Updated July 13, 2026. US on-highway diesel averaged $4.477 per gallon on July 6, 2026, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). That is far above the $3.500 recorded on December 29, 2025, when the original version of this article described a six-week decline. The year-end easing proved temporary: diesel rose sharply in March and April before retreating from its spring peak.
US diesel price: latest verified reading
| Week | US average ($/gal) | Market phase |
|---|---|---|
| December 1, 2025 | 3.758 | Year-end decline underway |
| December 29, 2025 | 3.500 | Sixth consecutive weekly fall |
| January 12, 2026 | 3.459 | Early-year low in this comparison |
| March 9, 2026 | 4.859 | Sharp increase |
| April 6, 2026 | 5.643 | Spring high in this comparison |
| July 6, 2026 | 4.477 | Below April, still above year-end |
From December 29 to July 6, the national average increased by $0.977 per gallon, or about 27.9%. From the April 6 level to July 6, it fell by $1.166, or about 20.7%. These calculations use the EIA weekly series and are rounded to one decimal percentage point.
The earlier six-week decline in context
The original headline was accurate for the week ending December 29, 2025: the EIA series declined from $3.758 on December 1 to $3.500 at month-end, extending a run of weekly decreases. Prices fell further to $3.459 by January 12.
However, a short sequence should not be treated as a durable freight-cost outlook. The reversal that followed demonstrates why transport buyers need a rolling series and contractual surcharge terms rather than a single weekly observation. TimberInsider has retained the indexed URL but updated the article to show the complete development.
Why diesel matters to timber and panel logistics
Wood products are bulky and often travel multiple legs: forest to mill, mill to warehouse or port, and warehouse to customer. Diesel therefore affects delivered costs for logs, lumber, plywood, MDF, OSB and furniture components. The impact varies with distance, vehicle utilisation, payload, backhaul opportunities and the carrier’s pricing formula.
Transport exposure is especially relevant when comparing offers across regions. A lower mill price can be offset by a longer haul or a higher surcharge. Procurement teams can combine this fuel indicator with TimberInsider’s panel-price coverage, wood-market hub and regional analysis.
Pump prices do not translate one-for-one into freight rates
The EIA explains that many carriers use its weekly prices in fuel-surcharge formulas, but the agency does not calculate or regulate those surcharges. Each carrier may apply a different base price, mileage assumption, adjustment schedule and regional index.
Consequently, a 10% move in the national diesel average does not necessarily produce a 10% move in a shipper’s total freight invoice. Fuel may be only one component of the rate, alongside labour, equipment, insurance, maintenance, tolls, capacity and margin. Contracts can also introduce a delay before a new index value affects invoices.
How the EIA weekly series is measured
The EIA collects cash self-service on-highway diesel prices, including taxes, from a sample of retail outlets in the contiguous United States. The price represents ultra-low-sulfur diesel offered at 8:00 a.m. local time on Monday. The agency uses annual sales volumes and sampling weights to estimate volume-weighted national and regional averages.
The sample contains truck stops and service stations. EIA’s current methodology was introduced in June 2022, so values around that methodological break are not directly comparable without care. The series is an authoritative retail benchmark, but it is not a carrier invoice, wholesale rack price or fuel-futures contract.
What drives retail diesel prices
EIA divides the pump price into crude oil, refining, distribution and marketing, and taxes. It reports that crude oil represented about 51% of the monthly average US retail diesel price over 2004–2025. The shares change over time and vary by region.
Refinery conditions, distillate inventories, international demand, seasonal heating-oil needs, distribution constraints and local taxes can all matter. West Coast prices, particularly in California, are often higher because the market is relatively isolated and has distinct tax and supply conditions. A national average can therefore hide substantial lane-level differences.
Practical freight-cost checks for wood buyers
- Identify the index: confirm whether the carrier uses the national EIA price, a PADD region or another benchmark.
- Read the base: record the fuel-price threshold at which the surcharge begins.
- Check timing: determine whether the invoice uses the current week, prior week or monthly average.
- Separate components: compare the base freight rate and fuel surcharge independently.
- Model delivered cost: calculate the effect per truck, per cubic metre, per thousand board feet or per panel.
- Use lane data: national averages are context, not a substitute for actual quotes.
For related procurement decisions, TimberInsider’s product guides and industry coverage connect raw-material, manufacturing and logistics signals.
Current interpretation
The July 6 reading shows relief compared with early April, but not a return to the low levels seen around the turn of the year. Shippers that budgeted on the December decline would have faced a material reversal. The appropriate conclusion is therefore conditional: freight fuel pressure eased from the spring high, while remaining elevated relative to December 2025 and January 2026.
Weekly prices can change quickly. Readers should check the newest EIA release before using the value in a tender, contract or cost forecast.
Bottom line
The six-week diesel decline at the end of 2025 was real but temporary. By July 6, 2026, the US average stood at $4.477 per gallon—below its April comparison high but almost one dollar above December 29. For timber and panel buyers, the commercial impact depends on the carrier’s index, formula, lag and the fuel share of the total freight rate.
Sources and methodology
Weekly values come from the EIA’s US on-highway diesel historical series. Survey scope and estimation are documented in the EIA weekly diesel methodology. Price components were checked against EIA’s factors affecting diesel prices, while surcharge interpretation follows the agency’s diesel surcharge guidance. TimberInsider calculations use unrounded weekly dollar-per-gallon observations; forecasts and individual carrier charges are not inferred from the national average.
