Diesel easing, but invoice effects linger
- U.S. diesel prices fell sharply this week, offering short-term relief after recent volatility. (thetrucker.com) - Despite the drop, rising diesel costs are still squeezing drivers and carriers in high‑cost states. (english.news.cn) - Fuel surcharges and carrier expectations already reflect volatility, keeping landed-cost uncertainty for shippers and 3PLs elevated. (morethanshipping.com)
U.S. diesel prices fell hard this week, but many freight invoices are still catching up to the spike that came before it. (eia.gov) The U.S. Energy Information Administration put the national on-highway diesel average at $5.403 a gallon on April 20, down 21 cents from a week earlier. The Gulf Coast posted the biggest regional drop, down 24 cents to $5.069, while the Midwest fell 22 cents to $5.165. (eia.gov; fleetowner.com) The pullback followed a steep run-up through March and early April. C.H. Robinson said the national average was $3.72 in February, $4.92 in March, and above $5.65 in early April before this week’s decline. (chrobinson.com) Prices also remain uneven by region, and that keeps pressure on drivers and carriers that buy fuel in the most expensive markets. Transportation Topics’ compilation of Energy Information Administration regional data showed California at $7.567 a gallon for the week of April 6, versus $5.304 on the Gulf Coast. (ttnews.com) That gap matters because fuel is still one of trucking’s biggest operating costs. C.H. Robinson, citing American Transportation Research Institute benchmarking, said fuel accounted for about 21% of total cost per mile in 2024 and has topped 28% during earlier spikes. (chrobinson.com) Shippers do not get full relief the moment pump prices fall, because fuel surcharges move on separate schedules and often lag the market by days or weeks. C.H. Robinson said carriers still absorb exposure from empty miles, repositioning, and the timing gaps built into surcharge formulas. (chrobinson.com) Some shippers are already seeing those charges swell. Heidi DeMello of Blount Fine Foods told the Institute for Supply Management that trucking fuel surcharges, usually 20% to 30% of line-haul rates, had jumped to roughly 40% to 45%, pushing total freight costs up about 15% in many lanes. (ismworld.org) The latest price drop gives fleets a breather at the pump, but it does not erase contracts, surcharge tables, or lane quotes written during the climb. Until weekly diesel averages settle down for more than a single release, carriers and shippers are still pricing freight against volatility, not just today’s gallon price. (eia.gov; chrobinson.com)
