Travel windows set the pace of a move more than distance does. A load that could run 600 miles in a day on the interstate runs 300 when the state stops it at sunset. Here are the rules.
34 of 51 jurisdictions are daylight-only for routine oversize loads, typically half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset. 15 allow night movement in defined conditions, usually for loads under a set width with extra lighting: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, North Dakota, Tennessee, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin. 8 restrict weekend travel: Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island.
| State | Daylight only | Night travel | Weekends |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Yes | No | Restricted |
| Alaska | Yes | No | Allowed |
| Arizona | No | Allowed (conditions) | Allowed |
| Arkansas | No | Allowed (conditions) | Allowed |
| California | No | Allowed (conditions) | Allowed |
| Colorado | No | Per permit | Allowed |
| Connecticut | Yes | No | Allowed |
| Delaware | Yes | Allowed (conditions) | Allowed |
| District of Columbia | No | Per permit | Allowed |
| Florida | Yes | No | Restricted |
| Georgia | Yes | No | Allowed |
| Hawaii | No | Per permit | Allowed |
| Idaho | No | Per permit | Allowed |
| Illinois | Yes | No | Allowed |
| Indiana | Yes | No | Restricted |
| Iowa | No | Allowed (conditions) | Allowed |
| Kansas | Yes | No | Allowed |
| Kentucky | No | Allowed (conditions) | Allowed |
| Louisiana | Yes | No | Restricted |
| Maine | Yes | No | Allowed |
| Maryland | Yes | No | Restricted |
| Massachusetts | Yes | No | Allowed |
| Michigan | Yes | No | Restricted |
| Minnesota | Yes | Allowed (conditions) | Allowed |
| Mississippi | Yes | Allowed (conditions) | Allowed |
| Missouri | Yes | Allowed (conditions) | Allowed |
| Montana | No | Per permit | Allowed |
| Nebraska | Yes | No | Allowed |
| Nevada | No | Per permit | Allowed |
| New Hampshire | Yes | No | Allowed |
| New Jersey | Yes | No | Allowed |
| New Mexico | Yes | No | Allowed |
| New York | Yes | No | Allowed |
| North Carolina | Yes | Allowed (conditions) | Allowed |
| North Dakota | No | Allowed (conditions) | Allowed |
| Ohio | Yes | No | Allowed |
| Oklahoma | Yes | No | Allowed |
| Oregon | No | Per permit | Allowed |
| Pennsylvania | Yes | No | Restricted |
| Rhode Island | Yes | No | Restricted |
| South Carolina | Yes | No | Allowed |
| South Dakota | Yes | No | Allowed |
| Tennessee | No | Allowed (conditions) | Allowed |
| Texas | Yes | No | Allowed |
| Utah | No | Per permit | Allowed |
| Vermont | Yes | No | Allowed |
| Virginia | Yes | No | Allowed |
| Washington | No | Allowed (conditions) | Allowed |
| West Virginia | Yes | Allowed (conditions) | Allowed |
| Wisconsin | No | Allowed (conditions) | Allowed |
| Wyoming | Yes | No | Allowed |
Oversize loads average about 300 miles in a daylight day once escorts, fuel and the permit's routing are counted. So a 900-mile daylight-only move is three days, three days of escort day minimums, and two overnights per car. The same move through night-permitted states can be two. When a route can be chosen, the states' travel windows are worth as much as the mileage.
FreightDeck estimates permits, escorts, police, route surveys, engineering and the truck rate for your exact load and route, across 50 states and Canada.
Price a load free →In 15 states, yes, under conditions (usually width limits and extra lighting). 34 states are daylight-only for routine loads.
In most states, yes, within the same dimensional limits. 8 states restrict weekend travel: Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island.