Diesel spikes to $5.044/gal
U.S. diesel prices surged to $5.044 a gallon amid supply disruptions, a jump reported this week that raises hauling and delivery costs for big materials and jobsite logistics. That squeeze filters into contractor conversations about freight, rentals, and project timelines.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported on‑highway diesel at $4.859/gal for the week of March 9, 2026, a roughly $0.96 jump from the prior week. (eia.gov) Brent crude traded near $102/barrel and West Texas Intermediate near $94/barrel as Middle East tensions added a supply‑risk premium, with Bloomberg and Yahoo Finance linking the oil move to the Iran conflict. (bloomberg.com) Regional spreads are wide: EIA showed Central Atlantic (PADD1B) diesel at $4.940/gal while California reached $6.096/gal for the March 9 reporting week, underscoring local cost variation. (eia.gov) Major carriers base fuel surcharges on the DOE/EIA weekly on‑highway diesel index and publish updated surcharge tables weekly, with firms like XPO and LTL carriers making adjustments the week after the EIA release. (xpo.com) Fuel represents roughly 21% of total trucking cost per mile in industry benchmarking, and while carriers typically pass fuel into freight via surcharges, spot van and reefer rates actually retracted last week, showing a short‑term disconnect between pump prices and spot freight moves. (chrobinson.com) Industry reports and contractors link higher diesel and crude to rising construction input costs and equipment operating expenses, with Skanska warning construction costs are climbing faster than U.S. inflation and rental‑rate guides explicitly factoring fuel and operating cost recovery. (finance-commerce.com)
