Diesel price protection, explained for accountants
For accountants, bookkeepers and IFTA preparers: what a diesel spike does to trucking clients’ books, and how one fee up front could bring a payment back.
Diesel in 2026
Diesel
Feb. 23, 2026
Diesel
Sept. 21, 2026
Record high
+$2.72 a gallon in 7 months
Sept. 21 was the highest weekly price since EIA’s records start in 1994 (not counting inflation).
Source: EIA weekly diesel prices
What a spike does to your clients, and to you
Under 1%
Source: ATRI trucking cost report, 2026
So when diesel jumps, a month’s profit can turn into a loss. You explain it after the fact.
At least 16 trucking and delivery companies entered bankruptcy between late August and Sept. 21, 2026, as diesel rose and other costs stayed high.
What protection is, in plain words
Your client picks a cap, a top price for diesel. If what they pay averages above it over the period, Hedjee pays them the difference.
The fee, paid up front, is all they pay. In the books, that’s two lines: the fee, and any payment back.
| Compared | No protectionSay diesel jumps $1, from $4.00 to $5.00, on 1,000 gallons. In March 2026, it rose 96¢ in one week. | With HedjeeSay a $4.00 cap and a 5¢ fee a gallon |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel bill | $1,000 more than planned | $1,000 more than planned |
| Fee, paid up front | None | $50 |
| Payment back | None | $1,000: $1 over the cap on each of 1,000 gallons |
| What the spike cost | $1,000 | $50, the fee |
It adds to what your clients already use
| Compared | What it does | With Hedjee |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel surcharge | Helps pass a rise on to customers. It isn’t meant to cover the whole fuel bill. | Keep it. Hedjee pays on top of it. |
| Fuel card | A few cents off a gallon, and fuel reports. | Keep it. Same cards, same stations. |
| Futures and swaps | Big companies use these deals to set their diesel price ahead of time. | The same kind of protection, for fleets of any size. No deposits. |
| IFTA return | Miles and fuel in each state and province, every quarter. | No change. Clients fuel where they always do. |
Source: OOIDA fuel surcharge guide; Sysco 2026 annual report (10-K); CFTC glossary; Nebraska DMV, IFTA
Big fleets protect their diesel price. Now your clients can too.
Source: Sysco 2026 annual report (10-K)
Hedjee brings the same kind of protection to fleets of any size, even one truck, based on what they actually pay for fuel. See how Sysco does it.
What you can do
See what the last spike cost your clients. Bring one client’s rough gallons to a free 20-minute call. No commitment.
Your firm keeps the books and the tax calls. We give you a clear statement of the fee and each payment.