The national average retail price for on-highway diesel reached $5.210 per gallon as of June 8, 2026, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, keeping fuel costs a central concern for trucking fleets. The EIA publishes the figure weekly, drawing on a weighted sample of about 350 retail outlets across the country.
Regional variation remained wide. The Gulf Coast recorded the lowest on-highway diesel price at $4.786 per gallon, while California reached $6.940 per gallon, a difference of more than $2.15 between the cheapest and most expensive regions. That spread shapes routing and fuel-purchasing decisions for long-haul carriers operating nationwide.
Diesel prices have climbed meaningfully over the past year. Fleet operators have absorbed higher costs through fuel surcharges, which move with the weekly benchmark and pass part of the increase to shippers. For owner-operators and small fleets with thinner margins, the sustained rise has pressured profitability even as freight demand recovered.
The EIA releases its gasoline and diesel update every Monday, and the July 7, 2026 report continued to track elevated national averages. The agency's data serves as the standard reference for fuel surcharge programs and freight rate negotiations throughout the industry.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration - https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/gasdiesel/