Truckers worry as diesel climbs nearly 86 cents per gallon in a week

Truck drivers are watching as diesel fuel costs increase across the country due to conflict in the Middle East.

Diesel Fuel Costs Rising Fast

The national average cost of a gallon of diesel has increased by 85.9 cents in the last week, according to fuel pricing app GasBuddy, with the average cost standing at around $4.599 per gallon as of March 9, 2026.

GasBuddy calls the week-over-week increase in fuel cost “near historic.”

The rapid increase in cost is caused by the escalating conflict between the U.S. and Iran and the closure of a major fuel shipping lane.

“In just a week, consumers have seen gasoline prices surge at one of the fastest rates in years after oil prices spiked following U.S. strikes on Iran and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy in a blog post. “With additional attacks across the Middle East over the weekend pushing oil above $100 per barrel for the first time in years, fuel markets are now rapidly recalibrating to the risk of prolonged disruption to global supply flows. As a result, gasoline prices in many states could climb another 20 to 50 cents per gallon this week, with price-cycling markets potentially seeing increases as early as today. Diesel may rise even more sharply, with increases of 35 to 75 cents per gallon possible as global distillate markets react. While the situation remains highly fluid, consumers are already beginning to feel the impact as energy markets adjust to this sudden escalation.”

GasBuddy says that the states with the highest diesel prices are California at $5.87, Washington at $5.46, and Hawaii at $5.18.

What Are Truckers Seeing?

Many truckers have taken to social media to report the diesel prices that they are seeing as they move across the U.S. Take a look below to see what truckers are saying about the spike in diesel costs.