August 2026 Diesel Prices and Their Effect on Trucking Costs

How diesel moved during August

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

The price moved in both directions during the month, then finished the latest reported week 30.4 cents above August 3.

Where the month stood by region

On August 24, the Gulf Coast averaged $5.481, the Midwest averaged $5.636, the East Coast averaged $5.498, and the West Coast averaged $6.407. California averaged $7.040.

What this meant per mile

At 6.5 miles per gallon, a $5.652 diesel price equals about 87 cents per mile before discounts, idle fuel, reefer fuel, IFTA adjustments, and fuel-surcharge recovery.

What to check before pricing a load

• Your actual miles per gallon
• Fuel price along the route
• Loaded and empty miles
• Fuel-card discount
• Fuel-surcharge method and payment timing

Turn pump price into fuel cost per mile

Divide the price per gallon by the truck’s actual miles per gallon. Using the August 24 national average of $5.652:

• At 6.0 mpg, fuel cost was about 94 cents per mile.
• At 6.5 mpg, fuel cost was about 87 cents per mile.
• At 7.0 mpg, fuel cost was about 81 cents per mile.

This quick calculation does not include idle fuel, reefer fuel, fuel-tax reconciliation, discounts, or surcharge recovery.

Estimate the fuel needed for a load

1. Add the miles to pickup, loaded miles, and expected repositioning miles.
2. Divide total miles by the truck’s actual mpg.
3. Multiply the gallons by the expected net pump price after discount.
4. Compare that cash requirement with the fuel surcharge and the timing of customer payment.

Ways to control the cost

• Use a fuel network without taking an expensive detour.
• Reduce unnecessary idle time.
• Maintain tire pressure and address engine problems that reduce mpg.
• Track fuel by truck and driver instead of relying only on a fleet average.
• Update the load-pricing estimate whenever fuel moves materially.

Archive notice

This article uses EIA data available through August 24, 2026. Readers should check the latest EIA release before making current fuel or pricing decisions.

How Capital Depot can help

A fuel card and freight factoring may help approved carriers manage fuel costs and the wait between delivering a load and receiving customer payment. Capital Depot can help you review the options.