LOS ANGELES, October 8, 2026 – As independent trucker Marcus Vance parked his Class 8 truck at a truck stop in Ohio last week, he grimaced at the price at the pump for ultra-low sulfur diesel, which had thin profit margins.
That relief could now be just around the corner, as President Donald Trump issued an executive order that would allow expanded use of dyed diesel in trucks and defer collection of taxes on the fuel, to address the escalating expenses of transporting goods across the country.
Expensive fuels don’t just affect truck drivers – they affect every shelf of every grocery store and hardware store across the country. The hope is to increase liquidity by deferring penalties regarding the taxes on diesel fuel.
The executive order requires the Treasury to use its emergency powers to put off certain federal excise taxes. The critical thing about this move is that it postpones the payment of the 24.4 cents per gallon of federal diesel tax for the rest of the year, rather than canceling it, waiving all penalties and interest. Projections by the White House indicate that this will save motorists as much as $100 per tank, although this will only be possible depending on each tank’s capacity and the state governors’ willingness to do the same.
“Fuel is our single largest variable expense,” Vance admitted while filling his 120-gallon tanks. “Any relief at the pump—even twenty cents a gallon—determines whether an independent operator stays in business.”
Industry reaction to the executive action has been distinctly mixed.
While farmers’ organizations and local trucking companies were appreciative of the short-term benefit of extra money to work with during the harvesting period, the energy analysts and logistics professionals warned that deferring taxes does not address the refining capacity issues or change wholesale prices. In addition, the regulatory specialists argued that allowing some flexibility in hours-of-service for transporting fuel was helpful, but weight limits on federal highways are limited by statutory limits unless waived by state emergency declarations.
It remains to be seen whether the order will bring price stability, or if the taxes are simply being delayed for a future date.
For the truckers hauling fuel across I-80, each penny saved per gallon is good news.
