The short version
- Diesel moves with crude oil, refining costs, getting fuel to the pump, taxes, and the season. Region matters too: the West Coast paid about $1.49 a gallon more than the Gulf Coast in the week of October 19, 2026.
- The weekly EIA price is what most fuel surcharges are figured from, so it is worth watching every week.
- Half a mile per gallon is worth more than most fuel card discounts. Do both.
What moves the price of diesel
- Crude oil. The raw material. When crude rises, diesel follows.
- Refining. Turning crude into diesel costs money, and refinery outages or tight supply push that cost up.
- Distribution. Pipelines, terminals, and trucks get fuel to the station, and some regions are farther from refineries than others.
- Taxes. Federal and state fuel taxes are built into the pump price, and state taxes differ.
- Season and demand. Heating oil demand in winter and harvest season both compete for the same distillate supply.
Where you fuel matters
| Region | Price per gallon |
|---|---|
| Gulf Coast | $5.903 |
| East Coast | $5.984 |
| U.S. average | $6.276 |
| Midwest | $6.352 |
| Rocky Mountain | $6.422 |
| West Coast, including California | $7.394 |
On a 150 gallon fill, that Gulf to West Coast gap is about $224. When your route crosses regions, planning where you fill up is real money. The current week, for all six regions, is always on our News page.
The weekly price and your fuel surcharge
Most fuel surcharge schedules are tied to the weekly EIA diesel price, so the surcharge on a load moves when that number moves. We work one example schedule all the way through in percentage pay vs. per-mile pay. Ask any carrier which weekly price their schedule uses and how often it updates.
Fuel economy beats any discount
Over an example year of 115,000 miles:
| Gallons at 6.5 mpg | 17,692 |
| Gallons at 7.0 mpg | 16,429 |
| Gallons saved | 1,264 |
| Saved at $6.276 a gallon | $7,931.21 |
Slower cruising speed, less idling, correct tire pressure, and a well maintained engine are where that half gallon comes from.
How fuel card discounts work
A fuel card discount is usually a set amount off each gallon, or a price tied to the station's cost, at stations in the card's network. On the same example year, a 30 cent discount is worth about $5,308, and every 10 cents is about $1,769. The discount only helps if it reaches you.
- Who keeps the discount? Some carriers keep part of it. At Cold Spring Trucking, 100% of the fuel card discount is passed through to you.
- Where does it work? A big discount at stations you never pass is worth nothing.
- What does it cost? Ask about card fees, transaction fees, and cash advance fees.
- How is it shown? You should see the pump price, the discount, and what you paid on every transaction.
Put the real fuel number into your cost per mile, and pay it from the truck's own account, as we lay out in owner and operator: two jobs.
Prices are the weekly U.S. Energy Information Administration benchmark, taxes included, not pump prices at any one station. This article is education, not financial advice.
Want to run your own numbers with us? Our lease-on terms are on one page in plain numbers, or call and we will work through your week with you.
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