves — Trucking group's lawsuit threatens to upend federal carrier registration system

Two West Texas awards are tied to truck parking safety in a $1 billion federal package, but no new spaces are promised

The Trucker and CDLWire (Nov 2, 2026): USDOT's 2026 Safe Streets and Roads for All round includes 297 awards worth about $1.013 billion, and the department says 10 projects will help with the truck parking shortage. A review by The Trucker found four awards that mention truck parking, totaling about $21.6 million, and two are in Texas. Pecos received $12 million for freight corridor safety work on U.S. 285 and the Interstate 20 frontage roads, including lighting, access management, speed monitoring and a roundabout, aimed partly at reducing unauthorized truck parking. Reeves County received $4.1 million for truck parking and freight corridor safety studies, road safety audits and an updated safety plan. None of the four project descriptions lists new truck parking spaces.

What it means: What it means for drivers: Plan your 10-hour break before you need it, especially in the Permian Basin and on I-20 west of Dallas–Fort Worth. Our hours-of-service guide explains the break and 11-hour rules: https://maaslogistic.com/blog/2026-10-30-hours-of-service-rules-for-truck-drivers-guide.

• Source: The Trucker — Truck parking included in $1 billion federal road safety awards, but details on new spaces unclear
• Source: CDLWire — SS4A truck parking awards total $21 million

LA–Long Beach watchmen deadline is 5 p.m. Pacific today

Update (as of early Wednesday, Nov 4): No agreement between the Pacific Maritime Association and ILWU Local 26 had been announced, and the contract extension runs to 5 p.m. Pacific time today, with federal mediators assisting. The PMA counts six container terminals where the roughly 250 watchmen work, while the union's strike notice names eight locations. Those terminals handle about 85% of Long Beach cargo and a third of Los Angeles cargo, and the employers' group says other ILWU workers are not expected to cross a picket line. Both ports set all-time monthly cargo records in September, according to Reuters. Trucking outlets advise carriers with terminal appointments Wednesday evening or Thursday to check with the terminal before dispatching. Background in yesterday's roundup: https://maaslogistic.com/news/2026-11-03-dry-van-spot-rates-ism-factory-output-carrier-exits-lalb-strike-watch.

What it means: What it means for shippers: If you have imports coming off those terminals and heading to Texas, check your terminal's notices this evening and have a backup plan for late-week pickups. For freight once it reaches Texas: https://maaslogistic.com/lanes/freight-shipping-texas · https://maaslogistic.com/lanes/dallas-fort-worth-freight-shipping.

• Source: Navo24 — Los Angeles–Long Beach port strike: 250 watchmen and a deadline
• Source: TruckReport — LA-Long Beach watchmen, ILWU Local 26 extension to Nov. 4
• Source: FreightWaves — Strike at busiest US port just days away as talks continue

For shippers and drivers (Wednesday note)

Shippers: capacity is tight and the holidays are close. Maas Logistics runs asset-based dry van and reefer full truckload out of Melissa and DFW across 48 states, never re-brokered, with 24/7 dispatch: https://maaslogistic.com/services/dry-van-trucking · https://maaslogistic.com/services/refrigerated-trucking · https://maaslogistic.com/quote.

Drivers: Maas is hiring CDL-A company drivers at 50+ CPM dry van / 60+ CPM reefer — https://maaslogistic.com/drive-with-us/company-drivers — and owner-operators keep 87–90% of gross with non-forced dispatch — https://maaslogistic.com/drive-with-us/owner-operators.

What it means: Need a truck: https://maaslogistic.com/quote. Hiring CDL-A company drivers: https://maaslogistic.com/drive-with-us/company-drivers. Owner-operators: https://maaslogistic.com/drive-with-us/owner-operators. Phone: (916) 770-7323 | Melissa, TX / DFW | USDOT 3179194. Maas Logistics LLC | 1817 Miller Rd #5, Melissa, TX 75454 | dispatch@maaslogistic.com. The Logistics Partner that Delivers.