U.S. gas hits 2023 highs

U.S. on‑highway diesel crossed the $5.00 mark in mid‑March, with AAA and contemporaneous reports showing diesel around $5.07 per gallon on March 18, increasing fleet fuel bills for long‑haul and regional carriers. (newscentermaine.com) Global crude surged past the $100/bbl threshold in mid‑March—Brent traded in the low‑$100s and had risen more than 50% month‑to‑month into March 19—tightening refined‑product markets that feed through to pump and freight pricing. (tradingeconomics.com) The retail jump has been sharp and fast: analysts tracked roughly an 86¢ increase in national pump averages since March 1, with multiple outlets reporting near‑90¢ month‑over‑month moves that compress margins for fuel‑intensive SMEs. (indexbox.io) Wholesale used‑vehicle markets have firmed alongside the shock, with Cox Automotive’s Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index at 213.4 in mid‑March—a 0.5% month‑to‑month rise and roughly a 5.3% year‑over‑year gain—shifting dealers’ acquisition mixes toward fuel‑efficient and popular segments. (coxautoinc.com) Trucking economics amplify the pressure: fuel represents about 21% of total operating costs for Class‑8 tractors per ATRI data, and carriers have already adjusted surcharges and rate schedules (some freight providers raised fuel surcharges from 8% to 12% the week of March 16) to protect margins. (truckingway.com) Consumer and small‑business stress is visible in demand signals and polls—CNBC documented gig‑worker strain as pump prices hit 21‑month highs while a Reuters/Ipsos poll found about 67% of Americans expect gasoline prices to rise further—heightening delinquency and working‑capital risk for fuel‑dependent SMBs. (cnbc.com) Vendor and lender responses are moving fast: Solifi launched “Solifi Document Intelligence” on March 9, 2026 to cut document‑verification time by up to 70% for auto and equipment originations, and its 2025 acquisition of DataScan expanded wholesale loan servicing and inventory‑risk tools that lenders can deploy as fuel volatility drives faster floorplan turnover; Solifi customer case studies from Hitachi Capital and Centennial Bank cite measurable operational gains after CALMS Compass implementations. (prnewswire.com)