Pump prices are drifting down, but not by much. AAA put the national average for regular at $4.3612 a gallon on Thursday, Oct. 8, down from $4.3667 yesterday and $4.4137 a week ago. It is still $1.2456 above the $3.1156 drivers paid a year ago, and about 22 cents higher than a month ago, when regular averaged $4.1514.
The bigger squeeze is on diesel. The national average is $6.2847, down about 10 cents in a week and about 24 cents off the record $6.5276 AAA logged on Sept. 22, but $2.61 above last year's $3.6791. For anyone who fills a Super Duty or a work van, that gap is the story.
AAA national averages, Oct. 8, 2026
| Grade | Today | Week ago | Month ago | Year ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular | $4.3612 | $4.4137 | $4.1514 | $3.1156 |
| Mid-grade | $4.8812 | $4.9345 | $4.6338 | $3.6143 |
| Premium | $5.2700 | $5.3232 | $5.0255 | $3.9721 |
| Diesel | $6.2847 | $6.3895 | $5.9012 | $3.6791 |
Source: AAA Fuel Prices, price as of 10/8/26.
Where prices are highest and lowest
The spread between states is wide. California is the most expensive state for regular at $6.3486, followed by Hawaii at $5.6353 and Washington at $5.4678. Ohio is cheapest at $3.7178, ahead of Indiana at $3.7209 and Georgia at $3.8465, according to AAA's state table.
Diesel and the weekly EIA numbers
Diesel follows the same map. California averages $8.3483, and Washington and Hawaii are above $7.20. Texas is lowest at $5.7036. At the filling station, a 30-gallon diesel fill-up costs about $188.54 at the national average, compared with about $110.37 at last year's price, a difference of roughly $78.
The Energy Information Administration's weekly survey, published Oct. 6 for Oct. 5, shows the same direction. EIA has regular at $4.354, down 11.1 cents in a week and up $1.230 from a year ago, and on-highway diesel at $6.199, down 18.3 cents and up $2.488. West Coast gasoline averages $5.727; the Gulf Coast is lowest at $3.911. EIA's next update is due Oct. 14.
What drivers can do about it
No tip beats the price of the fuel, but driving habits move mpg more than most people expect. The federal fuel-economy site says aggressive driving can cut gas mileage by roughly 15% to 30% at highway speeds and 10% to 40% in stop-and-go traffic. Fuel economy typically falls off quickly above 50 mph, and slowing down by 5 to 10 mph can improve it by 7% to 14%.
- Skip the roof box when you do not need it. A roof-mounted cargo box can cost 6% to 17% of fuel economy on the highway and 10% to 25% at Interstate speeds, according to fueleconomy.gov.
- Clear out the truck bed and back seat. An extra 100 pounds can reduce mpg by about 1%.
- Limit idling. Idling uses a quarter to a half gallon of fuel per hour, depending on engine size and air-conditioning use.
- Use cruise control on the highway and keep tires properly inflated, two of the habits AAA lists in its fuel-saving tips.
The vehicles pictured here, a mix of sedans, an SUV, a hybrid and trucks, are shown only to illustrate the kinds of vehicles drivers are weighing against these prices. No automaker is involved in the pricing story. For truck owners, the same habits apply: a lighter load, steadier speeds and less idling are the controllable part of a $6 diesel bill.
The month-ago figures show how quickly the direction has changed: regular was about 22 cents lower than today on Sept. 8, before the September record. Checking AAA's daily average and EIA's Oct. 14 update will show whether the easing continues.
