Trucking industry's lament trickling into families, voters

Diesel fuel on Monday morning, according to AAA, is $5.32 on average from Murphy to Manteo. That’s up from $5.21 a week ago, $4.95 a month ago and $3.48 at this time last year. The national average is $5.44.

Regular unleaded gasoline averages $3.69 per gallon, just 2 cents higher than a week ago, a penny higher than a month ago, and 83 cents higher than at this time last year. The national average is $4.06.

The Center Square analyzes this market monthly, at a minimum, as part of its mission for reporting of government accountability, what taxpayers are spending and where, and how it translates for the businesses and communities throughout the state.

Prices have been volatile since Feb. 28 when America and Israel launched military strikes into Iran. Declarations of victory, military action being complete, of ceasefire, and of the ceasefire ending have preceded multiple ups and downs in industry price trends. Before the conflict, the Strait of Hormuz – Iran is on its northern coast – had about 20% of the world’s oil passing through daily.

For North Carolina, the average on Jan. 5 was a calendar year low of $2.61 a gallon for unleaded. The price was $2.75 the day before Operation Epic Fury began; was $4.21 on May 6; and $3.48 on July 8.

Diesel was $3.39 a gallon at the beginning of the year; an all-time state record high of $5.81 on April 7; $5.50 on May 6; and $4.56 on July 8.

Events coinciding with dates are second-term Republican President Donald Trump declaring a double-sided ceasefire April 7; North Carolina having a 9-cent overnight rise in gas prices on May 6; and Trump declaring the ceasefire over and strikes resuming on July 8.

Combustion engine consumers make up more than 8 million vehicle registrations in the nation’s ninth-largest state.

North Carolina’s electric vehicle charging rate average, according to AAA, is 41.2 cents per kilowatt-hour. The national average is 42.4 cents per kWh. More than 100,000 zero-emission vehicles are registered in the state. At the start of 2025, the state norm was 33.5 cents per kWh and the national was 34.7 cents per kWh.

Only seven states have lower average prices for a gallon of unleaded; 20 are lower for diesel; and 20 plus the District of Columbia are lower in electric. California, Hawaii and Washington are each more than $6 a gallon for diesel and each more than $5 a gallon for a gallon of unleaded gasoline.

Among the 14 major metro areas in North Carolina, the least expensive average for unleaded gas is in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morgan market at $3.57. The most expensive is the Durham-Chapel Hill metro area at $3.78.

Diesel is the most consumer-friendly ($5.19) in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton market.

Per Environmental Protection Agency rules, the time for less volatile summer blend fuel to be sold is June 1 to Sept. 15. In general, summer fuel is considered 10 cents to 15 cents higher per gallon.

North Carolina’s 41 cents per gallon tax rate for 2026 is only eclipsed by California (61.2), Pennsylvania (57.6), Washington (55.4), Indiana (53.5), Michigan (52.4), New Jersey (49.1), Illinois (48.3) and Maryland (46.2).

Motor fuel taxes fund the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s highway and multi-modal projects, accounting for more than half of the state transportation resources. The revenues go into the Highway Fund and the Highway Trust Fund.