Question Diesel prices April 2026 edition

[Scooterfan]

Had to fill up yesterday (thus no pictures) at Costco in Santa Maria, CA. Premium gas (what I needed) was $5.79 but I noticed diesel was $6.89. CA prices are nuts. Blessings

 

[Holdmybeer]

Sal Mercogliano who does the “ What’s Happening In Shipping” daily podcast is saying an LNG carrier and two crude oil tankers slipped through yesterday by running just off the coast of Oman and south of the ordinary shipping lane. They turned their AIS off and ran dark. Some are saying the US may be providing some kind of air cover out of Oman.

 

[MemoriesByTheMile]

In the Kansas City area , Greenlane best price of $4.37 at a Love’s.
Sometimes a small independent shop will be lower with Mudflap, but then they are a lower volume location (maybe).

 

[cptqueeg]

$5.72/gal south central Idaho

 

[newmarokie]

$4.59 posted price at QT on the Southside of OKC

 

[CaptainGizmo]

Don't make this a political thread (we already know and can elsewhere to get that)...just give Neal what he wants! Or, in my case, he ain't gettin' photos cuz I'm shaking with disgust too much as I drive by the normal stations with $7.00+ prices for Diesel here in the San Gabriel Valley, Southern California. Someone call the news who I saw reporting average prices here are like $5.85...wrong!

But, in terms of Truck Stops...we're gonna be screwed when it comes time for a fillup just to get outta California for next trip. Argh!

Neal, you have my address to send me the First Place prize...thank you.

 

[Neal]

Well @CaptainGizmo I'm trying to figure out how to like, thanks, and sad reactions all at once on your post. Maybe even a haha, heck, why not all of them. Consider it done

 

[Neal]

Most know, or I think I know, fuel stations along the interstate such as truck stops are taxed differently than in town fuel stations. So if you can fuel up in a city that has a truck lane, that would be some savings hopefully.

 

[Holdmybeer]

I suspect the truck stops charge more on the interstate largely because what are the alternatives. Their competition is other truck stops on the interstate.

 

[CaptainGizmo]

Well @CaptainGizmo I'm trying to figure out how to like, thanks, and sad reactions all at once on your post. Maybe even a haha, heck, why not all of them. Consider it done

Thanks, buddy…I’ll use this support as I’m weeping in a puddle of tears next fill-up! I am, however, HOPING that by that time in May…perhaps it’ll ease off a tad. Alas, as someone told me decades ago, fuel prices are like a one-way ratchet. How true that’s been.

And, yeah…the Truck Stops seem worse despite the Open Roads discount. Oh well…have to press on and enjoy!

 

[newmarokie]

Somebody tell me if I am wrongheaded in my thinking. With the price of fuel as high as it is now and the heights we've seen in say the last fifteen years, we are seeing all kinds of "fuel card" operators spring up. Open Roads, greelane, and mudflap just to name a few. There was a time when owner/operator truck drivers would leave the house with a pocket full of cash to pay their bills. Then comes along comcheck which would work for owner operators or company drivers. More and more cash being handled as fuel prices crept or shot up. More potential for leakage at the register. The truck stop chains got more spread out and concentrated into corporate conglomerates. The fuel/discount card comes along and does away with cash. A smaller chance for leakage at the register. The fuel cards, I suspect, are backed by venture capital groups or some other cash flush entity. Pilot or any other high volume fuel handler sells the fuel card company the fuel for basically a handling fee and small margin. The fuel handler makes a 5-10% margin on the fuel. Maybe less, I don't know. The fuel handler then proceeds to make money off of all the ancillary sales and services that accompanies the fuel stop. The card service pays the fuel handler the next day and decides what they want to charge the consumer to maintain the margin they want to maintain. they charge the consumer the next day and make their percentage. Rinse and repeat. Not so much with us RVers, but trucks are probably refueling every day they are operating. This is probably not exactly how it works, but I suspect it is some variation similar to this. The poor sap that doesn't a fuel card gets pillaged until he figures the "scam" out. And now fuel is mostly cashless.