Update: Texas eases up on some trucking rules in wake of Laura

Phoro: Jim Allen/FreightWaves

(Adding Louisiana suspension of some rules from earlier in the week).

Texas has suspended several trucking rules and regulations in the wake of Hurricane Laura.In an order handed down Wednesday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the moves will “help expedite the delivery of food, water, equipment, medical supplies and other resources to help communities impacted by the storm.”

The rules that have been suspended include the oversize and overweight regulations. Under the current code, the state’s rules limit single-axle weights to 20,000 pounds, tandem axle weight to 34,000 pounds and an overall weight limit calculated by a formula. 

The suspensions of rules and regulations also involve various requirements regarding registration and permitted usage of vehicles registered out of state and time requirements for trucks operating on expired registrations.

In a brief prepared announcement regarding the waiving of the rules, Abbott said the waivers were requested by the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles.

Earlier in the week, an order from Louisiana’s Secretary of the Department of Transportation, Dr. Shawn Wilson, wavied the 88,000 pound limit on Louisiana’s trucks involved in relief from Laura.

But Wilson’s decree was limited just to weight. It specifically said there are no other rules that are being waived in relation to coping with Hurricane Laura, and it specifically said the waiver was related to “support of rescue, recovery and repair efforts associated with the emergency.”

More articles by John Kingston

As Hurricane Laura lunges shoreward, oil markets remain nonplussed

Diesel price hike relatively muted as oil markets away arrival of Laura

US losing oil refining capacity; renewable diesel to help close gap

Upcoming FreightWaves Events
AI

Supply Chain AI Symposium

Past the hype. Join operators, founders, and enterprise leaders figuring out how to deploy AI in supply chain.

July 15, 2026
The Old Post • Chicago, IL
Register Now
FreightTech

F3: Future of Freight Festival

Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.

October 27, 2026 – October 28, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
AI Supply Chain AI Symposium Jul 15 • The Old Post • Chicago, IL

Past the hype. Join operators, founders, and enterprise leaders figuring out how to deploy AI in supply chain.

The Old Post • Chicago, IL Register Now
FreightTech F3: Future of Freight Festival Oct 27 – Oct 28 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN

Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now

John Kingston

John has an almost 40-year career covering commodities, most of the time at S&P Global Platts. He created the Dated Brent benchmark, now the world’s most important crude oil marker. He was Director of Oil, Director of News, the editor in chief of Platts Oilgram News and the “talking head” for Platts on numerous media outlets, including CNBC, Fox Business and Canada’s BNN. He covered metals before joining Platts and then spent a year running Platts’ metals business as well. He was awarded the International Association of Energy Economics Award for Excellence in Written Journalism in 2015. In 2010, he won two Corporate Achievement Awards from McGraw-Hill, an extremely rare accomplishment, one for steering coverage of the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster and the other for the launch of a public affairs television show, Platts Energy Week.