Truck drivers are feeling the pinch at the pump as diesel prices spike even higher than regular gas in the midst of the Iran war.
The average price of diesel gas reached $5.04 per gallon on Tuesday, March 17, up from an average of $4.78 per gallon a week ago on March 10, according to the AAA Auto Club. That’s compared to an average price of regular gas that rose to $3.79 per gallon on March 17.
Patrick De Haan, Head of Petroleum Analysis at GasBuddy, said in a March 17 post on X the price of diesel gas is likely to continue to rise as the war continues.
“The average price of diesel has now seen the largest 14-day increase ever: $1.217/gal, breaking the $1.17/gal rise from 2022,” De Haan wrote.
“The surge in diesel isn’t just impacting the US market, but everyone globally- the outcome will be rough everywhere,” he added in a subsequent post.
With that in mind, the USA TODAY Cars team compiled a list of tips that could help drivers save money on gas.
1. Slow down from 75 to 65 miles per hour
Truck drivers who reduce their speed from 75 miles per hour to 65 miles per hour will use 27% less fuel than their counterparts who drive higher speeds, according to the website FleetOwner.com.
The website said limiting a truck’s speed to 65 mph would save 2.8 billion gallons of diesel fuel over the course of a decade.
2. Reduce idling by at least 30 minutes per day
A long-haul semi truck burns about 0.8 gallons of diesel per hour while idling, according to the website SlashGear.com.
So a truck driver reducing idling by 30 minutes would save 0.4 gallons of diesel gas.
3. Switch stations
Truck and car drivers who use diesel gas can consider switching stations to take advantage of regional differences in prices if they’re on long distance trips.
The average price of diesel gas in Michigan was $4.89 on March 17, while California truck drivers were paying $6.49 per gallon for diesel on the same day, according to AAA.
4. Combine trips
Truck drivers who want to save on diesel costs can consider combining trips if possible. Reducing the number of trips a truck driver takes would cut down on both fuel consumption during driving and idle time between trips.
5. Avoid cold starts
Truck drivers who start up their engines in cold weather use more diesel gas than people who wait until warmer times of the day.
Cold temperatures make it hard for the gas to circulate in the vehicle, reducing overall efficiency.
6. Use apps and rewards
Truck drivers can use apps like GasBuddy, Waze, or AAA to compare prices at nearby stations just like traditional car drivers do. Mapping apps like Apple Maps and Google Maps also now show prices at many stations when drivers use their “gas near me” features.
Many grocery stores offer points that can be used for discounts at a nearby gas station for shoppers who sign up for their rewards program. Truck drivers can sign up at their nearby grocery stores, and make sure they link their purchases to the same account each time.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Diesel prices hit $5 a gallon: 6 ways drivers can save money now
Reporting by Keith Laing, USA TODAY / USA TODAY
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
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