Trucking News · Nationwide · November 13, 2026

Truck Stop Diesel Still Averages $6.23 a Gallon Even as Crude Oil Falls 21% From Its Oct. 30 High

By Big Rig Daily Staff

Oil prices have dropped hard, but truck drivers are still paying more than $6 a gallon for diesel at truck stops. The average truck stop price was $6.23 a gallon on Nov. 9, up 65% from $3.78 a year earlier, according to FreightWaves, which tracks freight data.

Crude down, diesel barely moving

Brent crude, a global oil benchmark, is down 21% from its Oct. 30 high. Truck stop diesel is down only 2.5% over the same stretch.

At 7 miles per gallon, $6.23 diesel works out to about 89 cents a mile in fuel alone.

Why the gap

Crude oil makes up only about 35% of the pump price, FreightWaves reports. The biggest piece now is refining, the step that turns crude into diesel. Several things are squeezing it:

• Overseas refineries have been damaged.
• Tanker trips are longer.
• U.S. refineries ran at 96% of capacity in the third quarter.
• Diesel stocks were 13% below normal in late September, and 32% below normal on the East Coast.

The forecast

Federal forecasters expect diesel to average about $6.05 a gallon in the last three months of this year and to ease to around $4.80 by late 2027, according to the report.

Fuel surcharges lag

Many fuel surcharge tables follow a weekly average that trails the daily price at the pump. That timing can leave owner-operators, truck drivers who run their own business, paying today's price while being reimbursed on an older one.

Why it matters to truckers

With crude falling, shippers may expect fuel costs to drop quickly, but the pump price has barely moved. Knowing the real fuel cost per mile helps when quoting a load. For the latest federal outlook, see the earlier report on diesel above $6 and the EIA forecast.

Quick facts

• Truck stop average, Nov. 9: $6.23 a gallon.
• A year earlier: $3.78.
• Change: up 65%.
• Brent crude since Oct. 30 high: down 21%.
• Truck stop diesel over the same stretch: down 2.5%.
• Forecast: about $6.05 in the fourth quarter, around $4.80 by late 2027.

FAQ

Why does diesel not fall as fast as oil?

Crude is only about 35% of the pump price. Refining costs are now the biggest share, and refining capacity is tight.

When could diesel get cheaper?

Federal forecasters expect it to ease to around $4.80 a gallon by late 2027.

A question for readers

Truckers, with refining now the biggest piece of the pump price, has the gap between crude and diesel changed how you quote a load?

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