The national average diesel price reached a record $5.82 per gallon in June 2022, driven by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and refinery capacity constraints, with fuel accounting for roughly 20 to 25 percent of total truckload transportation costs, according to multiple sources including Inbound Logistics. Small and mid-sized towing operators without written fuel surcharge clauses absorbed the cost increase directly as many municipal contracts and motor club agreements did not include adjustment mechanisms.
Operator takeaway
The 2022 diesel spike proved that operators without written fuel surcharge clauses absorb every penny of a price shock — if you still do not have one in 2026, you learned nothing from the last time.