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August 2026 Market Update

August 2026 Diesel Fuel Price Update by U.S. Region

August 2026 Report | Information reviewed through August 31, 2026 By Capital Depot

The national on-highway diesel average finished August at $5.599 per gallon, 25.1 cents above August 3. Prices eased in several regions during the final week, while the West Coast and California continued higher. Continue reading →

Diesel moved sharply during August. The national average dipped after reaching $5.652 on August 24, but it still ended the month substantially above where it began.

Every August EIA release

  • August 3: $5.348 per gallon
  • August 10: $5.257 per gallon
  • August 17: $5.454 per gallon
  • August 24: $5.652 per gallon
  • August 31: $5.599 per gallon

The August 31 national average was 5.3 cents below the prior week but 25.1 cents above August 3. On a 200-gallon purchase, that month-end difference equaled about $50.20 more than at the first August reading.

August 31 prices by region

  • East Coast: $5.448 per gallon
  • Midwest: $5.571 per gallon
  • Gulf Coast: $5.360 per gallon
  • Rocky Mountain: $5.555 per gallon
  • West Coast: $6.497 per gallon
  • California: $7.218 per gallon

The national number eased, but the direction was not the same everywhere. California rose 17.8 cents in the final week and finished $1.858 per gallon above the Gulf Coast average.

What this meant per mile

At 6.5 miles per gallon, the August 31 national price equaled about 86 cents per mile before discounts, idling, reefer fuel, IFTA reconciliation, or fuel-surcharge recovery.

Quick steps before dispatch

  • Use the current net fuel price in your cost-per-mile calculation.
  • Compare the price after the fuel-card discount.
  • Count out-of-route miles before driving to a cheaper stop.
  • Confirm whether fuel is included in the quoted load rate.
  • Plan extra working cash when a route enters a higher-cost region.
August ended below its weekly peak, but diesel still cost considerably more than it did at the beginning of the month.

How Capital Depot can help

Fuel remained one of the largest pressures on owner-operators in August. This is a dated monthly record. Readers should check the latest EIA release before pricing a current load. Original source

Fuel has to be paid for long before many customers pay an invoice. Capital Depot can help approved carriers turn eligible invoices into working cash that can help keep tanks filled and trucks moving.

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