Fuel is the single largest variable cost for most fleets and typically accounts for between 20% and 30% of total operating expenses. And right now, it’s a cost that’s moving sharply in the wrong direction for bottom lines. Since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz in March 2026, diesel has surged from $3.76 per gallon at the end of February to $5.45 as of April 1 — a 45% spike in roughly five weeks. 

There is some encouraging context in the rate environment to help offset those fuel costs a bit. The latest U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index found that spot rates climbed to $2.01 per mile in February, up from $1.65 in November, while contract rates ticked up to $2.12. Whether these rates signal a more durable recovery remains an open question. But speculation won’t help fleets that have to cover the cost of fuel today. These four strategies can. 

Monitor and coach driver behavior 

If your fleet doesn’t enforce a speed maximum, faster driving can get loads delivered sooner but at a steep price. Research from the American Trucking Associations found that a Class 8 truck traveling at 75 mph burns roughly 27% more fuel than one at 65 mph. At April 1, 2026, diesel prices, that’s an additional $1.47 per gallon effectively wasted on speed alone. 

Telematics from Geotab and ATI, a Transflo company, give fleet managers the visibility to identify fuel-wasting behaviors at the individual driver level, including speeding, harsh acceleration, excessive idling, and more. Geotab’s Fuel Cost Analysis Scorecard and Average Fuel Economy Report make it easy to quantify exactly where fuel dollars are going. But visibility and data be translated to real behavior changes, too. 

With Predictive Coach, drivers receive targeted, behavior-based coaching modules built from their own performance data through actionable lessons designed to actually change habits behind the wheel. 

Stay ahead of maintenance 

A fleet can do everything right on the road and still waste fuel through overlooked maintenance issues. According to NACFE, underinflation by just 10 psi is associated with a 0.5–1.0% increase in fuel consumption.  

That may sound modest, but even across 10 trucks running hundreds of miles per week, it adds up at roughly five cents per gallon at a time. Worn air filters, misaligned wheels, clogged fuel filters, and malfunctioning engine cooling systems all quietly erode fuel efficiency in the background, too. 

Telematics again plays a critical role here. Predictive maintenance powered by real-time data can flag baseline deviations before they snowball into costly breakdowns or weeks of silent fuel waste. Instead of relying on fixed service intervals that may or may not align with actual vehicle condition, fleets can schedule maintenance based on what the data says each truck actually needs. 

Get more from every gallon with a fuel card 

Fuel cards have been part of the trucking industry for generations — the first gas credit cards date back to 1924, before the Great Depression. But not all fuel cards are created equal. Many come with transaction fees, network constraints, limited visibility into spending, and minimal fraud protection. Those limitations matter more than ever when diesel is hovering near $5.50 a gallon. 

The Transflo Wallet Fuel Card is built to eliminate those pain points. Discounts reach up to $2.00 a gallon with no transaction fees, no setup fees, and no hidden costs. The card is accepted at 99.9% of truck stops nationwide, so drivers are never forced into a more expensive station because of a restricted network.  

And with real-time fraud monitoring, customizable spend controls, and full transaction-level visibility through a mobile app, fleet managers can protect their fuel budgets and hold every dollar accountable. 

Fleets can apply in as little as five minutes with no business credit score required. 

Plan smarter routes 

Time spent in traffic is money lost. When fuel is at near-decade highs, congestion, closures, and construction delays hit twice as hard by burning through fuel while adding zero productive miles. Effective route planning is one of the simplest ways to keep fuel costs in check. 

CoPilot Truck, available within Transflo Mobile+, is a commercial navigation solution purpose-built for the trucking industry. It routes drivers along safe, truck-friendly roads while navigating around height, weight, and class restrictions. With real-time traffic data and optimized multi-stop routing, fleets can cut unnecessary mileage, avoid delays, and make sure every gallon goes toward getting the load where it needs to be. 

The bottom line 

Fleets can’t control what happens in the Strait of Hormuz or at the pump. But they can control how efficiently their trucks burn fuel, how well they maintain their equipment, how smartly they purchase diesel, and how effectively they plan their routes. The carriers that take a disciplined, technology-driven approach to all four will be the ones best positioned to weather this stretch and other periods of fuel volatility.