LINCOLN, Nebraska — Governor Jim Pillen has issued a new executive order to help meet fuel supply demands in Nebraska, his office announced, saying shortages have been reported by customers and retailers across the state for a variety of fuel types and haulers have found themselves having to travel further distances to secure supplies and make deliveries.

'A combination of factors, including global supply disruptions and the incredibly short and busy harvest season, has boosted demand across the board,' Governor Pillen said. 'This order will help ensure that Nebraska farmers, businesses and families have access to the fuel they need.'

The order, No. 26-25, builds on a federal waiver issued September 16 by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to relax hours-of-service requirements for interstate fuel truck drivers. The Governor's order takes similar action at state level but also allows vehicles to exceed weight limits by up to 10%, according to the Governor's office. The order is effective through November 18, 2026.

It is the latest in a series of Nebraska fuel measures this fall. Last month, Governor Pillen issued a pair of executive orders to assist farmers confronted by high diesel costs: one increases the load capacity of trucks hauling seasonally produced products and livestock, and the second authorises the use of red-dye diesel and provides a state tax refund for using clear diesel in agricultural operations and vehicles. Both of those orders are effective until December 23, his office said.

Why it matters for our readers: Nebraska sits on the I-80 corridor, one of the main east-west trucking routes Punjabi long-haul drivers run across the Midwest, and harvest season is when farm diesel demand peaks. Fuel haulers working Nebraska loads now have matching federal and state hours relief plus a 10% weight allowance until November 18 — but the relief is for fuel supply work, not general freight, and the weight allowance does not override bridge or road-posting limits not covered by the order. Drivers should carry the order details with their dispatch paperwork.

Sources: Office of Governor Jim Pillen, 'Gov. Pillen Issues Executive Order to Meet Fuel Supply Demands,' governor.nebraska.gov, October 2026, and the same release distributed via EIN Presswire, October 20, 2026; FMCSA federal fuel-hauler waiver of September 16, 2026, as reported by CDLLife and CarrierAtlas.