Diesel price protection, explained for brokers and 3PLs
When diesel jumps, carrier rates climb but your quote stays put. What price protection is, and how it can help your margin hold.
Diesel in 2026
Diesel
Jan. 12, 2026
Diesel
Sept. 21, 2026
Record high
+$3.07 a gallon in 8 months
Sept. 21 set a record, and so did a 96¢ jump in one March week. EIA’s weekly prices go back to 1994 (not counting inflation).
Source: EIA weekly diesel prices
Diesel jumps. Carrier rates climb. Your quote doesn’t.
41¢ → 61¢
Source: DAT, April 2026
On the spot market, carriers are paid one all-in price, with the fuel in it, DAT explains. If your quote was set before the spike, the extra fuel can come out of your margin.
What protection is, in plain words
Pick the gallons behind your quoted lanes and a cap, and pay a small fee per gallon up front. If what those gallons cost averages above your cap, Hedjee pays you the difference. You owe nothing back.
| Compared | Example: diesel jumps $11,000 gallons behind your lanes go from $4.00 to $5.00 | Same jump, with HedjeeA $4.00 cap and a 5¢ fee a gallon |
|---|---|---|
| Your quote | Stays the same | Stays the same |
| Carrier rates | Rise with the fuel: $1,000 more | Rise the same: $1,000 more. Hedjee doesn’t touch carrier pay. |
| Paid back to you | Nothing | $1,000: those gallons averaged $5.00, $1 over your cap |
| Your margin | Down $1,000 | Down $50, the fee |
Source: DAT, September 2026
How it sits beside what you use now
Big companies like Sysco lock in the price of much of their diesel ahead of time (see how). Hedjee brings the same kind of protection to a brokerage of any size. Every tool you use now keeps its job.
| Compared | What it does | With Hedjee |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel surcharge | Passes the jump to your shipper, who feels it. | Keep it. Offer protection in your bid, so your shipper can get paid back if diesel jumps. |
| All-in quote | One set price for your shipper. When carrier rates climb, your margin takes it. | Keep quoting all-in. Hedjee pays you the difference above your cap. |
| Re-quoting | Catches up with the market, at a cost in time and goodwill. | Your quote can hold, so you may not need to. |
| Carrier fuel cards | Get your carriers a discount at the pump. | Keep them. Hedjee is for when the price itself climbs. |
| Futures and swaps | Lock in a price through an exchange or a bank. Big companies use them. | The same kind of protection, with no deposit. Setup takes about 5 minutes. |
Source: DAT, September 2026; C.H. Robinson, April 2026; Sysco 2026 annual report (10-K)
What you can do
Protect your own margin, or offer protection to shippers in your bid. Who pays the fee is your call.
Bring a few lanes you’ve quoted all-in to a free 20-minute call. We’ll look at the fuel behind them together, with no commitment.