Iran Conflict’s Impact on Trucking: Diesel, Cyber Risks
Iran Conflict’s Impact on Trucking: Diesel, Cyber Risks
Publish Date: 2026-03-20 18:25:00
Source Domain: www.truckinginfo.com
The impact of the Iran conflict extends beyond fuel costs, bringing more fraud and cybersecurity risks to the trucking industry.
In the opening days of March, diesel prices rose 80 cents per gallon in a single week, a shock the industry has not seen since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
This is one of the most obvious impacts the trucking industry is feeling from the current military operations in Iran. When fuel prices rise, margins shrink, leading to tightened capacity — an environment ripe for fraud.
When conflict with a geopolitical adversary heats up, so too does the cyber threat to U.S. critical infrastructure. That’s the environment trucking is operating in right now.
With the Strait of Hormuz closing, roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply has effectively been cut off. Brent crude oil prices, seen as an indicator of global oil performance, have been hovering around $100 per barrel, up by about 50% from a month earlier and from a year ago, according to a March 20 Fortune report.
Rising Oil and Diesel Prices
Diesel prices tend to swing more aggressively than crude oil prices. They jumped by double-digit percentages in less than two weeks. Energy Department numbers as of March 16 show the national average at 66 cents higher than a year ago.
A $1-per-gallon increase in fuel can represent an estimated $40 billion in additional costs across the industry.
Credit:
U.S. Energy Information Administration
As we all know, fuel expenses make up a significant portion of the total cost per mile to operate a fleet, surpassed only by labor costs. And fuel surcharge rates tend to lag actual fuel prices by up to two weeks, with some locked in by contract rates.
This means motor carriers are left to absorb the increases at the pump. This pressure can prove too much for many small carriers and owner-operators. To put it in perspective, a $1-per-gallon increase in fuel can represent an estimated $40 billion in additional costs across the industry.
This is not good news for our…
