Diesel prices ease again, down 37 cents from 2025 high as fuel costs stay in focus
The national average on-highway diesel price fell 4 cents last week, bringing the average to $3.50 per gallon. Gasoline also moved lower, down 3 cents to a national average of $2.81 per gallon.
For working drivers, a few cents either way still adds up fast. Fuel is one of the biggest weekly expenses on the road, and even small changes in the national average can affect what it costs to run a lane, how much surcharge covers, and what a load truly pays after the tank gets filled.
The latest move keeps diesel below its 2025 high mark, with prices now down 37 cents from that peak. That pullback matters most for fleets and owner-operators who buy fuel every day, because it can show up immediately in cash flow and operating cost per mile.
For broader context, the U.S. Diesel Sales Price series (FRED: GASDESW) tracks weekly diesel pricing going back to 1994-03-21 and runs through 2025-12-29 in the requested range. That long history is often used to compare today’s fuel costs with prior cycles in diesel, sales, and commodity pricing in the U.S.
- National average diesel: $3.50/gal (down 4 cents week over week)
- National average gasoline: $2.81/gal (down 3 cents week over week)
- Change from 2025 high: diesel down 37 cents
The week-to-week drop is modest, but it continues a move in a direction drivers notice immediately: cheaper fill-ups and slightly more room in the numbers when running tight margins.