Weekly Freight Market Update: Diesel Eases to $6.29 as LA and Long Beach Ports Face Strike Deadline (November 3, 2026) | LIWMI Logistics

U.S. on-highway diesel fell 6.0 cents to $6.292 per gallon for the week of November 2, 2026, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), and every region came down. The bigger freight story this week is on the West Coast. The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are handling record cargo, thousands of containers are waiting for trains, a strike deadline for about 250 port watchmen arrives at 5 p.m. Pacific on Wednesday, November 4, and the Vincent Thomas Bridge closes for about 16 months on Saturday, November 7.

This update reflects information available on the morning of Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Port labor news can change within hours, so check with your carrier or broker for the latest.

Diesel prices by region, November 2, 2026

These are EIA’s weekly on-highway diesel averages in dollars per gallon, including all taxes.

EIA region	Price	Change vs. last week	Example LIWMI markets
U.S. average	$6.292	-$0.060	All markets
Midwest	$6.402	-$0.078	Chicago, Louisville, Indianapolis
Gulf Coast	$5.912	-$0.039	San Antonio, Houston, Dallas
Rocky Mountain	$6.445	-$0.076	Denver, Salt Lake City
Central Atlantic	$6.486	-$0.010	New York / North NJ, Philadelphia, Lehigh Valley
Lower Atlantic	$5.814	-$0.076	Atlanta, Charlotte, Jacksonville
West Coast	$7.272	-$0.057	Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Portland
California	$8.076	-$0.079	Los Angeles, San Diego, Inland Empire

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update, released November 3, 2026. Regions follow EIA’s diesel region map.

What changed this week

The national average peaked at $6.529 on September 21, slipped to $6.179 on October 12, rose for two weeks, and has now eased to $6.292. That is 23.7 cents below the September peak. Declines ranged from half a cent in New England to 7.9 cents in California. The Midwest fell 7.8 cents, and the Rocky Mountain and Lower Atlantic regions each fell 7.6 cents.

The West Coast remains the expensive end of the map. Its average is about 98 cents above the national average, and California is about $1.78 above it.

Sources: EIA, Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update, November 3, 2026. EIA, Retail Prices for Diesel (On-Highway), weekly history.

Los Angeles and Long Beach: what shippers need to know this week

Four things are hitting the San Pedro Bay ports at once: record volume, a rail backlog, a labor deadline, and a major bridge closure. Here is what each one means, with sources.

Record volume

Both ports set all-time monthly records in September. Los Angeles handled 1,042,652 TEUs, its busiest month in 118 years. Long Beach handled 997,177 TEUs, its busiest in 115 years, with imports up 31.3% from a year earlier. Together that is about 2.04 million TEUs in a single month. Long Beach said shippers leaned on the port amid high diesel prices, Panama Canal access restrictions, and a possible new U.S.-China trade deal.

Sources: Port of Long Beach, September 2026 cargo record release, October 15, 2026. gCaptain, Port of Los Angeles sets all-time cargo record, October 13, 2026.

The bottleneck is the rail yard, not the harbor

On October 26, 35,688 import containers were waiting for on-dock trains at the two ports, and 10,562 of them had been on the terminals for nine days or longer. That share was 41.4% in Los Angeles (8,133 of 19,626 containers) and 15.1% in Long Beach (2,429 of 16,062). Rail-bound containers averaged 7.19 days on the terminals in September, up from 6.75 in August, compared with 3.18 days for containers leaving by local truck.

Port of Los Angeles executive director Gene Seroka said truck and rail dwell have been stable over the past 90 days, at roughly three and a half days for trucks and a little over five for rail, though both are higher than the port would like. He also said westbound train equipment coming to the ports has increased sharply in recent weeks. Union Pacific said strong international volumes have tightened railcar supply.

The queue is on land. Only one ship was waiting for a berth during the week of October 26, according to Maritime Administration and Marine Exchange data.

Source: FreightWaves, Backlog grows as 35,000 containers await rail service at LA-Long Beach, October 28, 2026, citing The Dwell, Pacific Merchant Shipping Association data, and statements from the ports and Union Pacific.

Strike deadline: Wednesday, November 4, at 5 p.m. Pacific

About 250 watchmen represented by ILWU Local 26 handle gate security and cargo watch duties at the terminals. Their contract expired in July 2025, and they have authorized a strike. A walkout that could have started November 1 was pushed back after the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and the union extended their contract through 5 p.m. Pacific on Wednesday, November 4, with help from federal mediators.

