Holidays and heavy trucks: how to plan your shipments

Every time a long holiday arrives, part of the freight sector stops by rule. The INTT bans heavy trucks from the road for several days, and anyone who didn't plan for it ends up with goods standing still and a customer waiting. This guide explains how the restriction works, who it affects and how to organize a dispatch so the holiday doesn't delay it. If you already have a date in mind, request your freight transport quote and we will check the calendar with you.

What the INTT restricts and on what basis

Venezuela's national land transport institute applies a joint resolution published in Official Gazette No. 42,425 of July 25, 2022, which regulates freight transport on Sundays and holidays. In practice, the INTT announces each restriction on its social media shortly before the date.

Two examples from this year. For Labour Day, the restriction ran from 1:00 a.m. on Friday, May 1 to 1:00 a.m. on Monday, May 4. For the October 12 holiday, the notice came out on Friday the 9th and the ban ran from 1:00 a.m. on Sunday, October 11 to 1:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 13. That means the time to react can be as short as two days.

Who it affects: the 3,500-kilo threshold

The measure covers freight units with a gross weight or capacity of 3,500 kilos or more. A 350 truck sits right at the limit; a 750, a 12-tonne truck or a trailer fall inside the ban. Lighter units, such as pick-ups and vans, are not covered.

There are exceptions. In the October restriction, trucks carrying food or drinking water, those carrying medicine, road-assistance, emergency, police or military vehicles, solid-waste and household-gas vehicles, and fuel tankers were exempt. If your goods are not basic necessities, don't count on the exception.

What it means for your shipment

The practical effect is a window in which the truck can neither leave nor, in many cases, arrive. Think in three scenarios:

• The shipment leaves earlier. The ideal is to load a day or two before the restriction starts, so the unit reaches its destination before the cut-off time.
• The shipment leaves later. If the consignee doesn't receive on a holiday, there is no point forcing a last-day departure; schedule the unloading for the first working day.
• The shipment cannot wait. If it is urgent and the load weighs under 3,500 kilos, a lighter unit can keep running. That is the case for many of our express shipments.

Long routes suffer most, because a trip of a day and a half can run into the start of the restriction. A Valencia – Maracaibo or Valencia – Puerto Ordaz trip needs more margin than a Valencia – Caracas run, which is done within the day.

How to plan a dispatch with a holiday in between

1. Check the calendar when you set the date. Before confirming a dispatch, see whether a holiday falls in those days and whether the INTT usually restricts. If you can, move it earlier.
2. Confirm the receiving window. Ask the consignee whether they receive on Saturday, Sunday or a holiday. A truck that arrives at a closed warehouse sits idle, and the restriction can start while it waits.
3. Get the paperwork ready. Goods with the right papers avoid extra delays at checkpoints. Review which documents must travel with your cargo.
4. Secure the right unit. If you can split the load into pieces that fit a unit under the threshold, you have more options; if not, choose well with this guide to picking the right truck.
5. Pack for a wait. If the truck sits for hours, packing matters more. Here is how to pack and label your cargo.
6. Consider insurance. A parked load has more exposure. Read how cargo insurance works.

What happens to the cost

There is no official holiday surcharge: each carrier sets its own terms. What does change is the availability of units on the days before and after the restriction, and that can move the price. Always ask for the quote in writing, with departure and delivery dates. To see how a freight price is built, read our 2026 freight rate table, and for the recent context on tolls and fuel, what October 2026 brought for freight transport.

How Transporte Mundial helps

We schedule dispatches with the restriction calendar in view. If your company moves cargo regularly, our business logistics service sets departures well in advance. For a one-off load, we tell you the safest departure date and the right unit. You can see what clients who have already worked with us say in the customer reviews. To discuss your case, call us at +58 414-423-2988.

Sources

• El Diario: heavy-freight ban from October 11 to 13, 2026: dates, 3,500-kilo threshold, exemptions and basis in Official Gazette No. 42,425.
• RNV: heavy-freight traffic restricted until Tuesday, October 13: schedule and nationwide scope of the measure.
• INTT: heavy-freight restriction for Labour Day 2026: schedule of the May 1 to 4 restriction.