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Fuel-to-Estimate Tracker
Diesel is one input to our car shipping estimate ranges. This page shows the diesel numbers behind the Q4 2026 Index next to the latest EIA weekly figure, and what a change in diesel does to an estimate. These are formula-based estimates, not quotes.
Diesel inputs by edition
Q4 2026 edition (frozen)
+6.4%
Fuel adjustment on every estimate. EIA diesel $6.199/gal for the week of Oct 5, 2026, +31.1% above its 52-week average of $4.730. Q3 2026 inputs: +1.6%.
Latest EIA weekly figure (not part of the Index)
$6.352/gal
U.S. No. 2 diesel retail, EIA survey week of Oct 26, 2026. Checked Nov 3, 2026. Against the Q4 2026 52-week average it is +34.3%, which the formula would turn into a +7.1% fuel adjustment (illustration only).
How diesel moves an estimate
The fuel factor is 1 + 0.206 × (diesel now ÷ 52-week average − 1). Fuel is 20.6% of marginal trucking cost per mile (American Transportation Research Institute), so only that share of a diesel move reaches the estimate. A 10% rise above the yearly average lifts an estimate about 2.1%; the +31.1% gap in Q4 2026 gives +6.4%.
Distance, season and direction, vehicle class and open or enclosed transport matter as well. Read the whole formula on How We Estimate.
What the Q4 2026 diesel input does on eight routes
| Route | Road miles | At 52-week average diesel | At Q4 2026 diesel |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY → Miami, FL | 1,285 | $1,010 – $1,580 | $1,070 – $1,680 |
| Miami, FL → New York, NY | 1,285 | $910 – $1,230 | $970 – $1,310 |
| Chicago, IL → Miami, FL | 1,348 | $1,030 – $1,610 | $1,090 – $1,710 |
| New York, NY → Los Angeles, CA | 2,801 | $1,450 – $2,270 | $1,540 – $2,410 |
| Los Angeles, CA → New York, NY | 2,801 | $1,300 – $1,760 | $1,390 – $1,880 |
| Chicago, IL → Houston, TX | 1,094 | $950 – $1,480 | $1,010 – $1,580 |
| Las Vegas, NV → Los Angeles, CA | 276 | $450 – $700 | $480 – $750 |
| Portland, OR → Denver, CO | 1,243 | $1,000 – $1,560 | $1,060 – $1,660 |
Same formula, season and vehicle in both columns; only the diesel input differs. The full 24-route table and CSV are in the Index below.
Formula v2026.09.2 · EIA U.S. diesel $6.20/gal, week of Oct 5, 2026, 52-week average $4.73 · October pricing · road miles from OpenStreetMap routing where cached, otherwise straight-line distance ×1.2.
Estimate, not a quote. Produced automatically by our published formula from public data; your price comes from the licensed auto transport partner you choose. How we estimate · Get your free estimate
Fuel: U.S. Energy Information Administration. Routing: © OpenStreetMap contributors (OSRM). ZIP locations: U.S. Census Bureau.
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Questions about fuel and estimates
Fuel is about 20.6% of a truck's marginal cost per mile, so the formula moves every estimate by 20.6% of the gap between the EIA weekly diesel price and its 52-week average. Diesel 10% above average adds about 2.1%; 10% below subtracts about the same.
The formula reads the EIA weekly survey, published once a week, so estimates change at most weekly. The quarterly Index freezes one survey week so its numbers can be cited, and does not move until the next edition.
No. The Q4 2026 edition is frozen at the EIA week of Oct 5, 2026. The latest weekly figure is shown separately and labelled with the week and the date it was checked. It will enter the Index when a new edition is published.
No. They are formula-based estimate ranges, not quotes or transaction data. Offers from licensed auto transport companies vary with dates, addresses and capacity, and the price is set between you and the company you choose.
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