The watchmen are about 2% of the longshore workforce at the two ports, but PMA says the terminals where they work handle roughly 85% of Long Beach cargo and 33% of Los Angeles cargo. PMA has warned that other ILWU workers would likely honor a Local 26 picket line, which could halt vessel, yard, and gate operations at those terminals. The watchmen’s talks are separate from the coastwide longshore contract, which runs through 2028.

As of Tuesday morning, no strike has begun and no deal has been announced.

Sources: FreightWaves, Strike at busiest US port just days away as talks continue. gCaptain, Strike threat at Los Angeles, Long Beach ports delayed, October 30, 2026. FreightWaves, Strike threat by port security workers at Los Angeles-Long Beach, October 28, 2026.

Vincent Thomas Bridge closes Saturday, November 7

Caltrans will close the Vincent Thomas Bridge (State Route 47) at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, November 7, for about 16 months while it replaces the bridge deck. The bridge connects San Pedro and Terminal Island. It carries about 53,000 vehicles a day, nearly 9% of them heavy trucks. The Port of Los Angeles says only about 8% of port-complex drayage truck traffic uses the bridge, though detours may add time for drivers.

To keep cargo moving, Long Beach is adding evening and Saturday gate hours at its container terminals for six weeks, excluding Thanksgiving week.

Sources: Caltrans District 7, 16-Month Closure of Vincent Thomas Bridge Set for Nov. 7, October 22, 2026. Port of Los Angeles, Vincent Thomas Bridge Deck Replacement Project. Port of Long Beach release, October 15, 2026.

What this means for shippers

Inbound containers. The main risk is time. Rail-bound containers are already sitting longer, and a strike could stop gates and yards at the affected terminals.
Freight headed inland. Containers waiting for trains in Southern California reach inland rail ramps later, including ramps in the Chicago area. Add days to delivery plans.
Storage and equipment charges. If terminal gates close, last free day, demurrage, and per diem questions follow. Ask your carrier and drayage provider how they would be handled before it happens.
Terminal Island and San Pedro. Most drayage will not cross the bridge, but pickups and deliveries on that side may see detours.
West Coast fuel. Diesel dipped this week but is still $7.27 on the West Coast and $8.08 in California. Keep those lanes in their own budget line.

The LIWMI Take

When a labor deadline, a rail backlog, and a bridge closure land in the same week, the cheapest quote is not always the safest plan. We are not taking sides in the labor talks. Our job is to help you plan around whichever way they go.

If you have freight moving through Los Angeles or Long Beach, send us the terminal, the container details, and your delivery window. We will give you a straight answer on timing and tell you where the risks are.

What shippers should do now

Find out which terminal your container is at and whether it is one of the terminals affected by the watchmen dispute.
Ask your drayage provider for a plan if gates close on Wednesday evening, including where containers will wait and who pays for storage.
Ask whether your terminal is offering the added evening and Saturday gate hours at Long Beach.
Add transit days for rail-bound freight, and confirm ramp availability before you promise a delivery date.
Confirm how your fuel surcharge is set and which region it follows.
Check the next EIA diesel update on Tuesday, November 10.

Freight market FAQs

Is there a strike at the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports?

As of the morning of November 3, 2026, no strike has begun. About 250 ILWU Local 26 watchmen and the Pacific Maritime Association extended their contract through 5 p.m. Pacific on Wednesday, November 4, while talks continue with federal mediators.

Why could a strike by 250 watchmen affect so much cargo?

The Pacific Maritime Association says the terminals where the watchmen work handle about 85% of Long Beach cargo and 33% of Los Angeles cargo. It expects other ILWU workers to honor a picket line, which could halt vessel, yard, and gate operations at those terminals.

When does the Vincent Thomas Bridge close?

Caltrans will close the Vincent Thomas Bridge at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, November 7, 2026, for about 16 months to replace its deck. The Port of Los Angeles says about 8% of port-complex drayage truck traffic uses the bridge.

What is the national average diesel price this week?

The U.S. average on-highway diesel price was $6.292 per gallon on November 2, 2026, down 6.0 cents from the week before, according to EIA.

When is the next EIA diesel price update?

EIA’s next weekly Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update is scheduled for Tuesday, November 10, 2026, normally at about 10:00 a.m. Eastern.

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