Truck Fuel Cost Calculator: Trip and Annual Diesel Costs 2026

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Rules, prices and device details on this page were checked October 2026 against the official sources listed at the bottom. Where a provider doesn't publish a number, we say so instead of guessing.

Fuel is usually the biggest single cost of running a truck, and right now it's moving fast. This calculator shows what a trip will cost in diesel, what that works out to per mile, and what a year of similar trips adds up to. It uses the latest weekly prices from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) for the region you pick, so your estimate matches what you're actually paying at the pump.

Calculator

• Trip miles. Total miles for the trip, including any deadhead to the pickup.
• MPG. Your real average. Most trucks report this through the ELD or engine data, and fuel receipts work too.
• Region. Choose the EIA region where you'll buy most of your fuel, or use the US average.
• Idle hours. Hours you expect the engine to run while parked, such as overnight heat or air conditioning, or waiting at a dock.
• Idle gallons per hour. Enter the burn rate for your truck. Your engine data or telematics idle report is the best source.

How it works: gallons used equals trip miles divided by MPG, plus idle hours times idle gallons per hour. Trip cost equals gallons times the regional diesel price. The calculator also shows cost per mile for the trip and an annual estimate based on how many similar trips you run a year.

Quick example

A 1,000 mile trip at 6.5 MPG uses about 154 gallons. Add 10 hours of idling at 0.8 gallons an hour and you're at roughly 162 gallons. At the US average of $6.276, that's about $1,016 for the trip, or just over $1.01 a mile. The same trip in California at $8.242 would cost around $1,334. That gap is why many drivers plan fuel stops around state lines.

Regional Diesel Prices

The EIA surveys retail on highway diesel prices every week and breaks them out by region. Here's the week of October 19, 2026:

Region	Price per gallon
US average	$6.276
East Coast	$5.984
Midwest	$6.352
Gulf Coast	$5.903
Rocky Mountain	$6.422
West Coast	$7.394
California	$8.242

The US average was $2.656 higher than the same week a year earlier. That's a huge swing for anyone who priced contracts or set rates last year. If your rates don't include a fuel surcharge tied to the weekly index, this is a good time to have that conversation with your customers.

Prices shown are averages, so individual stations can be well above or below. Fuel card networks and discount programs often beat the posted price. Our trucking heatmap shows regional cost differences on a map.

Idling Cost

Idling is easy to forget because the truck isn't moving. But an engine running all night burns real fuel. Depending on the truck, engine load and accessories, idle burn rates vary a lot, so use your own data where you can. At current prices, even a modest burn rate over a 10 hour break can cost more than $40 a night. Over 250 nights a year, that's a five figure bill for fuel that moved no freight.

A few ways to cut idle fuel:

• An auxiliary power unit or battery HVAC system for sleeper comfort.
• Engine idle shutdown timers set to a sensible limit.
• Bunk heaters for cold nights.
• Truck stop electrification where it's available.
• Telematics idle reports so you can see which trucks or drivers idle the most.

Most ELD and telematics systems report idle time per truck. That data turns a vague problem into a number you can track.

Saving Tips

• Slow down a little. Aerodynamic drag rises quickly with speed. A few miles an hour less can lift MPG noticeably over a long run.
• Keep tires at the right pressure. Underinflated tires waste fuel and wear faster.
• Plan fuel stops by price. The regional gap above can be more than $2 a gallon. Buying in a cheaper region before crossing into an expensive one adds up.
• Use a fuel card. Discounts and rebates lower the effective price.
• Cut empty miles. Fuel burned on deadhead has no revenue to pay for it.
• Watch driver habits. Hard acceleration, heavy braking and long idling show up in telematics scorecards. Coaching works better when the data is clear.
• Keep the truck tuned. Clogged filters, worn injectors and dragging brakes all hurt economy.

Download Prices as CSV

Want the numbers in a spreadsheet? The calculator offers a CSV download of the regional prices it used, with the EIA survey date. That makes it easy to attach to a rate quote or keep a record of the prices you based a contract on. Since EIA updates every week, download a fresh copy each time you quote.

Fuel Cost and Your Rates

Your fuel cost per mile is a core part of your total cost per mile. Once you know it, plug it into our cost per mile calculator to see your full break even rate. If diesel keeps climbing, a fuel surcharge is the cleanest way to protect your margin. Most surcharges compare the current EIA price against a base price and add a set amount per mile for each step above it. Ask your customers to tie any surcharge to the same EIA weekly series used here so both sides work from the same number.

Figures checked October 2026.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I calculate diesel cost for a trip?

Divide trip miles by your MPG to get gallons, add any idle fuel, then multiply by the diesel price for the region.

Where do the diesel prices come from?

The US Energy Information Administration publishes weekly retail on highway diesel prices by region. This page uses the week of October 19, 2026.

How much fuel does a truck burn idling?

It depends on the engine, load and accessories. Use your own engine or telematics data for the most accurate figure.

What was the average diesel price in October 2026?

The EIA put the US average at $6.276 a gallon for the week of October 19, 2026.

Sources

All prices, terms and registration details were checked October 2026 on the pages below. Providers change pricing often, so confirm before you buy.

• EIA Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update (week of October 19, 2026)