Trump Signs Order Providing Fuel Relief for Truckers
President Donald Trump signed an executive order providing fuel tax relief to truckers and farmers facing record diesel prices and rising bankruptcies.
Record-breaking diesel prices have triggered a surge in bankruptcies among small trucking firms in the United States. Driven by a war in Iran that began in February 2026, national diesel averages hit a record $6.05 per gallon on September 11, with prices in California exceeding $7 per gallon. Small operators, lacking the scale and fuel surcharges of large corporations, saw fuel costs rise approximately 70 percent over the last year.
Donald Trump signed an executive order allowing truckers and farmers to purchase red-dyed diesel and deferring certain fuel taxes to provide financial relief. He stated that the action would put money directly in the pockets of American workers, farmers, and truckers.
Despite the federal intervention, the financial strain has been severe. Bankruptcy data shows at least 40 trucking companies filed for bankruptcy in September, a 38 percent increase from the previous year. Industry representatives from Real Women in Trucking characterized the price hikes as a final blow for small businesses already burdened by high-interest loans and post-pandemic market oversaturation.
