Diesel is not just moving higher right now. It is hitting different parts of the country in very different ways. AAA’s current national average for diesel is $4.595 per gallon as of March 8, 2026, but that national number only tells part of the story. The bigger picture shows up in AAA’s state averages, where some parts of the country are getting hit much harder at the pump than others.
The West Coast remains the most expensive place in the country to buy diesel. California is sitting at $5.808 per gallon, Washington is at $5.389, and Oregon is at $4.778. Those are painful numbers for any owner-operator or fleet trying to protect margins. When diesel gets that high, every load has to work harder to stay profitable, and every cheap rate becomes even harder to justify.
The Northeast and Mid-Atlantic are not far behind. Pennsylvania is at $4.820 per gallon, New York is at $4.595, and New Jersey is at $4.539. That keeps the region well above what much of the country is paying for diesel. It may not be as extreme as the West Coast, but it is still high enough to put real pressure on fuel costs for trucks running that territory.
The Midwest is landing in the middle, but nobody would call it cheap. Michigan is at $4.564, Illinois is at $4.496, and Minnesota is at $4.344. Out in the Rocky Mountain states, diesel is somewhat lower, with Colorado at $4.157, Utah at $4.191, and Wyoming at $3.979. That gives drivers some relief compared with the coasts, but not enough to take fuel planning off the table.
The South and Gulf Coast continue to offer the lowest diesel prices in the country. Texas is at $4.253 per gallon, Louisiana is at $4.176, and Oklahoma is at $3.935. That puts Oklahoma about $1.87 per gallon lower than California. For truckers, that kind of spread matters. It affects where you fuel, how you route, and how much money is left when the week is done. The national average may get the headline, but the real story is still regional. Drivers on the West Coast are getting hit the hardest, while the South remains the best place in the country to find diesel relief right now.
The West Coast remains the most expensive place in the country to buy diesel. California is sitting at $5.808 per gallon, Washington is at $5.389, and Oregon is at $4.778. Those are painful numbers for any owner-operator or fleet trying to protect margins. When diesel gets that high, every load has to work harder to stay profitable, and every cheap rate becomes even harder to justify.
The Northeast and Mid-Atlantic are not far behind. Pennsylvania is at $4.820 per gallon, New York is at $4.595, and New Jersey is at $4.539. That keeps the region well above what much of the country is paying for diesel. It may not be as extreme as the West Coast, but it is still high enough to put real pressure on fuel costs for trucks running that territory.
The Midwest is landing in the middle, but nobody would call it cheap. Michigan is at $4.564, Illinois is at $4.496, and Minnesota is at $4.344. Out in the Rocky Mountain states, diesel is somewhat lower, with Colorado at $4.157, Utah at $4.191, and Wyoming at $3.979. That gives drivers some relief compared with the coasts, but not enough to take fuel planning off the table.
The South and Gulf Coast continue to offer the lowest diesel prices in the country. Texas is at $4.253 per gallon, Louisiana is at $4.176, and Oklahoma is at $3.935. That puts Oklahoma about $1.87 per gallon lower than California. For truckers, that kind of spread matters. It affects where you fuel, how you route, and how much money is left when the week is done. The national average may get the headline, but the real story is still regional. Drivers on the West Coast are getting hit the hardest, while the South remains the best place in the country to find diesel relief right now.
