Diesel stays above $6 as truckload spot rates soften

Last updated: November 4, 2026

US diesel fuel averaged $6.29 a gallon for the eighth consecutive week above $6, according to the Energy Information Administration. The week ending Nov. 2 price was six cents below the previous week but $2.54 higher than a year earlier.

Freight benchmarks are sending a more mixed signal. All-in dry van, reefer and flatbed spot rates from FTR and Truckstop.com declined together for the first time since mid-August. Yet DAT’s fuel-excluded linehaul rates increased slightly, underscoring the difference between broader spot-rate direction and the underlying rate before fuel.

Fuel remains the pressure point

The six-cent weekly decline offers limited relief against a $2.54 annual increase. Diesel was nearly 68% higher than the same week in 2025, while all-in spot rates were roughly 41.5% higher, according to FTR and Truckstop.com.

Regional disparities remain material. The EIA’s cheapest regional diesel average was $5.81 a gallon in the Lower Atlantic, while California remained the most expensive at $8.08. After removing tax, North Carolina had the lowest net diesel price at $5.09 a gallon; California had the highest at $7.36.

ProMiles recorded a different nationwide average of $6.21. Its California average was $8.37, while the Gulf Coast was lowest at $5.81. That variation makes the data source part of any fuel calculation: carriers and shippers should compare like-for-like diesel benchmarks rather than mixing EIA, ProMiles and surcharge-index figures.

Spot rates soften as linehaul holds firmer

FTR and Truckstop.com said the simultaneous declines across the three primary equipment types were consistent with historical seasonal trends. Flatbed rates generally increased slightly in comparable weeks, making their decline less typical but still part of a broader moderation.

All-in dry van spot rates fell 2.5 cents to $2.85 a mile. Reefer declined 3.5 cents to $3.45, and flatbed slipped 1.6 cents to $3.31. West Coast-originating loads showed strength in all three segments, but the national averages still moved lower.

DAT’s fuel-excluded measurements told a firmer story. Dry van linehaul averaged $2.23 a mile, up 3 cents; reefer reached $2.71, also up 3 cents; and flatbed rose a penny to $2.61. DAT expects dry van and reefer to edge higher over the next 35 days, while flatbed is projected to remain mostly flat.

The divergence matters because a lower all-in rate does not necessarily mean a lower base rate. Falling fuel or surcharge costs can pull down the total paid to a carrier even when the linehaul component is holding steady. Conversely, high diesel can leave less room for base-rate gains to translate into healthier margins.

Why it matters

Shippers evaluating a spot purchase should separate linehaul from fuel before declaring the market cheaper. An all-in rate decline may reflect easing fuel treatment rather than a weaker base market. Carriers should focus on the net revenue remaining after the lane’s actual fuel cost, particularly when national averages conceal large regional differences.

The immediate winner may be the shipper securing capacity at a softer all-in rate. The carrier is more likely to feel the squeeze if surcharge adjustments do not track elevated fuel costs. Contracts with fixed linehaul rates and weak surcharge triggers are especially exposed to that gap.

A decision checklist for freight buyers

Before accepting a rate or resetting a surcharge:

• Confirm whether the quote is all-in or excludes fuel.
• Use the same diesel source and geography used in the surcharge formula.
• Compare the current base rate with both last week and the year-earlier period.
• Test the lane’s regional fuel exposure rather than relying on the national average.
• Check whether recent lane-specific rate strength is being offset by lower national spot benchmarks.
• Update the surcharge before a small diesel decline masks an unchanged high fuel base.

For 3PLs, quotes should display linehaul and fuel separately. That gives buyers a clearer view of what changed and prevents a temporary fuel adjustment from being mistaken for a broad improvement in truck capacity.

What to watch next

The key question is whether the soft all-in spot rates persist while fuel remains above $6. Another watchpoint is whether DAT’s projected increases materialize: stronger fuel-excluded linehaul rates combined with high diesel would suggest carriers are still pressing for base-rate improvements.

Diesel has eased, but not enough to reset the cost environment. The more useful signal will come from consistently separating fuel from linehaul rather than reading either measure in isolation.

Key takeaways

• US diesel eased six cents to $6.29 a gallon but remained $2.54 above a year earlier.
• All-in FTR and Truckstop.com spot rates declined across dry van, reefer and flatbed.
• DAT’s fuel-excluded linehaul rates increased, showing why shippers and carriers must distinguish base rates from total freight costs.
• Regional fuel prices remain sharply uneven, making lane-level diesel data essential.