At the beginning of January 2026, the average retail price of diesel fuel in the US, used for calculating fuel surcharges in freight transportation, decreased for the eighth consecutive week. According to industry and government sources, this is the longest price drop in recent months and an important signal for the transportation market.
According to industry data, the national benchmark for diesel prices fell to approximately $3.46 per gallon, the lowest level since the summer of 2025. FreightWaves notes: "diesel prices have now fallen eight straight weeks", highlighting the persistence of the downward trend at the end of 2025 (FreightWaves).
The decrease was more than 40 cents per gallon compared to November and provided significant relief for carriers, especially for owner-operators, for whom fuel is one of the key expense items.
However, by mid-January, the situation began to change. The next weekly report recorded an increase in diesel prices by more than 7 cents per gallon. FreightWaves associates this with the dynamics of the futures market and external factors affecting fuel supply.
This indicates that the market remains volatile, and a prolonged price drop does not guarantee further decreases.
The primary and most authoritative source of data on diesel fuel prices in the US remains the Energy Information Administration (EIA) — a federal agency under the US Department of Energy. Its weekly reports are used to calculate fuel surcharges in contracts between shippers and carriers (EIA).
According to the EIA, prices vary significantly across regions of the country, explained by tax burdens, supply logistics, and local demand. At the time of publication, there were no new statements from the FMCSA or the US Department of Transportation directly commenting on the diesel price drop — indicating a market-driven rather than regulatory nature of the occurrence.
The prolonged decline in diesel prices:
- temporarily reduces pressure on carriers' operating costs;
- affects the size of fuel surcharges and the final freight cost;
- may short-term support margins in conditions of weak demand.
At the same time, the January price increase shows that carriers need to focus not only on past trends but also on weekly updates of official statistics.
The eight-week drop in diesel prices has become a notable event for the entire US logistics industry. However, the first signs of a trend reversal remind us that the fuel market remains sensitive to global factors, and a stable "bottom" price has not yet been reached. For carriers, this means the need for flexible planning and constant monitoring of EIA data and industry reports.