Data 5 min read · updated Nov 9, 2026
How to read EIA’s weekly fuel price data
What the Monday survey measures, when it is released, and the mistakes to avoid when comparing numbers.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration surveys retail outlets every Monday. Its diesel methodology describes cash, self-serve prices at the pump including all taxes, as of 8:00 a.m. local time. Results are published as the Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update, usually Monday afternoon, and a day later after federal holidays.
Five things to know
- It is an average. Individual stations can be well above or below it.
- Taxes are included. Wholesale and spot prices are not.
- Coverage differs by fuel. Diesel is published for the nation, regions and California; gasoline also for nine states and ten cities.
- Dates are survey Mondays. Spot prices are weekly averages dated by the Friday that ends the week.
- Revisions are rare but possible; this site keeps the figure EIA published.
Carriers and fleets use the national diesel figure to set fuel surcharges, which is why a one-cent move can matter to freight costs. See it applied in our fuel surcharge calculator.