National Diesel Price Trends — May 2026 Update
U.S. on-highway diesel averaged $3.78/gal the week of May 5, 2026 — up 4 cents week-over-week and 11 cents above the same week in 2025.
Diesel Prices — Daily Updates & Trends
National and regional diesel price tracking with weekly EIA data context for owner-operators and small fleets.
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About this beat
We track the EIA's weekly On-Highway Diesel Fuel Price report every Monday afternoon and break it down by PADD region — East Coast, Midwest, Gulf Coast, Rocky Mountain, and West Coast — so you can see where pump prices are heading before your next dispatch. The national average is one number; the regional spread is the one that hits your settlement.
Coverage is built for owner-operators running their own books and small fleets watching cost-per-mile in real time. Expect weekly trend reads, refinery and crude context when it matters, and tactical pieces on cutting fuel spend through fuel cards, idle reduction, and route planning. No commodity-desk jargon. No politics. Just what diesel is doing and what to do about it.
Frequently asked questions
- Where do truckers.news diesel prices come from?
- We use the U.S. Energy Information Administration's Weekly On-Highway Diesel Fuel Prices, which the EIA publishes every Monday at 5pm ET. It's the same data set most fuel surcharge programs reference.
- How often are diesel prices updated?
- The EIA publishes weekly. We post a national + regional summary every Monday evening and a deeper trend read mid-week if prices move more than a few cents.
- Why is diesel more expensive in California and the West Coast?
- Stricter fuel specs (CARB diesel), higher state fuel taxes, fewer regional refineries, and pipeline constraints. The PADD 5 (West Coast) average runs 50-90 cents above PADD 3 (Gulf Coast) most weeks.
- What's a normal cost-per-mile for fuel in 2026?
- At a national diesel average around $3.75/gal and a typical sleeper getting 6.5 mpg loaded, you're at roughly $0.58 per mile in fuel alone. Below 6 mpg and you're closer to $0.63. Track yours every settlement.
- Do fuel cards actually save owner-operators money?
- Yes — most reputable fleet fuel cards return 5-15 cents per gallon at in-network truck stops through negotiated rebates, plus IFTA reporting and discount visibility. Compare cards at truckers.finance/fuel-cards.
- How do I read the EIA PADD regions?
- PADD 1 = East Coast, PADD 2 = Midwest, PADD 3 = Gulf Coast, PADD 4 = Rocky Mountain, PADD 5 = West Coast. Gulf Coast typically has the cheapest diesel; West Coast the most expensive.
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