Brazil’s Federal Highway Police (PRF) launched its annual Labour Day “Operação Dia do Trabalho” road-safety campaign on 30 November, but the most consequential restrictions for supply-chain planners came into force this week. From Wednesday afternoon through Sunday evening (4 December), trucks requiring an Autorização Especial de Trânsito (AET)—typically over-dimensioned, hazardous-materials or escorted loads—are banned from BR-163 and other federal corridors threading the grain powerhouse state of Mato Grosso.
The prohibition coincides with a four-day long weekend that traditionally sees a surge of domestic holiday traffic. PRF officials say removing slow-moving wide loads reduces crash risk and eases congestion for passenger vehicles. Failure to comply carries fines of R$1,467 and three demerit points, with police escorts withdrawn for non-essential convoys.
![Holiday Highway Blitz Bars Oversize Loads on Mato Grosso’s Key Agribusiness Routes]()
For exporters and project-cargo shippers the timing is awkward: soy processors in Sorriso and meat-packing plants in Rondonópolis normally push out end-of-week consignments to reach Atlantic ports before Monday futures cut-off. Logistics providers are now rescheduling hauls, deploying storage yards near Cuiabá and exploring rail alternatives via Rumo’s Ferrovia Norte-Sul, though capacity there is tight.
Mobility managers overseeing expatriate engineers and drivers should verify that transport partners have contingency routes and ensure that AET-exempt cargoes carry documentation proving eligibility. The clamp-down ends at 22:00 on Sunday, but police indicated they may extend controls if holiday traffic remains heavy.
While the blitz is a yearly ritual, 2025 marks the first time PRF has published hour-by-hour embargo windows, giving corporates clearer—but narrower—planning parameters. Early communication with clients and proactive booking of lay-over accommodation for drivers are recommended to avoid costly idle time.
The prohibition coincides with a four-day long weekend that traditionally sees a surge of domestic holiday traffic. PRF officials say removing slow-moving wide loads reduces crash risk and eases congestion for passenger vehicles. Failure to comply carries fines of R$1,467 and three demerit points, with police escorts withdrawn for non-essential convoys.
For exporters and project-cargo shippers the timing is awkward: soy processors in Sorriso and meat-packing plants in Rondonópolis normally push out end-of-week consignments to reach Atlantic ports before Monday futures cut-off. Logistics providers are now rescheduling hauls, deploying storage yards near Cuiabá and exploring rail alternatives via Rumo’s Ferrovia Norte-Sul, though capacity there is tight.
Mobility managers overseeing expatriate engineers and drivers should verify that transport partners have contingency routes and ensure that AET-exempt cargoes carry documentation proving eligibility. The clamp-down ends at 22:00 on Sunday, but police indicated they may extend controls if holiday traffic remains heavy.
While the blitz is a yearly ritual, 2025 marks the first time PRF has published hour-by-hour embargo windows, giving corporates clearer—but narrower—planning parameters. Early communication with clients and proactive booking of lay-over accommodation for drivers are recommended to avoid costly idle time.
