Motor fuel prices see steep climb, as much as 37% in March

Fuel prices

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) has released monthly motor fuel prices for March 2026 and its not a pretty picture. The average price for regular gasoline was up 25.1% to $3.64 per gallon from February 2026 and up 17.5% from March 2025.

This surprises no one given the conflict in the Middle East. The numbers are also in sharp contrast to the drop, albeit small, seen in February.

Further, the price of diesel no. 2 rose even more sharply. The average price for diesel no. 2 rose 32.2% to $4.92 in March 2026 from February 2026. This is a 37.3% increase from March of 2025. See the chart to the right.

The average price for regular gasoline in the Gulf Coast region saw the largest increase, 22% from 2025 to $3.27 per gallon. The Lower Atlantic and West Coast regions followed with 19.2% and and 19% increases to $3.45 and $4.89 per gallon, each respectively.

The Midwest region saw the smallest increase, but was still hit with a 14.1% increase over March of last year to $3.37 per gallon.

Additional information and for interactive charts on transportation’s role in the economy, see the BTS Transportation Economic Trends page here.

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